View source for Cheltenham College

{{short description|Public school in Gloucestershire, England}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}}
{{Infobox school
 | name                    = Cheltenham College
 | logo                    = cheltenhamcollege.jpg
 | logo_size               = 
 | image                   = Cheltenham College Chapel and library.jpg
 | caption                 = Cheltenham College Chapel and Library (Big Modern)
 | motto                   = {{langx|la|[[Labor omnia vincit]]}}<br>("Work Conquers All")
 | established             = {{start date and age|1841|7}}
 | closed                  = 
 | type                    = [[Public school (UK)|Public school]]<br />[[Private schools in the United Kingdom|Private]] [[boarding school|boarding]] and [[day school]]
 | religion                = [[Church of England]]
 | president               = 
 | head_label              = Head
 | head                    = Nicola A. Huggett
 | r_head_label            = 
 | r_head                  = 
 | chair_label             = President of the Council
 | chair                   = W. J. Straker-Nesbit
 | founder                 = G. S. Harcourt, J. S. Iredell
 | specialist              = 
 | address                 = Bath Road
 | city                    = [[Cheltenham]]
 | county                  = [[Gloucestershire]]
 | country                 = England
 | postcode                = GL53 7LD
 | local_authority         = [[Gloucestershire County Council|Gloucestershire]]
 | urn                     = 115795
 | ofsted                  = http://www.cheltenhamcollege.org/Websites/cheltenham/Images/senior/About%20Us/Ofsted%20Report%20College%20April%202011%20.pdf Reports]
 | staff                   = 88<ref name=FactsAndFigures>{{cite web |url=http://www.cheltcoll.gloucs.sch.uk/cc/news/facts.php |title=Facts & figures |access-date=24 August 2007 |publisher=Cheltenham College |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070822151818/http://www.cheltcoll.gloucs.sch.uk/cc/news/facts.php |archive-date = 22 August 2007}}</ref>
 | enrolment               = 720<ref name=Welcome>{{cite web |url=http://www.cheltcoll.gloucs.sch.uk/cc/home/index.php |title=Welcome |access-date=24 August 2007 |publisher=Cheltenham College |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070809191534/http://www.cheltcoll.gloucs.sch.uk/cc/home/index.php |archive-date = 9 August 2007}}</ref>
 | gender                  = Co-educational
 | lower_age               = 13
 | upper_age               = 18
 | houses                  = 11
 | colours                 = Old:{{colour box|Hotpink}} {{colour box|Black}} {{colour box|Red}}  {{colour box| #a67c00}}
Current: {{colour box| #e30493}} {{colour box| #121746}}
 | publication             = 
 | alumni                  = [[List of Cheltenham College alumni|Old Cheltonians]] (OCs)
 | free_label_2            = Publication
 | free_2                  = ''The Cheltonian'' & Floreat
 | free_label_3            = 
 | free_3                  = 
 | coordinates             = {{coord|51|53|30|N|2|4|30|W|scale:1000|display=inline,title}}
 | website                 = {{url|cheltenhamcollege.org}}
}}
'''Cheltenham College''' is a [[Public school (United Kingdom)|public school]] ([[Private schools in the United Kingdom|fee-charging]] [[boarding school|boarding]] and [[day school]] for pupils aged 13–18) in [[Cheltenham]], Gloucestershire, England. The school opened in 1841 as a [[Church of England]] foundation and is known for its outstanding linguistic, military, and sporting traditions.

==History==
Two Cheltenham residents, [[George Simon Harcourt|G. S. Harcourt]] and J. S. Iredell, founded the college in July 1841 to educate the sons of gentlemen. The plan to establish a ''[[Proprietary school|Proprietary Grammar School]]'' had been agreed at a meeting of residents at Harcourt's home on 9 November 1840.<ref name=Morgan68>Michael Croke Morgan, (1968), ''Cheltenham College: The First Hundred Years'', page 219, (published for the Cheltonian Society by Sadler)</ref>{{rp|1}} It originally opened in three houses along Bays Hill Terrace in the centre of the town.

