Cheltenham Ladies College

heyy! i just got early acceptance into clc entry 26 a levels! i was just wondering what the girls are like there bc i heard there is some sort of heirearchy or what like that sounds weird but just intrested to know more. also what are each house personalities liek - went to visit beale + cambray and they looked very pretty! does everyone study there or like are u guys all just super smart haha. are the peopel there nice and how are the teachers for bio chem physcology and physics (those are my a levels), is it as strict as people say it is + i know a few people who go there and say its super boring but all these could just be rumours. any insider info?

Hi Ashley! So glad you are joining next year!! I think everybody's experiences are different, but overall I'd say everybody is so kind here. The thing about being in a girls school is that there's a strong sense of empowerment, of girls supporting girls here. In sixth form there will be around 170 girls I think? +/- 10, so there ought to be a group that you fit in well with. There are loads of oppourtinities to meet people, espeically from clubs/ extras -- there are just SO MANY! People here are very friendly and nice, defintely not like in some elite schools were everybody is super judgy and competitive, clc is the oppsite -- you will make friends with people who genuinly support you and want the best for you. I assume you will be boarding?
As for sixth form houses, we have: beale, cambray, roderic, elizabeth and st hilda's.
St Hilda's is the furthest from the school, but it's really close to the sports centre, so if you are a very sporty person being in St Hilda's would be very convenient if you plan on going to the HFC very regularly. St Hilda's has a traditional looking red-brick-house exterior, the interior I'd say is quite full of colour. People have single dorms, the library is stunning, there are 3 kitchens and the head of house is Ms Roca -- a spanich teacher at clc. People do say it does look like a haunted house though, and the bathrooms are quite small -- the shower is really small... Some people say they don't want to be in St Hilda's because they think Ms Roca is strict, but personally for me I think she's normal 😀 just like any normal teacher would be.
Beale and Cambray you've seen, it's a really nice, cozy house and there's a slight sterotype that it's the 'social' house,with some popular people. I think the rooms are actually smaller compared to the other houses, and it's quite packed with people. But this would be a fantastic house for you if you are quite extroverted. Roderic is quite normal too -- it's right next to beale and cambray and it's also a red-brick house.
Now ELIZABETH -- I personally am quite biased towards Elizabeth because this is the houes I want to be in ( I am currently in y11 🙂 ). It's the closest to the school, and to town. It's absolutely stunning! The library is incredible, the rooms are so nice ( there are even en suite rooms! ) The study spaces are so nice. There's a slight sterotype that the people in Elizabeth are studious, and there's quite a number of asians. I know a few people there want to apply to med// vet/ dentistry/ stem etc.
People here is really sociable, easygoing and supportive, not only academic but also have a life outside out studying. Academic plays a part, but there's a whole lot more than just studies. You wouldn't find a lot of very nerdy and unsocialable people, even the smartest are really friendly and have extracirricular passions too. I wouldn't say there's any hierarchy -- you will have an amazing time at this school and meet/ be inspired by the people around you.
Sorry for makign this message so long, so thank you so much for taking the time to read this. Teachers -- THE BEST PART OF CLC. They are so SOOO incredible. There may be a very small number of teachers who many not be as good ( this is the case in every school thought ), but 90% teachers here aer absoultey phenomenal. They will go above and beyond to help you and support you. CLC has an edge in the stem department, so you don't have to worry at all. Teachers here are passionate about what you teach, and really encourage you to be curious and not be afraid to ask questions. There is good support and guidance -- so don't worry. If you want to know more you can pm me!
Last thing -- clc is not boring. It's only boring if you don't open yourself up to what the school has to offer. Music/ sports/ drama/ dance are celebrated here and there are many clubs for you to join/ you can even make one too! Boarding life is fun, because you literally get to spend time with your friends all day long. My favourite highlights of the school year are house music, dance showcase, christmas, musical showcase/ drama showcae and summer concerts. Also summer term is THE BEST -- although this is when the end of year exams will be, the weather is SO nice life just seems so much brighter haha. And I really enjoy the summer sports ( cricket, swimming, badminton, volleyball, table tennis, etc ) -- much more than the winter ones ( they focus a lot on the big 3 - hockey, lacross, netball ). There will be times when things are hard, that's natural with life, but you get a lot of support from your friends, housemistress, teachers, tutor, nurses at the med centre etc ).
Looking forward to seeing you around next year!

hi! thank u for the info! can we continue this in pms?

Yes of course!