School Chooser

Cheltenham College

Independent · ages 2-19MixedIndependent (grammar)Church of England1,134 pupilsSixth formNurseryCheltenhamGloucestershire
School Chooser ScoreNot scoredWe don't score this type of school.
Strong pass in English and maths0%England 46%
Places66 spare1,134 pupils, 1,200 places
Average A level gradeB+2024/25
Pupils on roll1,134Census January 2024

Cheltenham College is an independent school in Cheltenham for boys and girls aged 2 to 19. It has 1,134 pupils and room for 1,200.

Bath Road, Cheltenham, GL53 7LD01242 265600cheltenhamcollege.orgMr Chris Townsend headmasterAll details

Inspection

This private school is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate, not Ofsted. Its reports are at isi.net.

Results

GCSE results, summer 2025

154 pupils sat their GCSEs. Here is how they did against every state secondary in England.

Average GCSE score21.4
England 46.8
Official name: Attainment 8
Strong pass in English and maths0%
England 46%
Official name: Grade 5+ in English and maths
Standard pass in English and maths0%
England 66%
Official name: Grade 4+ in English and maths
Trend
Average GCSE score
2018 to 2025
2018: 8.68.620182019: 16.216.220192022: 27.627.620222023: 15.715.720232024: 31.431.420242025: 21.421.42025
Since 2018: +12.8
All GCSE measures, year by year
Measure202520242023202220192018GloucestershireEngland
Pupils at the end of Year 11154155289151141274
Average GCSE scoreAttainment 821.431.415.727.616.28.651.546.8
Strong pass in English and mathsGrade 5+ in English and maths0%0%0%0%0%0%54%46%
Standard pass in English and mathsGrade 4+ in English and maths0%0%0%0%0%0%72%66%
Core subjects scoreEBacc average point score0.741.720.941.210.230.134.524.15
Taking the core subjectsEBacc entry0%0%0%0%0%0%32%41%

Subjects

Results came out for 12 GCSE subjects in 2025. Each figure is the share of pupils who got a grade 5 or better, next to the average for state secondaries in England.

Strongest subjects

Computer Science100%grades 9 to 5, England 56%
Design & Technology91%grades 9 to 5, England 50%
Drama100%grades 9 to 5, England 60%
Physical Education91%grades 9 to 5, England 56%
What is taught hereOffers 4 languages, computer science, music, classics.

The small number is how many pupils sat each subject. Subjects with fewer than six pupils aren't published.

Every subject against England, 2025
English Language144 entries
87%England 54%
French63 entries
89%England 60%
91%England 56%
91%England 50%
Spanish45 entries
73%England 54%
Art and Design32 entries
88%England 58%
Drama25 entries
100%England 60%
57%England 58%
100%England 56%
Latin18 entries
100%England 82%
German13 entries
92%England 63%
Music11 entries
100%England 61%
SubjectEntriesGrades 9 to 7Grades 9 to 5Grades 9 to 4England 9 to 5Rank in England
English Language14434%87%94%54%
French6352%89%95%60%
Physical Education5843%91%98%56%
Design & Technology5374%91%96%50%
Spanish4542%73%87%54%
Art and Design3228%88%97%58%
Drama2560%100%100%60%
Classical Civilisation2335%57%65%58%
Computer Science2162%100%100%56%
Latin1883%100%100%82%
German1362%92%92%63%
Music1182%100%100%61%

In combined science each pupil gets two grades and we count the lower one. Rankings only include state secondaries where 20 or more pupils sat the subject.

A level and sixth-form results, 2025

159 students finished sixth-form courses.

Average A level gradeB+44.2 points per entry
A level progress+0.56Against students elsewhere with the same GCSE grades. 0 is average.
AAB or better34%with two subjects universities favour
All sixth-form measures, year by year
Measure202520242023202220192018
Students159153156160297294
Average A level points per entryA level APS per entry44.2340.9943.6144.3839.2842.49
Average A level gradeB+BB+B+BB+
Best three A levelsBest 3 A levels APS45.5342.3944.4244.7339.6042.29
AAB or better in subjects universities likeAAB+ in two facilitating subjects34%26%37%36%23%37%
A level progressA level value added+0.56+0.34+0.30+0.08
Applied general courses: points per entry38.8838.8940.9146.40

A level subjects

23 A level subjects had results in 2025. Each figure is the share of students who got an A* to B, next to the average for state sixth forms in England. When only a handful of students take a subject, its figures jump around from year to year.

