Key School Contacts, Protocols & Other Useful Information

The Divisional Handbooks are comprehensive documents that provide information on all protocols and policies within each Division. Please see the handbooks for 2025-26 enclosed here.

In addition, the sections below provide summary extracts from handbooks and other tips and FAQ's for quick reference.

Lower School Handbook

Upper School Handbook

Middle School Handbook

High School Handbook

Key School Contacts

School Switchboard: 01932 867 251

Admissions Team: cobadmissions@acs-schools.com

See the full list of key contacts in the link below - includes Transport, Catering, Boarding, Sports, Performing Arts, Divisional Admin teams and Schoolwide contacts. This is a live document and will be updated further in the new school year, with contact details of allocated homeroom advisors, class and specialist teachers in each Division.

Key School Contacts 2025-26

School Hours

The school day starts at 8:30 am; and ends at 3:30 pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and 2:30 pm on Wednesday.

Lunchtime varies by Division. More details can be viewed on the catering page

After school clubs & activities for all age groups begin a few weeks in. Most clubs run for an hour after the school day.

Once the Sports Season begins, training for Grades 5 and upwards takes place until 5:30 pm (usually on a Monday and Wednesday for Upper & High school students, and Tuesday and Thursday for Middle School students. Many Varsity and Junior Varsity teams have additional sessions on Fridays). Find more information on sports in sections below.

Extended Day Club is available for Lower School Families on a pre-bookable basis. This allows families to drop their kids off from 7:45 am and pick up at 6 pm. There is a small daily charge for this booking. More information on this available from the Lower School office.

Afternoon buses leave school at around 3:40 pm (2:40 on Wednesdays), and 'Late' buses leave at 5:45 pm.

Drop off and Pick-up procedures

Many families in the local area choose to walk / bike to school. If you are a cyclist, please park your bike in the sheds by the security gate on arrival. Note that there is no cycling allowed inside the campus.

Please note the following procedures for drop off & pick up by car:

Drop off and Pick up procedures

Reporting Absences

Please see the protocols to request and report absences: HERE

This includes the Divisional contacts you can email if your child is absent due to sickness. As well as the forms you will need to fill in to request any planned absence in advance. You can also see here an outline of the new government reporting procedures & best practice for school attendance.

Parents on campus

Many families drop-off and pick-up their children to school, and there is usually quite a humdrum of hellos and catch-up chats at drop-off and pick-up times. After pick-up, families often spend time at the HUB near the security car park (see campus map), especially on sunny days, and when they might be waiting for siblings to finish after school clubs. The Hub is open for around an hour after the normal pick-up time. It is managed by the school catering team, and serves a menu of snacks and drinks (and the most amazing hot chocolate!)

Other opportunities to visit the campus:

There are several get-togethers and family events arranged by our PSO (parent school organisation - PTA) during the term. Many parent information meetings and workshops take place through the school year. Parents are invited to attend a number of school and classroom events such as flag raising ceremonies, performing arts concerts, sports matches, open evenings & special class assemblies. Parents are also invited to volunteer at various events such as cultural celebrations, class picnics, or outings. All events are listed on the Schoology calendar, and reminders sent on weekly school newsletters.

1-1 meetings:

The school operates an open door policy when it comes to meeting 1-1 with teachers or any member of staff / leadership team. For this, we kindly ask that you make a prior appointment, to avoid disrupting the school schedule.

Sports Facilities:

Families are welcome to become Sports Centre members, and make use of the sports facilities outside of school hours and on weekends (swimming pool, tennis courts, fitness suite etc). See membership and pre-booking details on the sports centre page.

All parents MUST wear their yellow parent lanyards when they are on campus.

Lanyards form a very important part of the school's safeguarding policy - they help us identify every adult, and keep your children safe in school.

Car stickers must be displayed on ACS family cars driving into school.

(Your lanyards and car stickers will be available for you to pick up during orientation; as long as you have provided the relevant details we need to process these, on your PowerSchool Forms)

We have two Boarding Houses on campus, and hence we operate strict safeguarding protocols and controlled zones on weekends too.

More information on the Lanyard system and the school safeguarding zones can be viewed HERE.

Dress Code

Our dress code plays a significant role in fostering a sense of respect and professionalism among our students, as well as maintaining a focused and productive learning environment. It is also a means to prepare our students for the expectations of various settings they will encounter in the future.

Therefore, we kindly request your assistance in ensuring that your child is familiar with and follows the dress code guidelines.

