Dean Close School has a large boarding community encasing a top class British education. In November 2022, we were honoured to be awarded 'Highly Commended' for the best 'International Student Experience' at the Independent Schools of the Year Awards 2022, and just this month we have won the prestigious ‘Thinking Beyond the Curriculum’ award byTalk Education School of the Year Awards 2023.
Our Sixth Form Access course is a one-year GCSE programme which prepares pupils for Sixth Form life at Dean Close School. Providing a combination of intensive academic English, a choice of either a creative or scientific focus and a fully integrated UK boarding experience, it is an excellent choice for pupils aged 15-16 who need to improve their English proficiency or subject knowledge before progressing to Year 12.
Below you will find information on Dean Close School (ages 13-18). We welcome your further enquiry - please do contact our Admissions Team registrar@deanclose.org.uk.
Please find our literature below to help answer any questions that you may have about Dean Close School, Cheltenham.
Dean Close is very much a Boarding school, with a full programme of teaching and activities all through the week and at weekends.
The School has a healthy mixture of Boarding and Day pupils plus a small number of Flexi Boarders who stay up to four nights per week. Families come from as far afield as Australia or as close as across the road, and we do the upmost to accommodate the different needs and circumstances of each individual family.
Children With our large population of boarders, the School buzzes with activity. Boarding is very popular with over half the Senior School living at School. They come from a various backgrounds including Services families, expats, international pupils and some families from the local area who value the benefits of independence and self-confidence that boarding brings.
Our warm, family atmosphere means that every child feels happy and secure. We aim to create an open, trusting environment so that each child feels able to approach any member of the community, confident that he or she will be treated as an individual. As a result, children grow up with a respect for others and a sense of responsibility for themselves, others and for their environment.
At Dean Close School, we are proud of our long tradition of educating pupils from across the globe; promoting leadership opportunities and ensuring full integration into all areas of School life.
Altogether our School comprises over 20 nationalities, including many teachers who have also lived and worked internationally. This allows all to share in experiences and perspectives which enhance school life and develop the cultural awareness which is so important in our interconnected 21st Century world.
Each year, we are excited to welcome new pupils from all over the world into our School community, celebrating our cultural diversity, both in boarding houses and in the classroom. All of this combines to enrich Dean Close life: we embrace every opportunity to teach and learn from our international pupils. Our emphasis is on each individual flourishing, through contribution, courage and love.
Guardians
All international pupils must have a guardian based in the United Kingdom, as a point of contact and to arrange accommodation during holidays and Exeat weekends. The School can give details of reputable guardian agencies but we do not arrange guardianship for parents.
Applying for a Visa
The Dean Close Foundation is a Tier 4 sponsor and is able to sponsor pupils who are not nationals of a European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland to come to the United Kingdom to study at Dean Close.
Please inform the Admissions teams in your initial enquiry if your child will require sponsorship from us.
Starting School
We hold a comprehensive International Induction at the start of the academic year in both the Preparatory and Senior schools, helping to familiarise pupils with the School campus, the English culture, their new friends and teachers. We appreciate that many international pupils have left home for the first time, and often home is a long way away, and we make every effort to help them settle in and feel at home.
Each pupil has a group of staff who are responsible for their welfare. Parents will have regular contact from both pastoral and academic staff. School uniform can be ordered online.
International Pupil Committee
In the Senior School, we have a dedicated team of Sixth Form (Year 12 & 13) pupils each year, whose role is to support our international pupils and promote intercultural inclusivity across the School. These students work with our Houses to ensure that the international voice is heard and to contribute to our warm sense of community.
International Pupil Leaders also support the work of the ELT (EAL) Department in offering the International Chat Room as drop-in for pupils who want to talk to older pupils about anything from homesickness to academics.
The Committee has taken a lead in organising a wide variety of special events such as the Lunar New Year dinner and fireworks, Mid-Autumn Festival, St Niklaus, Maslenitsa pancake day, International Music Night, House Assembly presentations, the International Dinner and Dean Close’s ‘International Day’!
Pupils start considering their GCSE subject options in the Lent Term of the Fourth Form (Year 9), discussing their options with their Tutors in January/February, with the process completed later in the Lent Term. Most pupils study nine subjects, leading to ten GCSE exams. The core curriculum studied by nearly all pupils is:
English (leading to two GCSEs, in Literature & Language)
Mathematics
PSHE (not assessed)
French or Spanish or English Language Training
Double Science (studying all three sciences, resulting to two GCSEs)*.
Pupils choose four more subjects, plus a reserve choice, from the following:
Art, Business, Classical Civilisation, Computer Science, Design Technology, Drama, Food Preparation & Nutrition, French, Geography, Gratin**, History, Latin**, Music, Physical Education, Religious Studies, Spanish, Triple Science*
*Typically about 40% of pupils choose to do Triple Science, leading to three GCSEs. This is one of their four options.
**These choices are only available to those who have studied them in Year 9.
A Level Choices
A Level courses are linear, meaning that pupils study for the full two years in order to obtain the A Level qualification, sitting exams at the end of the course. Dean Close offers a range of programmes of study that are tailored to the needs and abilities of each pupil. The principles that underpin these programmes are that:
• All pupils study towards A levels
• All pupils take an option or options in the Enrichment Block (in some circumstances this may be a fourth A level)
The majority of pupils will take THREE A levels and an option from the Enrichment Block.
In order to undertake the normal A Level course we expect pupils to have obtained a minimum of six grade 6 and two grade 5 subject passes at GCSE with 6/7 the standard minimum requirement in those subjects intended for further study. GCSE guidelines are available for each A level subject although the final decision about suitability for a particular subject lies with the Director of Studies.
Click on our Sixth Form Studies and Enrichment link below to learn more about the Dean Close Sixth Form experience.
Dean Close School enjoys a fantastic reputation for our Art, Drama, Music and Sport for which each has a substantial department with dedicated purpose-built facilities and highly experienced, qualified teachers and coaches.
The Combined Cadet Force, Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme and Community Action programme provide a wide variety of activities and opportunity for leadership. A purpose-built Music School is linked to a professional theatre and both host a variety of dramatic and musical events.
The School is committed to offering an exciting and hugely varied co-curricular programme. Our afternoon Activity Programme is devoted to creative opportunities, hobbies & clubs, physical pursuits and intellectual extension activities.