Strongest A levels

English Literature94%A* to B, England 52% · 16 entries
Business Studies86%A* to B, England 47% · 28 entries
Geography86%A* to B, England 51% · 28 entries
Chemistry88%A* to B, England 53% · 24 entries
A levels taught hereThe small number is how many students sat each one in 2025.
SubjectsMathematics49Economics33Physics31History28Geography28Business Studies28Chemistry24Government and Politics22Psychology21History of Art19Physical Education / Sports Studies17English Literature16Biology15Mathematics (Further)15Religious Studies12Fine Art9Drama and Theatre Studies8Design and Technology (Textiles Technology)8Design and Technology (Product Design)8French7Spanish7Classical Civilisation6Latin5
Every A level subject against England, 2025
Mathematics49 entries · 80% A* or A · 100% passed
92%England 60%
Economics33 entries · 36% A* or A · 100% passed
88%England 57%
Physics31 entries · 48% A* or A · 100% passed
68%England 51%
History28 entries · 25% A* or A · 100% passed
61%England 55%
Geography28 entries · 46% A* or A · 100% passed
86%England 51%
Business Studies28 entries · 46% A* or A · 100% passed
86%England 47%
Chemistry24 entries · 67% A* or A · 96% passed
88%England 53%
Government and Politics22 entries · 46% A* or A · 100% passed
82%England 55%
Psychology21 entries · 19% A* or A · 100% passed
57%England 46%
History of Art19 entries · 26% A* or A · 100% passed
84%England 54%
Physical Education / Sports Studies17 entries · 6% A* or A · 94% passed
53%England 41%
English Literature16 entries · 38% A* or A · 100% passed
94%England 52%
Biology15 entries · 53% A* or A · 100% passed
67%England 49%
Mathematics (Further)15 entries · 60% A* or A · 93% passed
80%England 76%
Religious Studies12 entries · 58% A* or A · 100% passed
83%England 50%
Fine Art9 entries · 56% A* or A · 100% passed
100%England 65%
Drama and Theatre Studies8 entries · 63% A* or A · 100% passed
100%England 54%
Design and Technology (Textiles Technology)8 entries · 63% A* or A · 100% passed
100%England 43%
Design and Technology (Product Design)8 entries · 38% A* or A · 100% passed
88%England 38%
French7 entries · 43% A* or A · 100% passed
86%England 60%
Spanish7 entries · 57% A* or A · 100% passed
86%England 59%
Classical Civilisation6 entries · 17% A* or A · 100% passed
67%England 55%
Latin5 entries · 0% A* or A · 0% passed
0%England 51%

A levels only. BTECs, T levels and other courses are in the table above. Subjects with fewer than five students aren't published.

Does every child do well here?

A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. Every gap at this school is smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.

At GCSE, 2025

Average GCSE scoreBoys vs girls
20.322.8
Gap 2.5England 3.0
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.

Getting a place

Grammar school. This is a grammar school, so places depend on an entrance test. As a Church of England school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.

Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Gloucestershire council's admissions booklet, send it to us.

Who goes here

Who the school teaches, from the latest school census.

Pupils on roll1,134Census January 2024
Places1,20094% full
Pupils from low-income familiesGet free school meals
Pupils getting extra support18%203 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan0%0 pupils with a plan
Boys and girls591 / 543
How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll1,1341,1781,1741,1651,1421,125
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals0%0%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language0%0%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support13%17%16%18%0%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans0%0%0%0%0%

What pupils do next

After sixth form

Where the 154 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.

Still in education, work or training67%and stayed there for at least six months
Earlier years
Destination2022/23 leavers2021/22 leavers2020/21 leavers
Still in education, work or training67%70%65%
Education46%49%48%
Apprenticeship1%1%0%
Work21%21%18%
Not in education, work or training16%12%13%

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m22712 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate146 per 1,000 people61% higher than the England average
Typical house price£327,500Cheltenham
Nearest bus stop40 mCollege Entrance, 26 stops within 500 m

Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.

Nearby schools

The closest schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Cheltenham Ladies' CollegeIndependent (grammar)650 m814Not inspectedCompare
Naunton Park Primary SchoolCouncil830 m402No overall grade 202488Compare
St John's Church of England Primary SchoolChurch of England870 m174Good 202332Compare
Gloucestershire Hospital Education ServicePupil referral unit920 m0Outstanding 2022Compare
University of GloucestershireHigher education institutions0.6 milesNot inspectedCompare
Holy Trinity Church of England Primary SchoolChurch of England0.7 miles169No overall grade 202551Compare
The Catholic School of Saint Gregory the GreatAcademy0.7 miles412Good 202336Compare
Dean Close AirthrieIndependent0.7 miles52Not inspectedCompare

Questions parents ask

Is Cheltenham College a good school?

We don't have enough published data to score Cheltenham College yet.

How good are Cheltenham College's GCSE results?

In summer 2025, 0% of pupils got a grade 5 or better in both English and maths. Across England it was 46%. Its Attainment 8 score, which is the average grade across a pupil's best eight subjects times ten, was 21.4, against 46.8 for England.

How many pupils does Cheltenham College have?

1,134 pupils aged 2 to 19 were on the roll in January 2024. It has 1,200 places, so it is 95% full.

Does Cheltenham College have an entrance exam?

Yes. It is a grammar school, so places depend on an entrance test, usually sat in September of Year 6. Check the school's admissions page for the test dates and the pass mark.

Does Cheltenham College have a sixth form?

Yes. The average A level grade in 2025 was B+. 23 A level subjects had results in 2025; the full list is in the results section.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
Bath Road, Cheltenham, GL53 7LD
Telephone
01242 265600
Website
www.cheltenhamcollege.org
Headmaster
Mr Chris Townsend
Type of school
Independent school (Other independent school, independent schools)
Phase
Independent school, ages 2-19, with nursery, with sixth form
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England
Local authority
Gloucestershire
Ward
College
Constituency
Cheltenham
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
29 July 1841
URN
115795 · LAESTAB 9166033 · UKPRN 10015396

Recent changes

  • New KS4 results for 2024/25

Where these figures come from