Top UK boarding school that offers academic excellence and amazing learning facilities – ACS Cobham

ACS International School (Cobham) is a prestigious boarding school in the UK, offering an education that is rich in experience and opportunity for each child to be the best they can be in a truly international environment.

PRODIREKT and Verbalists Education have been working with ACS Cobham for many years.  Our visits to this school, exceptional testimonials from students and direct, open relationship with the school’s top management have made this partnership very close and successful.

OUR TAKE: This school aims to inspire all to make a difference to their world. Students and staff come to ACS Cobham from every corner of the globe. ACS Cobham is a boarding school that does not want to be defined by tradition or monoculturalism, so you won’t see many British traditions here. There are no traditional UK boarding houses and dining halls, no homework or ‘prep’ in the lower school, and there is no school uniform.

Here’s a school where students are encouraged to look at things in a global context, whether through the curriculum or by rallying together to support projects in Nepal, India, and Syria. The result is a wonderfully open-minded, outward-looking culture, with a genuine curiosity about the world.

School

ACS International Schools is a group of four independent schools catering for local and international families – three in England (Cobham, Egham, and the London Borough of Hillingdon) and one in Qatar.  

On 5th July 2017, ACS celebrated the start of its 50th anniversary, making it the third oldest international school in the UK – now educating 3,500 students from over 100 countries, at four campuses.

ACS International Schools is a registered charity with the mission of advancing education for all.

ACS Cobham

Located in the beautiful Surrey countryside, just 30 minutes from Central London, ACS Cobham provides students with the best of both worlds – the stimulation of London, one of the world’s greatest cities, combined with the charms of the English countryside.

This is an independent co-educational day and boarding school, offering a US-based curriculum and the renowned IB Diploma and Advanced Placement. The school is home to 1,300 students aged 2 to 18 representing over 80 nationalities, taught by 300 expert teachers and staff members. It provides education for both internationally mobile and local families, as well as a full range of boarding options – full 7-day boarding, weekly 5-day boarding, and temporary flexi-boarding.

The school has the state-of-the-art-facilities. The 128-acre campus is home to the best range of quality sports facilities of any international school in Europe, with soccer and rugby fields, softball and baseball diamonds, an all-weather track, tennis courts, and a six-hole golf course. Their sports team is called Cougars.

Students have the choice of taking the IB Diploma Program (IBDP) or Advanced Placement (AP) diploma. It is important to note that all students also graduate the school with a US high school diploma, which meets the admission requirements for US colleges and universities. It’s an education that has huge international appeal.

Accreditation

An ACS Cobham education is consistent with American stateside schools, and is accredited by the US-based New England Association of Schools and Colleges; this accreditation is an important recognition of the quality of education provided and of the High School Diploma being issued. The school also holds memberships of the US College Board Advanced Placement Program, the European Council of International Schools, the Council of International Schools and the Independent Schools Association.

The Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) awarded ACS Cobham ‘Excellent’ and ‘Good’ in all categories in the recent Educational Quality Inspection. ISI is appointed by the Department for Education to inspect association independent schools in England. The 2022 report is available in full here.

Facilities

Providing a great all-round education takes an amazing range of facilities. That is why ACS Cobham has spent £35m over the past five years ensuring that the school remains an outstanding educational environment.

Key education facilities:

• Dedicated Early Childhood Village
• Purpose-built Lower, Middle, and High School divisions, each with bespoke learning environments, science labs, libraries, IT hubs, art and music studios
• Multi-functional gym
• New dining hall with panoramic views
• Premium Boarding House
• 21st Century Interactive Learning Centre

Performing Arts Centre:

One of the remarkable developments on campus is the EJ Poularas Performing Arts Centre with three music classrooms, a music technology suite, practice rooms, two drama studios, performance spaces and a 500+ seat auditorium complete with fly-tower.

Sports facilities:

• The Arena – an international-sized basketball/volleyball show court with sprung beechwood flooring and tiered seating for 280 spectators
• The Pool – a 25-metre competition-class swimming pool with movable floor, Omega touchpad timing system, electronic scoreboard and time clock, anti-wave lane ropes, and a seated viewing gallery for 178 spectators
• The Studio – a spacious dance studio with sprung beechwood flooring, wall-to-wall mirrors, professional sound system, and specialized aerobics equipment
• The Fitness Suite – with Technogym Wellness Key System comprising 17 cardiovascular machines, eight resistance machines, free weights area and Smith Machine
• The Sports Café – with seating for 50 people, and an outside decking area.

With plenty of glorious English countryside on its doorstep, ACS Cobham is a stunning place to learn. It is a thoughtfully-designed campus with an almost university feel to it.

