We are here to help
We recognise that choosing the right school for your child is vitally important and we will help in any way we can to ensure you are fully informed in your decision
This Admissions and Information booklet provides you with some of the firm facts, figures and dates which you will need for entry.
Should you require further clarification, or you have specific questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. Our Admissions Team is well versed in assisting families and handling your requests – after all, we have been doing this for over a hundred years
The Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rated Cheltenham Prep ‘Excellent’ in all categories during the 2023 inspection.
Who’s Who
Senior Leadership Team
Mr
Admissions
Mr Tom O’Sullivan, Head
Special Responsibilities
Mr Andy Theedom Head of Lower School (Years 3 & 4, ages 7 - 9) a.theedom@cheltenhamcollege.org
Dr Kit Perona-Wright Head of Middle School (Years 5 & 6, ages 9 - 11) k.perona-wright@cheltenhamcollege.org
Ms Sarah Reid Head of Upper School (Years 7 & 8, ages 11 - 13) s.reid@cheltenhamcollege.org
Mrs Christina Conner Head of Learning Support c.conner@cheltenhamcollege.org
Ms Catherine Solomon Head of Wellbeing c.solomon@cheltenhamcollege.org
All staf can be contacted by telephone on 01242 522 697.
Registration & Admissions Procedure
Introduction
Pupils may join Cheltenham Prep in any year group, and the Nursery School from the term in which they turn 3 Entrance is usually in September but entry at any point during the year is possible, subject to place availability.
Entry into Years 7 and 8 is selective and is based upon our assessment of a child’s ability to thrive at Cheltenham College Entry to younger year groups is also assessment based, but this is less formal and focused primarily on whether or not a child will flourish within our school environment
Boarding places are available for all pupils from Year 3 upwards The Boarding House, located in the main building of Cheltenham Prep, has separate self-contained accommodation for boys and girls Pupils wishing to enter the school as Boarders are invited to have an overnight taster Boarding Sleepover
The Admissions Team are responsible for all aspects of the entry procedure and will be happy to assist with any additional questions you may have. They can be contacted by email: prepadmissions@cheltenhamcollege.org or by telephone: 01242 265 639.
More information can also be found on the website: www.cheltenhamcollege.org/prep-admissions
Visiting Us
The admissions process normally begins with a visit to the school as this is by far the best way to see all we have to offer. You are welcome to come to one of our Open Mornings or to book a personal visit on a weekday during term time.
A visit normally lasts around two hours and you will meet the Head, Deputy Heads or another senior staff member who would be instrumental in your child’s education You will be given a tour of the school and be able to meet our current pupils. If you are interested in a Boarding place, you will also have the opportunity to look around the Boarding House
If you would like to book a visit, our Admissions Team will be happy to make the necessary arrangements
Registration
Registration to place your child on the entry list for admission may be made at any time To register your child, please complete the online Registration Form which can be found on our website
The Registration Form must be completed and signed by both parents or legal guardians Once submitted, this secures a provisional place on our entry lists and ensures that your child will be considered for a place at Cheltenham Prep
Please note that in the event of places being oversubscribed, registration for a place does not automatically guarantee that a place will subsequently be available
Taster Days
Prior to receiving a place offer, we request that all pupils hoping to attend Cheltenham Prep join us for a Taster Day These are offered on school weekdays in term time and enable your child to experience a normal school day within their year group Each visiting child is given a ‘buddy’ for the day who is in the same class, making our visitors feel at home from the outset During the Taster Day, we will informally and unobtrusively assess your child to make sure that they will thrive within our community
Entry into Pre-Prep
Our Pre-Prep Department includes Nursery School, Reception, Year 1 and Year 2. O ffers are made subject to children completing a Taster Day or Session with us, and our staff confirming that we are able to meet each child’s needs academically and socially.
The aim of the Taster Day is to assess your child’s development informally, ensuring we can offer the most appropriate care and education Where necessary, priority for the allocation of Nursery days will be given to families with older children at The Prep
Please note that children entering the Nursery School are expected to be potty-trained
We recommend that all prospective Boarders or Flexi Boarders join us for a Sleepover in our Boarding House in addition to their Taster Day
Entry into Years 3 - 6
Entry into Years 3 - 6 is operated on a rolling admissions programme and subject to availability The next step, after registration, is for the pupil to join us for a Taster Day and to sit our age appropriate assessments The assessment activities are relatively informal, and designed to ensure that all new pupils can access and enjoy our curriculum Should a pupil find these particularly challenging, this will be highlighted to the parents, and we may advise against entry
All pupils joining us in these years will still participate in our Entrance@11 programme in the Autumn Term of Year 6 for their Year 9 place at Cheltenham College.
