Chandos is the oldest and largest girls’ boarding house at College and has expanded from eight Sixth Form girls in 1981 to 70 girls today, from the Third Form right through to the Upper Sixth.

Our aim is to include and value everyone as an individual and to work together as a community. We expect high standards of behaviour and encourage girls to strive for their personal academic best as well as develop their skills and talents generally. Every girl has her role to play in making our House a happy and successful place.

The girls enjoy a variety of activities in addition to those organised by College. These include visits to theme parks, the cinema, canoeing, horse riding, ice skating and cooking.

I became Housemistress of Chandos in September 2010 and also teach in the Modern Languages Department. My background is in both languages and teaching; after graduating in French and Spanish at Nottingham University I went to Bristol for my P.G.C.E. I spent seven happy years at Canford School in Wimborne, Dorset working as Resident Tutor in both girls’ boarding houses and taking on the responsibility of Head of Spanish in my third year of teaching. I moved to Cheltenham in 2007. My husband, David, is a French native and works in Finance. Our two children Antony (8) and Miranda (5) both attend the Junior School.

In Chandos we have two House Matrons, Mrs Julia Mansbridge, our Resident Matron who was formerly an N.H.S. nurse and Mrs Julia Ball who lives locally. Miss Bronwen Kaja, the Chandos Resident Tutor, is also Head of Textiles and was Assistant Housemistress at Wellington College.

As Housemistress I am committed to ensuring that there is a positive and purposeful atmosphere in House and I feel very fortunate to be able to combine my languages teaching with an enriching pastoral role.

If you would like to find out more about Chandos, please do come and visit us.

Holly Mérigot, Chandos Housemistress.