Within two years it had moved to its present site, with Boyne House as the first College Boarding House, and soon became known simply as Cheltenham College. Accepting both boarding and day boys, it was divided into Classical and Military sides until the mid-20th century. The 1893 book ''Great Public Schools'' by E. S. Skirving, S. R. James, and [[Henry Churchill Maxwell Lyte]] contained a chapter on each of what they considered England's ten greatest [[Public School (United Kingdom)|public schools]]; it included a chapter on Cheltenham College. The college is now an independent fee paying school, governed by Cheltenham College Council. A few girls were admitted in 1969. In 1981 the first girls' house opened and the Sixth Form became fully co-educational. In 1998, girls were admitted to all other years.

In 1865, a Junior Department was added to the main College buildings. In 1993 it opened its doors to girls and also opened a pre-Prep department, Kingfishers, for 3- to 7-year-olds.

==Student body==
Cheltenham has approximately 720 pupils (a fifth being day pupils) between the ages of 13 and 18.<ref>[http://www.cheltcoll.gloucs.sch.uk/cc/news/facts.php] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070822151818/http://www.cheltcoll.gloucs.sch.uk/cc/news/facts.php|date=22 August 2007}}</ref> The fees are between approximately £37,000–£50,500 per annum, making it amongst the most expensive schools in the United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cheltenhamcollege.org/senior-school-fees |title=Fees 2011/2012 |publisher=Cheltenham College |date=10 September 2008 |access-date=28 February 2012 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120229191847/http://www.cheltenhamcollege.org/senior-school-fees |archive-date=29 February 2012  }}</ref> The school claims to have a strong academic reputation, with the majority of pupils going to The [[Russell Group]] Universities, and around 7% going on to [[Oxford]] and [[Cambridge]] universities. Both GCSE and A Level results are among the highest in Gloucestershire.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/education/secondaries/tables/0,,1986384,00.html |title=2006 GCSE and A-level results: Gloucestershire &#124; Schools special reports |publisher=EducationGuardian.co.uk |access-date=28 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120603114341/http://education.guardian.co.uk/secondaries/tables/0,,1986384,00.html |archive-date=3 June 2012 |url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Education |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/3078764/Town-vs-Gown-Cheltenham-Gloucestershire.html |title=Town vs Gown: Cheltenham, Gloucestershire |work=The Daily Telegraph |access-date=28 February 2012 |date=25 September 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110709183302/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/3078764/Town-vs-Gown-Cheltenham-Gloucestershire.html |archive-date=9 July 2011 |url-status = live }}</ref>

Cheltenham College and Cheltenham Prep are home to over 100 international students <ref>{{cite web |title=International Students |url=https://www.cheltenhamcollege.org/admissions/international-pupils/ |website=Cheltenham College}}</ref> from over 30 countries. These students all need an Educational Guardian<ref>{{cite web |title=YES Guardians |url=https://www.yesguardians.co.uk/educational-guardianship/ |website=Educational Guardianship |access-date=10 January 2025}}</ref> as part of admission.

==Military tradition==
In the [[First World War]] 702 [[Cheltonian Society|Old Cheltonians]] (former pupils) were killed in the service of their country, and a further 363 died in [[World War II]]. Cheltenham is one of only three schools in England to have its own [[Colours, standards and guidons|military colours]] (last presented in 2000 by The Princess Royal). (The others are Eton College and the Duke of York's Royal Military School.)

=== Combined Cadet Force (CCF) ===
Cheltenham College has an affiliate tri-service [[Combined Cadet Force]] which has a history dating back to 1862.{{CN|date=May 2023}} 

Cheltenham College CCF (Army Section) is attached to the [[The Rifles|Rifles Regiment]], and consequently Army cadets' berets have the Rifles Bugle as their cap badge.

