ACS International School Cobham

ACS Cobham International School — An international boarding school located in Surrey, in the suburbs of London, a 30-minute drive from the city center. The school was founded in 1967. The school campus is surrounded by greenery and covers an area of ​​52 hectares.

ACS International Schools unite 4 schools, 3 of which are located in the UK and one in Qatar. Training takes place according to one of two popular programs: international IB and American AP. This choice allows graduates to enter any international university.

The school has 1,300 students.

Director (for 2024)

Barnaby Sandow, education – Clifton College; Durham University, specialty – engineering; University of Exeter, postgraduate certificate with the right to conduct teaching activities; National College for Teaching and Leadership, school management.

Famous school graduates

• Ugo Bracetti Peretti, Italian nobleman, chairman of the oil company Anonima Petroli Italiana
• Omar Fayed, director of the ESTEE organization (promotes human exploration and colonization of space), ecologist, director of the Ritz Hotel in Paris
• Aaron Eckhart, actor (films “Batman: The Dark Knight”, “Taste of Life”)
• Alex Corbisiero, rugby player
• Arkady Abramovich, founder of ARA Capital
• Christian Bakkerud, GP2 and Le Mans racer
• David Menkin, actor (film “The Agents of U.N.C.L.E.”, TV series “The Last Man”, “Strike Back”)
• David Olshanetsky, writer
• Dave Weigel, writer
• Frank Simek, US national soccer team player
• Joshua Sayles, musician
• Max Emer, football player
• Misha Nonoo, fashion designer and matchmaker for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
• Nick Gindre, South African Premier League footballer

Key factors

• The school’s graduates enter the most prestigious universities in the world, including Russel Group and Ivy League universities.
• 98% of students pass the IB exam with an average score of 35 points (global standard - that's 79% passing the exam and an average score of 30 points).
• ACS Cobham's mission is to develop “global citizens” who are able to think critically and be prepared to achieve high goals – at university and in career.
• The school offers a wide range of subjects to help each student gain entry into their chosen university. Studying is possible both in the IB (International Baccalaureate) program and in the American AP (Advanced Placement) program.
• A distinctive feature of the school is its multicultural environment; representatives of 80 nationalities study here.
• Excellent sports equipment, the opportunity to engage in a huge number of sports at a serious, almost professional level.

Equipment

• Purpose-built junior, middle and high school departments. Each with scientific laboratories, libraries, computer centers, art and music studios.
• Interactive modern training center.
• New dining room with panoramic views.
• New EJ Poularas Performing Arts Center with three music classrooms, music technology facilities, rehearsal rooms, two theater studios, concert halls and a 509-seat auditorium.

The school has luxurious sports equipment:

• The sports center has equipment similar to those where major competitions are held.
• All-weather illuminated sports field.
• 25-meter swimming pool with a movable floor, an Omega touchpad timing system, an electronic scoreboard, anti-wave ropes and seating for 178 spectators.
• International sized basketball/volleyball court with sprung beech wood floor and multi-tiered auditorium for 280 people.
• Spacious dance studio with beechwood sprung floors, wall-to-wall mirrors, professional sound system and specialized aerobics equipment.
• Fitness room with Technogym Wellness Key System, including 17 cardio machines, eight strength machines, free weights area and Smith machine.
• Sports cafe for 50 people with an open area.
• Six all-weather tennis courts, a 400 meter long athletic track, football and rugby playing fields,Baseball and softball fields, six-hole golf course.

Program

International Baccalaureate (IB)

International Baccalaureate program recognized by universities around the world. 6 subjects are studied: 3 at an advanced level and 3 at a standard level. In addition to this, students write an extended essay, take a course in “Theory of Knowledge” and (practical philosophy) and the CAS course ("Creativity, activity and mutual assistance").

Advanced Placement

University preparation program. Students study major subjects according to the university program for which they are preparing to enter, and based on the results of their study they pass exams. The AP program consists of courses by subject area. Students choose several subjects from the proposed areas for in-depth study.

Subjects are studied at the first-year university level with academic credits (points) awarded based on exam results. As a rule, students take exams in three or more disciplines. AP exams are accepted by most universities in the US and Canada.

Accommodation and accommodation

Accommodation conditions at ACS Cobham – some of the best boarding schools in Europe. 180 people aged 12 to 18 live here.The £15 million Woodlands senior residence opened in 2017. Children live in single rooms with private facilities.

House for students 12-16 years old "Fields" has recently been completely refurbished to a similar premium quality. Children liv e in spacious double rooms with private facilities. Each house has a common room where students can relax and socialize, as well as a kitchen where they can prepare snacks and drinks. 

There are extra-curricular activities for children: international nights, domestic sports competitions, talent shows, formal dinners, cultural trips to London, barbecues, international trips during the October holidays. The school has excellent food. It is certified gold by the UK National Council for its healthy eating and high standards in catering. The school actively promotes the idea of ​​a healthy lifestyle, eating organic products and teaching children healthy eating.

Sport

Sports help students mature physically, emotionally and socially. Children take responsibility for personal growth, develop sense of purpose and dedication, time management and goal setting skills, and learn to cope with setbacks and sometimes defeat.