Entrance@11 (Year 7)
Entrance@11 is selective and subject to pupils completing a range of useful cognitive assessments which help us understand their learning potential and preferences Our Entrance@11 will take place in the November of Year 6 All candidates must have completed the Registration process prior to the event.
Entrance@11 assessments take place as part of the admissions process, but can be taken later in the year subject to places being available
The Entrance@11 assessments consist of:
• CAT4 Cognitive Assessments (consisting of Verbal, Non-Verbal, Quantitative, Spatial Elements)
• A short written task
• A mathematics assessment
Any Entrance@11 pupils applying after our Entrance and Assessment Days will also complete the same assessments, subject to places being available
Pupils applying to join Year 8 sit CAT4 Cognitive Assessments, a mathematics assessment and complete a short handwritten task These can be taken (subject to space availability) at any time by arrangement with the Admissions Team For candidates who are non-native English speakers, entry is also subject to a satisfactory level of English and an English as an Additional Language (EAL) paper and online assessment replaces the short written task
Applicants offered a place following Entrance@11 or Year 8 assessments will be offered a place at Cheltenham Prep; this will usually guarantee entry into Cheltenham College at 13+, and 13+
Common Entrance is sat only for setting purposes.
The majority of our pupils move from Cheltenham Prep to Cheltenham College at 13+ However, pupils can be supported for preparation into any senior school All schools have different entry criteria so parents are asked to inform us of their child’s onward school as soon as possible.
Final Acceptance and Conditions
When a place is formally offered, parents or legal guardians receive a formal Letter of Entry, Final Acceptance Declaration and a copy of our Terms and Conditions. The Final Acceptance Declaration must be completed and signed by both parents or legal guardians, then returned to the Admissions Team together with the relevant Final Acceptance Fee Final Acceptance Fees are as follows:
• Nursery School to Year 6: £250
• Years 7 and 8: £1,000 (comprising £750 deposit and £250 Bursary Fund contribution. *The Bursary Fund will increase to £400 for those joining from September 2025
The Bursary Fund enables Cheltenham Prep to broaden its entry and offer bursarial support to children whose families would otherwise be unable to afford our school fees
Non-UK residents will be required to pay a full term’s fees as their Final Acceptance deposit. We reserve the right to require a banker’s reference and/or an additional deposit before a pupil, normally resident overseas, is admitted to Cheltenham Prep
In all cases, the deposit provides financial security against the final fee invoice that is raised after a pupil has left and it is put towards final outstanding items where necessary. The deposit will be refunded at the time the pupil leaves, minus sums due to the school Once paid, if the pupil does not enter Cheltenham Prep the Final Acceptance Fee will be forfeited.
Before a child is admitted to Cheltenham Prep, parents or legal guardians must sign their consent to our Terms and Conditions (attached to the Final Acceptance Declaration) This includes consent to adhere to all current school policies We reserve the right to revise all policies on an ongoing basis.
Visa Requirements for International Pupils
Some pupils may require a Child Student Visa in order to be able to study in the UK While it is the responsibility of parents or guardians to determine whether or not their child needs such a visa (and to apply for it), the Admissions Team will provide the required Certificate of Acceptance for Study (CAS) to enable you to do this once the place has been formally accepted The CAS is issued, on request from either parents, legal guardians or agents, in the term prior to entry and can be used when making any visa application
Further details regarding visas and entry into the UK may be obtained from the United Kingdom Visa and Immigration (UKVI) website: www.gov.uk/child-study-visa
As the rules are complex we do encourage you to read this thoroughly if you suspect that a visa might be required. Please note that we only support Full Boarding Child Student Visa applications.
Guardianship
All parents who reside abroad, or who spend extended periods abroad with work, must appoint a guardian in the UK to act with their full authority Pupils whose parents have failed to appoint a guardian will not be permitted to begin their studies at The Prep
The choice of guardian is the responsibility of the parent but they should be at least 25 years of age, English-speaking, resident in the UK and based no further than 90 minutes from The Prep
For further information, please read the guardianship policy which is available on our website at: www.cheltenhamcollege.org/college-policies
Fees 2024-25
Basic Fees (per term)
Basic fees are payable termly in advance by the first day of term by direct debit
A nominal charge will be raised for any other method of payment.
