Dean Close School

Dean Close School is a co-educational day and boarding private school in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England. The school is divided into pre-prep, preparatory and senior schools located on separate but adjacent sites outside Cheltenham town center, occupying the largest private land area in the town. Pupils may be enrolled as young as 3 in the pre-preparatory school, and continue through to 18 at the senior school. The Headmaster of the Senior School is Bradley Salisbury. Dean Close is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference.

The Headmaster of the Preparatory School is Paddy Moss. DCPS is a member of the IAPS and the Choir Schools' Association. Fees are currently £23,166 pa for day pupils and £33,780 pa for boarders in the senior school. Fees in the prep school are up to £16,266 pa for day pupils and up to £23,910 pa for boarders.

Academic achievement

A-Level results in 2007 saw the school achieve a 100% pass rate with 81% of exams graded A–B. These results have put Dean Close in the top 100 schools in England as ranked by UCAS points per candidate. A majority of pupils attend Russell Group universities, with almost one in six achieving places at Oxbridge in recent years.

In 2010, Dean Close pupils achieved the best GCSE results in the school's history with 62% attaining A/A*, and with an overall pass rate of 98%.

As of 2014, Dean Close School is ranked 61st in co-educational senior boarding schools by A Levels, with 43% of pupils achieving A level A & A* grades. 60% of pupils at Dean Close School also achieved GCSE level A & A* grades.

Houses (Senior)

• Brook Court — Boys' boarding
• Dale — Boys' day
• Fawley — Girls' boarding
• Field — Boys' day
• Gate — Boys' boarding (6th Form)
• Hatherley — Girls' day
• Mead — Girls' day
• Shelburne — Girls' boarding
• Tower — Boys' boarding (renovation opened by Bear Grylls in 2005)
• Turner — Girls' boarding (6th Form)

Houses (Prep school)

• Caledecote — Boarding boys (Year 6-8)
• Fortfield — Boarding girls (Year 6-8)
• Wilton — Boarding Junior (Boys & Girls) (Year 3-5)
• Oaksey — Day
• Deacon — Day
• Yeaman — Day

INTERNATIONAL PUPILS

Dean Close is home to almost forty different nationalities.  They celebrate this and take enormous pride in the unique atmosphere such a demographic provides.  The School is always delighted to consider high achieving students who are likely to go on to top UK and world leading universities or employers.

International pupils can join them from aged 2+ to Lower VI. Dean Close comprises three schools:

• Pre-preparatory School for day children aged 2+ to 7
• Preparatory School for boarding or day pupils from aged 7-13
• Senior School for boarding and day pupils aged 13-18

HOW TO APPLY

Pupils applying for boarding places outside of the United Kingdom are asked to apply via an educational agency.  The main reason they require this is to help pupils through the selection process, assist with paperwork, legalities and translation.  In addition, since every pupil seeking to enter the School is required to take an entrance examination, it is necessary for a registered body to administer the testing. For international pupils who are not able to visit them during the admissions process they conduct Skype interviews.  If a pupil is already studying within the United Kingdom, they are invited to visit Dean Close where they can meet with them in person.

LEVEL OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIRED

Depending upon the point of entry, a reasonable level of fluency in the English language is required in order to access the curriculum.  However, a few pupils enter the Prep School with no English and are given intensive English as a Foreign Language lessons to help them during their first couple of years in the School.  This level of support can also be continued on into their Senior School if required.

GUARDIANS

All international pupils must have a guardian based in the United Kingdom, not only to be a point of contact but to be able to arrange accommodation during holidays and exeat weekends. The School can recommend highly reputable guardian agencies.

STARTING SCHOOL

There is a comprehensive international induction held at the start of the academic year in both the Preparatory and Senior schools. This course involves helping pupils to become familiarized with the Dean Close campus, the English culture and getting to know their new friends and teachers.  The School appreciates that many international pupils have left home for the first time, often from a very long way, and 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.