Sports at school:

• Autumn semester: football, running, volleyball, dancing, golf.
• Winter semester: basketball, swimming, rugby.
• Spring semester: tennis, boys baseball, girls softball, track and field

Students compete against other international schools in the UK, Europe and Africa. Each season culminates with the International Schools Sports Tournament (ISST), where ACS Cobham has established a winning tradition. The sports department employs more than 70 coaches.

Additional activities

The school has many interest clubs, and children can choose what to do in their free time:

• Rock climbing
• Chess
• Boy Scout Club
• Cooking
• Cricket
• Horse riding
• Robotics
• Skateboarding
• Skis
• Computer club
• Duke of Edinburgh Prize Program
• Creative Writing
• Student Council
• Creating a school yearbook
• First aid
• Model United Nations
• Photography
• Flamenco
  And much more

The school tries to inspire children to make the world a better place. Children are implementing a project to support schools in Namibia. In the summer of 2018, 32 ACS Cobham students spent a month of summer holidays in Namibia on a World Challenge expedition to improve skills such as teamwork, risk management, communication, negotiation, leadership. During the school year, the team held weekly meetings where the children organized fundraisers and began making plans for projects, setting realistic goals for themselves.

You can do art at school. This is one of the most emotional ways to convey deep ideas. There are shows and exhibitions that give children the opportunity to share their ideas and experiences.

Music and drama are very popular at school. At least 6 theatrical productions are staged every year, with works ranging from film adaptations of Greekoh tragedy to children's theater. Performances take place on the school campus and in local theaters with professional equipment.

In high school, students can join a technical theater club where they learn about lighting, sound, and production. Students attend festivals and workshops of the International School Theater Association (ISTA), and also enjoy going to theater performances in London.

The school has an orchestra, jazz band, chamber ensemble, choir, rock groups, ukulele club, and individual music lessons are possible. There are mini-concerts, recitals, talent shows and charity fundraising events throughout the year, as well as school-wide choral and instrumental shows and an annual summer concert. Pupils take part in events such as the Woking Festival and Voice in a Million. at Wembley Stadium. Many students take the ABRSM and Trinity music exams. 

Cost, 2023-2024

£51,920 - £55,150 per year (depending on age)

Included in price

• Training
• Accommodation and meals

Additional charge

• Registration fee -  £250
• Deposit - £1,500
• Air travel
• Transfers to/from/airport
• Visa
• Paradise Company Services
• Guardianship (requirement of British law)

Paradise Education London services and fees 

How to choose a school

Impressions of visiting the school

Natalia Shtrain
Founder of the company "Paradise"

Just business, nothing personal, or a few words about a luxurious school near London.

ACS Cobham. International school near London. Big and beautiful. Pupils do not wear uniforms and live in spacious, bright rooms, two at a time; their homes look like a brand new 4 star hotel. Inside, too, everything is splendid, the wide corridors endlessly draw you into new depths of the huge modern school. The gym is proudly visible through the glass walls. The national teams trained here before the London Olympics.

The common rooms where students gather to chat boast state-of-the-art kitchens with snacks at the ready so hungry students don't have to wait for their next meal in the modern cafeteria with its intricate menus.

There is strong swimming training here: the head of the department is not your pool coach. The athlete herself took part in the Beijing Olympics! Football and volleyball also show serious results. The dance studio is beyond praise. But I was not impressed with the image. Not only the level of work, but also the passion of the teacher. An artist is always fire and flame. Ideally.

ACS Cobham is a lifesaver for 17-year-olds whose parents suddenly decided to send them to England: at this age it is difficult to get into a traditional boarding school, because the last age for admission is 16 years old. ACS Cobham to the rescue! He will offer such a boy or girl to take 3-4 subjects according to the American Advanced Placement system: yes, yes, at this school you can study according to two systems: English and American. And then, until the last two classes, there is only the American version. This is an excellent solution for anyone who would not like to take GCSE exams at the age of 16: now their results are important for universities, but for foreigners they are often an unbearable burden. There are simply no such exams at this school!

Everything is fine here, but the math teacher, whose office we entered, didn’t even raise an eyebrow that she noticed us, as if we were an empty place! She seemed angry to me. The teachers here also wear any kind of clothes, not following the dress code. Believe me, this greatly changes the impression from a feeling of solidity to some kind of relaxed frivolity of what is happening. The costume still incredibly transforms a person.

I was also surprised that we were not allowed to communicate with the children, but this part of the program is decisive. Children who speak the same language as you, they will not let you lie, they will tell you everything as if in spirit. And the lack of contact raises suspicion... It is not dance studios and swimming pools that make a school, but students and teachers. Communication with the latter also failed... Traitor doubts have been gnawing at me since then: maybe this is no coincidence...

But close contact with the marketing department was offered in abundance. Neither the director nor the head teacher even bothered to say “Hello.” This is a school for business, while most British boarding schools are charities, where parental funds go to the needs of the school itself, and not into someone else's pocket. The teachers are full of passion and ignite the students. I didn't see anything like that at ACS Cobham. Maybe he's not there. Or they just didn't show it.