Cheltenham College Commended in Independent Schools of the Year Awards 2026

Cheltenham College is delighted to have been commended in the Independent Schools of the Year Awards 2026 in the Sporting Achievement category.

The Independent Schools of the Year Awards celebrate excellence across the independent education sector, with a record number of nominations received this year across 25 categories. The commendation recognises the outstanding opportunities, experiences and achievements that sport provides for our pupils.

Sport is central to life at Cheltenham College, with pupils of all abilities encouraged to participate, compete and develop through an extensive programme of coaching, fixtures and co-curricular opportunities. From grassroots participation to elite performance, every pupil is supported to achieve their personal best.

Following this commendation, we now look forward to the announcement of this year’s finalists on 10 September, with the winners being revealed at the Independent Schools of the Year Awards ceremony on 14 October.

We are incredibly proud to have received this recognition and thank our pupils, coaches and staff whose dedication and enthusiasm continue to make sport such an important part of life at Cheltenham College.

Four girls in a rowing boat paddle together on a calm river, surrounded by greenery. Wearing matching sports kit, they appear focused as they work as a team—demonstrating the discipline and collaboration often fostered through Oxbridge Preparation.

Three polo players on horseback compete in a match on a grassy pitch. Two players wear pink shirts and one wears white, all holding mallets and wearing helmets, with trees visible in the background.

Four female hockey players in matching pink and black kits are crouched and ready at the edge of the pitch, appearing focused before play, with a brick wall in the background—a testament to the dedication seen at Cheltenham College, recognised in the Independent Schools of the Year Awards 2026.

Rugby players in red and black, and yellow and blue jerseys compete in a line-out during the Cheltenham College Charity Rugby Match 2025, as one player is lifted to catch the ball in a stadium with spectators in the background.

Two women playing squash on a red indoor court; one prepares to hit the ball while the other stands ready—a match reminiscent of the National Schools’ Rackets Success for Cheltenham College.

A group of young men in white cricket kit stand together on a grassy field, some wearing pink caps, appearing to celebrate or strategise, with trees in the background—capturing the spirited camaraderie that defines Cheltenham College, recently recognised in the Independent Schools of the Year Awards 2026.

Two cricket players in action on a grassy pitch, one batting and the other wicketkeeping, with stumps and a red ball visible. Trees and a building are in the background. An umpire stands behind the stumps as Maddie earns her First Gloucestershire Cap.

The Cheltenham College Charity Netball 2026 team of 10 women in matching pink and black kits stands in a row indoors, smiling at the camera, with a netball post and blue lighting behind them. One player in the centre holds a netball.

A footballer in a navy and pink kit prepares to kick the ball while others watch near a goal on a grassy pitch beside a large stone building at Cheltenham College, a proud participant in the Independent Schools of the Year Awards 2026.

Two women play tennis on an outdoor court; one is preparing to hit the ball, while the other is ready near the net. Other people are visible playing on courts in the background, with trees and houses behind them.

To learn more about Sport at Cheltenham College, please click here.