== Sport ==

===Rugby===
The rugby club dates back to 1844. Cheltenham competes with larger single gender schools. The first inter-school rugby football match was played between Rugby School and Cheltenham College, Cheltenham beating Rugby. The "Cheltenham Rules" were adopted by the Rugby Football Union in 1887. Cheltenham's rugby XV was undefeated in the 1957, 2008 and 2017 seasons.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/schoolsports/3777804/Cheltenham-College-1st-XV-remain-undefeated-throughout-school-rugby-season.html |title=Cheltenham College 1st XV remain undefeated throughout school rugby season |work=The Daily Telegraph |access-date=28 February 2012 |date=15 December 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100326140946/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/schoolsports/3777804/Cheltenham-College-1st-XV-remain-undefeated-throughout-school-rugby-season.html |archive-date=26 March 2010 |url-status = live }}</ref> [[Eddie Butler (rugby union)|Eddie Butler]], former Welsh, Barbarian and British Lions international rugby player, taught French at the school. The school's director of rugby is former [[Gloucester Rugby]] and [[England national rugby union team|England]] rugby player [[Olly Morgan]].

===Rowing===
The Boat Club was founded in 1841. The Boat House itself is located at the foot of [[Tewkesbury Abbey]] on the banks of the River Severn. Key events in the rowing calendar are; [[Schools' Head of the River Race]], [[The National Schools Regatta]] and [[Henley Royal Regatta]]. At the 2013 National School's Head of River, the 1st IV+ came first in their division.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cheltenhamcollege.org/rowing|title=Rowing – Cheltenham College|website=cheltenhamcollege.org|access-date=19 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180319214748/http://www.cheltenhamcollege.org/rowing|archive-date=19 March 2018|url-status = live}}</ref>

===Rackets===
Cheltenham College plays [[Rackets (sport)|Rackets]]. At times, they have dominated the [[Queen's Club]] Public Schools Competition: Cheltenham have been National Champions three times from 2003 to 2011. Chris Stout won the Foster Cup (the individual championship for public schools) at Queen's Club in December 2011. The current World Champion, [[James Stout (rackets)|Jamie Stout]] (Chris's brother), is an Old Cheltonian as well.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cheltenhamcollege.org/rackets |title=Rackets |publisher=Cheltenham College |date=10 September 2008 |access-date=28 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120207040141/http://www.cheltenhamcollege.org/rackets |archive-date=7 February 2012 |url-status = live }}</ref>

===Polo===
Cheltenham were National Schools Champions in 1997, 1998, 2004, & 2005 and Arena Champions in 2004, 2005, and 2006.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cheltenhamcollege.org/success-for-college-polo-teams |title=Success for College Polo Teams |publisher=Cheltenham College |date=24 February 2011 |access-date=28 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120512201745/http://www.cheltenhamcollege.org/success-for-college-polo-teams |archive-date=12 May 2012 |url-status = live }}</ref>

===Cricket===
Cheltenham has a longstanding tradition of cricket and is the home of the [[Cheltenham Cricket Festival]]. Gloucestershire County Cricket Club played its first game at [[College Ground, Cheltenham|the College cricket ground]] in 1872, making this the longest running cricket festival on an out-ground, in the world.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cheltenhamcollege.org/cricket |title=Cricket |publisher=Cheltenham College |date=10 September 2008 |access-date=28 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120208000220/http://www.cheltenhamcollege.org/cricket |archive-date=8 February 2012 |url-status = live }}</ref>

==In popular culture and media==
Cheltenham College was used to film the majority of the school scenes in the popular 1968 British film ''[[If....]]'', starring [[Malcolm McDowell]], although an agreement between the school's then Headmaster, David Ashcroft, and the film's director, [[Lindsay Anderson]] (who was a former pupil and Senior Prefect), prevented the filmmakers from crediting the school. Additional interior scenes were filmed at [[Aldenham School]] in Hertfordshire, which gained sole accreditation in the film's closing credit.{{citation needed|reason=pulled out|date=January 2020}}

==Notable alumni==
See [[List of Cheltenham College alumni]]

==Principals, headmasters and head==
The current head of Cheltenham College is Nicola Huggett.