School Address: Heywood House, Portsmouth Road, Cobham, Surrey KT11 1BL, England

Program

The school has an academically rigorous curriculum, which is needed for students who go on to study the IBDP or AP Capstone in particular. AP Capstone™ is a College Board program that equips students with the independent research, collaborative teamwork, and communication skills that are increasingly valued by colleges.

According to ISI inspectors, “learning activities are often creative and challenging”, and “teachers have strong subject knowledge”, which helps to prepare students in the lower and middle schools for the most challenging high school and college years.

In addition to earning an ACS High School Diploma (US), students may take the International Baccalaureate Diploma or Advanced Placement courses. Students benefit from the following options, which are recognized at universities across the globe:

In the sixth form, students can take the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IBDP) or Advanced Placement (AP) courses alongside the US high school diploma. This dual pathway makes ACS quite unique in the British private schools’ sector, although there are more than 90 schools in the UK offering the IBDP.

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IBDP) continues the broad and balanced learning approach to subjects that have been delivered throughout the school, and offers a much broader alternative to the more specialized A Levels. The IBDP programs cover languages, humanities, sciences, maths, the arts, physical health education, and technology. In keeping with the international nature of the IB programs and the very wide mix of nationalities at ACS Cobham, the school has a strong focus on languages. It also offers mother tongue language tuition if the demand is there, and Dutch, German, Spanish, Danish, and Korean are among those to be taken up.

Alternatively, ACS offers a full Advanced Placement (AP) Program, which includes 20 AP subjects. It is currently the only school in Europe to offer the prestigious AP Capstone, which is a relatively new two-year High School diploma. Courses are taken in English, maths, science, humanities, visual and performing arts, physical education and health, world languages, and computer science and technology. AP remains a popular choice with students hoping to attend a prestigious college or university in the US, and this is reflected in the slightly higher cohort taking AP rather than the IBDP.

Middle and High School students regularly take part in highly-regarded, international STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics) competitions such as the SATRO (Science and Technology Regional Organisation) challenge and the Land Rover Challenge designed to stimulate the students’ creative activities.

Don’t expect all lessons to be held in a traditional classroom. One of the advantages of sending your child to the beautiful Surrey countryside rather than a major city is the woodland surrounding the school – drama, English, science and even maths lessons are sometimes held in the 20 acres of grounds. The school also takes full advantage of its proximity to London, whether sending students on drama trips to the West End or visiting any of the major London art galleries.

Sports & the Arts

With outstanding facilities at ACS Cobham, sports is embedded into the DNA of their curriculum. The expert team of more than 70 dedicated coaches is there to deliver an exceptional student experience. The school performs well in regional and national sport, particularly in football, cross-country running, rugby, basketball, tennis, and swimming.

The performing arts provision at ACS Cobham is outstanding, allowing students to fulfil their potential and pursue their interest in the theatre, whether it is on stage or behind the scenes in a technical capacity. At least six theatre productions are staged annually, with work ranging from adaptations of Greek tragedy to children’s theatre. Performances take place on campus and in regional theatres with professional facilities and expertise.

The music performance program is rooted in the curriculum, with event opportunities that include mini concerts, recitals, talent shows and charity fundraisers, as well as whole-school choral and instrumental shows, and an annual summer concert.

Academic Results

ACS Cobham students have established a tradition of posting excellent exam results in both the International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement. Graduates go on to attend some of the most prestigious universities in the world.

INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE (IB) RESULTS FOR 2023

ADVANCED PLACEMENT (AP) RESULTS FOR 2023

Accommodation (Boarding)

The school offers a range of boarding options for students aged 12-18 years. Students have the option to move from day to boarding, or vice versa, which can be useful if family circumstances change.

The two modern boarding houses – Fields and Woodlands – are situated at the heart of the campus. Each boarding house is run by a team of dedicated and highly experienced House Parents, responsible for the pastoral and academic welfare for each student.

Woodland House for students aged 16-18 – it provides world-class accommodation for 113 students, with separate areas for boys and girls. Grade 11 students all share substantial twin en-suite rooms, while every Grade 12 student has their own single en-suite room with study area.

• Contemporary design and layout
• High levels of natural light and ventilation
• Elegant bedrooms with ample storage and en suite facilities
• Multiple social areas including cinema room
• Triple-height atrium
• Balconies overlooking the surrounding woodlands
• Extensive landscaped areas featuring BBQ and social spaces
• Residential House Parents
• Medical Centre with nurse

Fields House for students aged 12-16 – this junior boarding house ranks among the best in the UK, and is premium accommodation for over 110 students.

