Health & Nutrition

The Dean Close Health Centre offers expert care and a strong multidisciplinary team to support the unique needs of your child.

The Health Centre team comprises a full-time Nurse Manager, full-time Physiotherapist, four part-time School Nurses and a number of Health Care Assistants. There is a School Doctor onsite five days a week offering appointments for Boarding pupils registered with the School’s linked GP surgery at Overton Park.

The Health Centre benefits from a wealth of skills and experiences across the team, including pre-hospital, acute/emergency care, community/public health and sports medicine specialities. The team collaborates to offer 24/7 health support during term-time for boarding pupils, and provides direct care to pupils of the Senior, Preparatory and Pre-Prep schools in Cheltenham. They indirectly provide medical advice and higher-level support for colleagues at Dean Close Airthrie and St John’s schools.

The Health team works closely with pastoral and mental health colleagues, pupils, and families to ensure that pupils’ medical, wellbeing, and other needs are met whilst being well-considered from a holistic perspective. Each Day and Boarding House is linked with a named nurse. The Physiotherapist works closely with the Sports Department in order to guide pre-hab, rehab, and return to play, as well as provide health promotion to pupils.

The main Health Centre building offers two clinical treatment areas and a short-term accommodation for up to six pupils. It is conveniently located in the heart of the Senior school with dedicated satellite treatment areas at the Preparatory and Pre-Prep schools. All usual GP services, such as blood tests and vaccinations, are available either at the Health Centre or via coordination with Overton Park Surgery.

Prescriptions for boarding pupils are managed by the school doctors and are delivered directly to the Health Centre.

Whilst all medical needs can be catered for within the team, the Health Centre is particularly well-placed to manage common chronic conditions of anaphylaxis/allergies, asthma, and common chronic skin conditions. They also have robust policies to support pupils taking medicines at school, and in the important area of concussion prevention and management.

The Health Centre team welcome enquiries from current and prospective pupils and families; please direct these to health@deanclose.org.uk.

Meal times in our dining rooms are a happy place for our whole community to gather and share a healthy variety of food.

From our full English breakfasts, daily prepared salads and fresh fruit, to our hearty international dishes on our hot counters and tasty homemade desserts. We also include a selection of daily vegetarian options.

All our food is nut free and allergies including Gluten, Lactose or Dairy is clearly labelled on our counters; any additional allergies or intolerances are catered for upon request.  Our menus are nutritionally balanced by an independent professional and we source our produce, wherever possible, from local farmers.

Our dedicated Catering Team is always on hand to help make the whole dining experience fun and enjoyable. Our qualified chefs put their global experience into creating beautiful, tasty food for all to enjoy.

See our sample menus below.