Pre-Prep Boarder Day pupil
Nursery School to Year 1 –
Year 2 –
£3,575
£3,945
Prep School Boarder Day pupil
Year 3
4
£8,040
£5,290
Pre-Prep Late Stay 3.30pm to 6.00pm Charge
Bookings made for a regular day or days per week: Up to 5.00pm Free of charge Up to 6.00pm (one day per week) £55 per term (including tea)
Bookings made for incidental days: Up to 6.00pm
Other Fees
Day Pupils staying to supper:
Flexi-Boarding:
Sibling Discount
£9.00 per day (including tea)
£4.50 per meal
£52 per night
Cheltenham College ofers a 10% sibling discount for the third child (and then subsequent children) coming through the school from the same family. In order to qualify for this discount, three children must be in the school at the same time or older siblings must have attended Prep or College for 5 years or more.
It is emphasised that the fees are inclusive and the only substantial extras are private tuition in Music, Learning Support and English as an Additional Language (EAL) From time to time pupils are taken on expeditions or to concerts etc. and the costs of such outings shall be charged to their account The Council reserves the right to alter basic fees on giving prior notice of pending alteration (without necessarily specifying the amount) and to impose without notice a surcharge of not more than 5% on each term’s basic fee Other charges may be altered without notice
A ‘Fees in Advance’ scheme is also operated whereby future terms’ fees may be purchased at a discount based upon a fixed annual rate of return This scheme can (in appropriate circumstances) offer certain benefits for payers in relation to UK Inheritance Tax and Income Tax Further details can be obtained from the Finance Bursar on 01242 265 641.
Charges for Music
Individual lessons (frst instrument) from £320 per term (30 minute lessons)
Subsequent instruments from £286 per term (30 minute lessons)
Hire of school instruments (excluding insurance)
£35 00 per term (for a maximum of 6 terms)
Incidental charges such as instrument repairs or exam entries are charged at cost.
Charges for Learning Support and English as an Additional Language (EAL)
Our aim is to support every child at Cheltenham Prep in becoming the best that he or she can be, whether excelling in a discipline or overcoming mild learning difficulties to achieve academically The Learning Hub plays a vital role in assisting pupils for whom work is made more challenging by dyslexia, or other specific learning needs. Support is also available to pupils for whom English is an Additional Language (EAL)
The level of support provided is recommended by The Learning Hub, in conjunction with assessments and discussions with parents Lessons, delivered by qualified teachers, are offered on an individual, pair or small group basis
There are two levels of support and termly charges are as follows:
Level 1 £265 for 1 x weekly Learning Hub lesson (Pair or group)
Level 2 £390 for 1 x weekly Learning Hub lesson (1:1)
Some general in-class support is available throughout school. There is no charge for this support Further information may be obtained from Mrs Christina Conner, the Head of Learning Support: c.conner@cheltenhamcollege.org
Bursaries
We are keen to consider bursaries for applicants from parents or guardians who are unable to afford full fees, especially for pupils who will substantially benefit from the education that Cheltenham Prep offers and who are able to contribute positively to the life of the school
All bursaries are means-tested They are based on careful and sympathetic scrutiny of individual family circumstances and no generalisation of appropriate income levels is possible. A child must be registered before a bursary can be applied for and we strongly recommend early application as these funds are limited
Bursary applications will be considered on a case by case basis
Further details can be obtained by downloading the Bursary Policy from the policies page of our website Families in need of financial support should contact the Bursar’s office: bursar@cheltenhamcollege.org All financial information submitted by parents is treated in the strictest of confidence
Military and FCDO Discount
Cheltenham College has strong military links of which we are proud. We offer generous discounts for parents currently serving in the UK Armed Forces
We also offer a 15% discount to day and boarding families serving within the Foreign Commonwealth and Development O ffice who are in receipt of the FCDO support.
For further information please visit: www.cheltenhamcollege. org/admissions/fees/military-bursaries
Policies
School policies are available to download from our website and include: Admissions, Boarding Principles, Bursaries, Child Protection and Safeguarding, Complaints Procedure, Data Protection (Privacy Notice), Guardianship and Health and Safety
You can find these at: www.cheltenhamcollege.org/policies. More information can be obtained from Mrs Sue Hopkins, the Bursar’s PA: s.hopkins@cheltenhamcollege.org
“Pupils embrace the school ethos, which provides a clear framework for personal development and results in pupils who are confdent, well-rounded and curious, enabling them to develop into respectful, resilient young people.”
Independent Schools Inspectorate, 2023
Cheltenham College Prep School
Thirlestaine Road
Cheltenham
Gloucestershire
GL53 7AB
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0) 1242 522 697
Email: prepadmissions@cheltenhamcollege.org
Facebook.com/CheltPrep
Instagram: @cheltprep www.cheltenhamcollege.org
Registered Charity No. 311720
Printed September 2023