• Separate wings for boys and girls
• Shared common rooms
• Grade-specific social areas
• Protected 24hr security throughout the year
• Residential Head of Boarding, House Parents and Tutors with decades’ of experience
• Cinema room
• Dedicated study areas
• Kitchen areas with cooking facilities
• Grade dedicated lounges with games, musical instruments and entertainment zones

On arriving, new boarding students and their families are greeted by a Welcome Committee made up of fellow students. This is followed by an in-depth induction weekend to help everyone settle in smoothly, make friends and find their way around their amazing new home. Boarding staff work closely with teachers to support and encourage each student to reach their potential.

At ACS Cobham, day-to-day life is structured to include study time, after school activities and leisure time. On weekends, boarders are encouraged to participate in a full range of planned activities, this varies from cultural visits to London, go-karting, charity hours or visits to adventure parks such as Thorpe Park. There is free time to socialize and relax in the evenings with varying bedtimes depending on age.

Catering

ACS Cobham’s award-winning catering department is operated in house, enabling the school to employ and train their own chefs. The school takes great pride in producing delicious, fresh and nutritious food that appeals to their diverse student community.

The menus are always seasonal and follow the School Food Trust’s nutritional guidelines. Most of daily deliveries of vegetables, fruit, dairy and meat come from approved local producers – we like how the school representatives describe this to us: “We can trace each meal from ‘farm to fork’.” FIND OUT WHAT’S ON THE MENU

The school currently has a Gold certification on “Eat out, Eat Well” which is a national council run award for healthy eating, high standards in the kitchen, food service, food preparation and storage areas.

ACS Cobham also has a Silver award in “Food for Life” which is based towards healthy living, knowing where your food comes from, promoting organic foods, educating children, making sure there are none of the chemicals, additives and colorings found in many foods nowadays. The school is presently working towards gold and the only criteria they need to achieve this is an educational garden, which they are busy developing. 

ACS Cobham has a 5 star Hygiene rating awarded from the Environmental Health Officer.

Academic Support

Every day after school all students have access to House Parents who have over 20 years of experience working with boarders are also qualified teachers to support studying every evening. Any questions students have regarding their studies can be addressed to the staff on duty each day. This gives students extra academic support outside of school hours.

House Parents also work closely with boarders to help guide them whilst they make academic choices and move through the school years.

Safeguarding & Child Protection

Our management and academic advisors frequently visit ACS Cobham and after each visit we come away convinced that the school holds safeguarding of their students as an absolute priority.

ACS is committed to ensuring that everyone is safeguarded from harm and protected from all forms of bullying, abuse, discrimination or harassment. The school recognizes that it plays a significant role in the prevention of harm to their students by providing them with effective lines of communication with trusted adults and supportive friendships. The school will, therefore:

• Establish and maintain a community where students feel secure and are encouraged to talk and are always listened to.

• Ensure that all students know there is an adult in the school whom they can approach if they are worried or in difficulty.

• Include across the curriculum and pastoral programs, the promotion of British Values, and opportunities which equip a student with the skills they need to stay safe from harm and to know to whom they should turn for help.

Staff undertake annual safeguarding training to effectively support a student if concerns arise to achieve the best outcomes for the student. All staff are vigilant to signs of any student in distress and are confident about recognizing specific thresholds of concern.

You may want to review Student Wellbeing Charter – Middle & High School which sets out aspirations, expectations and responsibilities for ACS’ wellbeing experts, children and young people from across the ACS school group and wider learning communities.

Admission & Fees

ACS Cobham is a non-selective school, so there are no tough entrance exams to pass; entry is based on school reports and a student questionnaire.

ACS Cobham International School accepts studying teenagers who speak English at a level no lower than B2. In addition to the language certificate, recommendations of teachers of English and mathematics, as well as a motivation letter, are required for admission. In some cases applicants have to take additional subject tests (mathematics).

The presence of sports awards, achievements in science and creativity increases the chances of entering this educational institution.

Admission

A non-refundable application fee of £250 must accompany each application form. Payment of the application fee does not guarantee admission. The fee covers the administrative work involved in processing an application. Please see below the description of the application process which we recommend to complete with the help of PRODIREKT expert advisors.

Deposit

A non-refundable enrolment deposit of £1,500 for day students and £2,500 for boarding students is payable after a student has been accepted in order to reserve a place. The deposit is set against semester 2 tuition charges. A similar re-enrolment fee is payable in March for existing students in order to reserve a place for the next academic year. If the period between the date of acceptance and the student’s start date is 20 calendar days or less, then a deposit of £3,000 is required for day students, and £5,000 for boarding students.

IMPORTANT: Using the PRODIREKT academic advising services means that the required deposit may be waived entirely or in some part.

