Academic societies and practical activity clubs allow pupils to open up areas of interest and develop new skills outside the classroom environment. As well as allowing pupils to thrive outside the curriculum, the experiences also offer rich opportunities to enhance Higher Education applications.

Monday evenings are dedicated to a programme of societies and clubs. The Lower Sixth is encouraged to take on leadership roles within societies and clubs, setting the direction and content. Pupils who wish to take part in practical activities can choose from clubs as diverse as Polo, Clay-Pigeon Shooting, Chess, Debating and Pottery.

College academic societies cover many core subjects including English Literature, Maths, Philosophy, Psychology and Science. Pupils can choose to join a society that supports an existing area of study or one that gives them a new avenue to explore. In either case, they will benefit from varied meetings, build their presentation skills by presenting research topics and have the opportunity to hear from a range of high profile external speakers.

A full list of Activities and Clubs on offer can be found here.

Cheltenham College has a long and distinguished connection with the military dating back to 1862. It is a connection that remains just as strong today. Every pupil at College is given the opportunity to be a part of the Combined Cadet Force (CCF) in the Fourth Form and many choose to continue beyond this.

The Combined Cadet Force sees pupils become a part of an Army, Royal Navy or Royal Air Force contingent. As a cadet, pupils undertake exciting and adventurous pursuits that help them to develop leadership skills, teamwork and confidence that will stand them in good stead in their school lives and beyond. Training takes place every Wednesday afternoon at College and is led by qualified staff, a number of whom have had previous careers in the armed forces.

It is supported by field days, a week-long camp and opportunities to attend courses during which cadets spend longer periods of time working towards recognised qualifications.

Drama is a popular activity at College and pupils put on at least six productions a year, including House plays. Pupils have the opportunity to perform onstage or be part of the backstage team developing skills in lighting, sound, stage management and more. This approach ensures that everyone has the opportunity to develop his or her talents and enjoy being part of a stage production.

Pupils who are part of a production are given protected time, with three sessions a week dedicated to rehearsal and performance. This approach gives pupils space to focus on the production but also ensures that academic studies are not neglected.

One of the biggest joys of College productions is that it allows pupils to perform in front of sold-out audiences of peers, parents and staff in our theatre, Big Classical, which is one of College’s original buildings.

Music is of pivotal importance to life at Cheltenham, and there is a wealth of opportunity for every pupil to enjoy music and develop their own musical skills. Some pupils join College as experienced performers, and some are at the start of their musical journeys. The Music Department aims to accommodate all musical interests and abilities, and widen the experience of music as an aesthetic, social, practical and enjoyable discipline for all. Musical life is rich and varied, and all genres and styles are celebrated.

Musicians benefit from exceptional facilities at College. The Music Department is situated in Thirlestaine House, a beautiful former stately home with fully-equipped classrooms and rehearsal/performance spaces. Our composition suite houses iMacs running Sibelius, Logic Pro, and Spitfire Audio’s BBC Symphony Orchestra sample library, enabling pupils to explore their creativity with incredibly realistic, professionally-produced orchestral sounds. Cheltenham College is proud to be an ‘All-Steinway School’, and we believe we are the only school in the country to have two world-famous Steinway ‘Model D’ concert grand pianos housed in our main performance venues. In addition, there are a further three smaller Steinway grands, complemented by 13 of Steinway’s Essex brand upright pianos in the teaching and practice rooms. Outside of the Music Department we make great use of our magnificent 800-seat chapel, which has generous acoustics and a celebrated three-manual Harrison & Harrison organ. The majority of performances are held in Big Classical, which has a staged area and raked seating for a capacity audience of 300; it houses one of the Model Ds. Large ensemble rehearsals take place in Thirlestaine Long Gallery, where the second Model D is located.

Our vocal and instrumental ensembles allow pupils to experience all aspects of group music-making. For example, instrumentalists benefit from full symphony and chamber orchestras as well as advanced chamber ensembles and jazz bands. Vocalists can take part in choirs ranging from the 80-strong College Choir to the Chamber Choir and smaller pop/a cappella groups. There are options for pupils who wish to enjoy making music as a recreational activity as well as opportunities and support for pupils to take their skills to the highest level. In recent years, senior Music Scholars have performed piano, violin and viola concertos with our Symphony Orchestra and local semi-professional ensembles. We collaborate with the Drama Department to put on a large-scale musical every two years, most recently Grease in March 2023. Trailers, interviews and highlights can be viewed here.

Pupils have frequent opportunities to demonstrate their talents by performing in formal and informal concerts both at College and elsewhere, including Cheltenham’s Pittville Pump Rooms and Town Hall. The whole Cheltenham College community is supportive of performers, and many attend concerts both home and away.

One-to-one tuition for voice and orchestral/band instruments as well as music technology, composition and music theory.

Follow us on social media to keep up-to-date with our activities!

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@cheltcolmusic and https://youtube.com/@cheltcolchapel

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