The full list of past principals and heads is contained in Cheltenham College Who's Who 5th edition, 2003, and is as follows:
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* '''Principals (1841–1919)'''
 <!-- This section is linked from [[List of notable Old Derbeians]] -->
** Alfred Phillips, 1841–44
** William Dobson, 1845–59
** Henry Highton, 1859–62
** Alfred Barry, 1862–68
** [[Thomas Jex-Blake]], 1868–74
** Herbert Kynaston (né Snow), 1874–88
** Herbert Armitage James, 1889–95
** Robert Stuart de Courcy Laffan, 1895–99
** Reginald Waterfield, 1899–1919
* '''Headmasters (1919–2019)'''
** Henry Harrison Hardy, 1919–32
** Richard Victor Harley Roseveare 1932–37
** Arthur Goodhart Pite 1937–38
** John Bell 1938–40
** Alan Guy Elliott-Smith 1940–51
** [[Guy Pentreath]] 1952–59
** David Ashcroft 1959–78
** Richard Martin Morgan 1978–90
** Peter David Vaughan Wilkes 1990–97
** Paul Arthur Chamberlain 1997–2004
** John Stephen Richardson 2004–2010
** Alex Peterken 2010–2018
** Crispin Dawson (acting headmaster – 2018)
* '''Head (2019- )'''
** Nicola Huggett 2019 –
* '''Heads of the Junior School (1863–2013)'''
** Thomas Middlemore Middlemore-Whithard 1863–65
** Francis Joseph Cade 1896–1910
** Charles Thornton 1911–23
** Basil Allcot Bowers 1923–33
** William Donavan Johnston 1933–46
** Hugh Alan Clutton-Brock 1946–64
** [[William Philip Cathcart Davies]] 1964–86
** David John Allenby Cassell 1986–91
** Nigel Iain Archdale 1992–2008
** Adrian Morris 2008–2010
** Scott Bryan 2010–2012
** Noll Jenkins 2012–2013 (acting head)
* '''Heads of the preparatory school (2013–present)'''
** Jonathan Whybrow 2013–2018
** Tom O'Sullivan 2018 –
{{div col end}}

==See also==
* [[Cheltonian Society]]
* [[College Ground, Cheltenham]]
* [[Thirlestaine House]]
* [[:Category:People educated at Cheltenham College|List of people educated at Cheltenham College]]
* [[Cheltenham Ladies' College]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* ''Cheltenham College: The First Hundred Years'' by Michael C. Morgan [Chalfont St. Giles: Richard Sadler, for the Cheltonian Society, 1968]. A formal history, starting with the meeting on 9 November 1840 of Cheltenham residents (presided over by Major-General George Swiney) who decided to set up a 'Proprietary Grammar School' and appointed a committee to achieve this. ISBN unknown/unavailable.
* ''Then & Now: An Anniversary Celebration of Cheltenham College 1841–1991'' by Tim Pearce, (Cheltonian Society, 1991). The author explains in the Preface that this is "more of a scrap book than a formal history, and like all scrap books it reflects the tastes and interests of its compilers and depends on what in the way of pictures and documents may be available to them". {{ISBN|0-85967-875-X}} 
* ''Cheltenham College Who's Who'', 5th edition ed. John Bowes, (Cheltonian Society, 2003) No ISBN on book.
* ''Floreat'', A collection of photographs of College life from the 1960s and early 1970s compiled by the late M.F. Miller, a Physics master at the school

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Cheltenham College}}
* [http://www.cheltenhamcollege.org/ Cheltenham College website]

{{Public schools in England}}
{{Schools in Gloucestershire}}
{{Cheltenham, Gloucestershire}}

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[[Category:Cheltenham College]]
[[Category:Educational institutions established in 1841]]
[[Category:1841 establishments in England]]
[[Category:Boarding schools in Gloucestershire]]
[[Category:Private schools in Gloucestershire]]
[[Category:Schools in Cheltenham]]
[[Category:Member schools of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference]]
[[Category:Racquets venues]]
[[Category:Schools cricket]]