The academic year runs from August to June and is divided into two semesters – from August to January and January to June.

Fees

ACS Cobham boarding is for Grades 7-12. Fees include an en-suite room, full board (breakfast, lunch and dinner), weekend activity program and, for 5-day boarders, the option to remain on campus for five weekends per semester without additional charge. Tuition fees are additional to boarding fees.

ACS sends invoices twice a year (once per semester).

5-Day Boarding Fees

GRADE	SEMESTER 1	SEMESTER 2	ANNUAL
Grades 7-8 (Ages 12-14)	Boarding: £8,500 Tuition: £14,310	Boarding: £8,500 Tuition: £14,310	Boarding & Tuition: £45,620
Grades 9-10 (Ages 14-16)	Boarding: £8,500 Tuition: £15,890	Boarding: £8,500 ​Tuition: £15,890	Boarding & Tuition: £48,780
Grade 11  (Ages 16-17)	Boarding: £8,500 Tuition: £15,925	Boarding: £8,500 Tuition: £15,925	Boarding & Tuition: £48,850
Grade 12 (Ages 17-18)	Boarding: £8,500 Tuition: £16,015	Boarding: £8,500 Tuition: £16,015	Boarding & Tuition: £49,030

7-Day Boarding Fees

GRADE	SEMESTER 1	SEMESTER 2	ANNUAL
Grades 7-8 (Ages 12-14)	Boarding: £11,650 Tuition: £14,310	Boarding: £11,650 Tuition: £14,310	Boarding & Tuition: £51,920
Grades 9-10 (Ages 14-16)	Boarding: £11,650 ​Tuition: £15,890	Boarding: £11,650 Tuition: £15,890	Boarding & Tuition: £55,080
Grade 11  (Ages 16-17)	Boarding: £11,650 ​Tuition: £15,925	Boarding: £11,650 Tuition: £15,925	Boarding & Tuition: £55,150
Grade 12 (Ages 17-18)	Boarding: £11,650 Tuition: £16,015	Boarding: £11,650 Tuition: £16,015	Boarding & Tuition: £55,330

How to Apply

Before applying, please check the above Admission Requirements.

As a highly reputable, internationally accredited academic advisor, the PRODIREKT Group has a unique opportunity to represent ACS Cobham globally. When applying through PRODIREKT you are not only getting expert advice and guidance, but you also enjoy special privileges that might include:

• scholarships offered only to PRODIREKT students and our International Ambassadors;
• special discounts;
• enrollment advantages;
• reservation priority for campus and home stay accommodation;
• less strict cancellation policy;
• admissions interview preparation;
• visa application assistance;
• travel arrangements.

The enrollment process is straightforward and is as follows:

Step 1

Filling out PRODIREKT Application and Terms & Conditions (T&C) forms:

• PRODIREKT Application Form (download here) and
• PRODIREKT Terms and Conditions (download here)

Please note that filling out the PRODIREKT Application Form and Terms & Conditions does not secure a place on the program, nor does it mean you are under obligation to attend this program. It is simply the first step in the application process, so that we can give you precise information and check availability on the program. A contract is signed directly with the school.

Step 2

Sending the following documents to booking@prodirekt.net :

1. PRODIREKT Application Form,
2. PRODIREKT Terms & Conditions,
3. Photocopy of the student’s passport,
4. The student’s most recent passport size photograph, and
5. School records from previous three years.

As internationally accredited academic advisors and representatives of ACS Cobham School, it is our responsibility to review your documentation and evaluate the admission requirements to ensure your child is eligible to apply for the program. To that end, after we receive the above stated documents, we will also schedule a Skype/Viber/Zoom interview with you and your child.

Step 3

If we conclude that your child is eligible to apply for the program, PRODIREKT advisors will help you submit your ACS Cobham application online and upload electronic copies of your documents to support your application.

It is important that you submit a complete application with all required documentation to ensure timely processing of your application by the school. Official educational documents are required in order to be considered for admission.

The entire application process is managed online:

• Completed Application and £250 fee.
• Copy of the student’s passport and a questionnaire completed by the student in his/her handwriting.
• Two teacher reference forms – completed by student’s current teachers.
• School records from previous three years and results of any testing.
• Students applying for the International Baccalaureate Diploma need to complete an IB Application form.
• English as an Additional Language (EAL) testing may be required.
• Where applicable, a psycho-educational evaluation and independent educational plan.

We advise you to read ACS Terms and Conditions carefully before making an application for a place at the School. These Terms and Conditions contain important information about the School and provide information about what other documents form part of the school’s contract with you. If you have any questions about these Terms and Conditions, please contact us to discuss. PRODIREKT academic advisors are always here to help you.

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