The appropriate school PE Kit must be worn on PE days - more information on PE and Sports is included in the sections below (PE = physical education)

Please do not worry if you do not have your full PE kit in the first few PE lessons. We advise you to order the kit ASAP as it can take some time to be delivered in busy periods. For PE lessons where your child does not yet have a PE kit, please make sure they wear alternative clothes appropriate for PE (e.g. tracks or leggings as opposed to dresses or jeans); clothing must be comfortable, and ideally navy or black rather than bright colours.

MacBooks for Upper & High School Students

All students in Upper and High School (Grades 9, 10, 11 and 12) are required to have a MacBook for daily learning.

We strongly encourage families to purchase devices through EduTech to ensure compatibility with our school systems and support services.

For more information, please click: ACS Managed Device Programme for Grades 9 to 12

For families starting school in August, all devices purchased from EduTech by the 28 July will be ready for the students to pick up at orientation day. If you go down the route of repurposing your existing MacBook, you will be required to book an appointment with the IT team to get the device onboarded. Information for this is included in the Managed Device link above.

Note: Students in Lower and Middle School use school issued iPads in class.

Mobile Phone Policy: Yondr Pouches

In accordance with UK government guidance, ACS Cobham prohibits the use of mobile phones throughout the school day.

Protocols for students per Division are as follows:

Lower School - Do not bring phones to school. Exception - by parental request and admin approval (as might be needed in some cases to monitor insulin levels etc)

Middle School - Use of Yondr Pouches to prevent phone use. Exception - Velcro pouch for diabetic students needing phone.

Upper School - Use of Yondr Pouches to prevent phone use. Exception - Velcro pouch for diabetic students needing phone.

High School - Phones must be out of sight and not used. Exception - Grade 11 & 12 designated areas during break times.

Yondr Pouches: ACS makes use of Yondr Pouches to control the use of phones when brought to school. Students in Middle and Upper School must put off, place and lock their phones in their Yondr pouch at the beginning of the school day, and the pouch can be unlocked after the school day finishes (at 3:30 on Mon, Tue, Thur and Fri; at 2:30 on Wednesdays). Yondr locking and unlocking stations are available at various points on campus. We firmly encourage students to follow these rules, and appropriate measures are in place for those who do not (including handing in your phone to the school office until requested & collected by a parent)

The Yondr pouches will be handed out for new students in their respective Divisions during the orientation or on the first day of school. These are meant to be kept with the student all year, and they must be handled responsibly. There is no additional cost to the families to get a Yondr pouch, however, there is a small charge to replace any damaged or lost ones.

We also discourage the overreliance on phones during residential trips. Students are usually allowed to take their phones and use them on the journey, however, once at their destination, all phones are safely held by the accompanying staff members, and their use limited. More information on phone protocols is shared during pre-trip parent information meetings.

Supply Lists - quick links

Lower School Supply List - Lower School provides all the supplies needed including stationary, books, etc.

You are required to purchase the PE kits and Swimming kits for relevant lessons (see PE kits section below). And Forest School gear (waterproof trousers, coats & boots) - these are usually stored in the classroom. For more information, please refer to the welcome letter from your class teacher or the Lower School handbook.

Middle School Supply List - click to read

Upper School Supply List - click to read

High School Supply List - click to read

Curriculum & Academics

Our curriculum documents are currently being reviewed and updated in preparation for the upcoming academic year.

Information will be made available soon after the start of school in August.

In the meantime, to give you a brief understanding of what to expect, here is a link to the curriculum documents from 2024-25. Again, please note that these are currently being reviewed for 2025-26

Home Language Enrichment

The Home Language Enrichment (HLE) Program at ACS Cobham is dedicated to helping organise language classes for native speakers.

We recognize the importance of multilingualism and how children who maintain their mother tongue, preserve their indigenous culture through language. This programme is provided in addition to the ACS World Languages Programme that is taught as part of the academic curriculum. HLE is designed to help students in Grades PreK to 10 to keep in touch with their 'home' language and culture.

Our HLE coordinators manage the programme with support from HLE teachers and the parent-run Country Representative group (PSO).

There is no cost for students to enrol in HLE.

The languages covered tend to vary each year depending on student enrolment and teacher availability. Some languages covered in 2024-25 were Arabic, Bahasa, Danish, French, German, Greek, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin, Norwegian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish and Urdu.

More details about the programme can be found via the link below. Please feel free to express your interest, and ask to be kept up-to-date about the languages that will be confirmed for 2025-26 once the school reopens (form below).

For any questions, please reach out to our HLE coordinators on cobhamhlecoordinator@acs-schools.com.

Home Language Enrichment 2025-26

Use this form to provide your 'Expression of Interest'

Extra Curricular Clubs & Activities

Lower School:

The Lower School provides an optional after-school club program in three terms: fall, winter and spring. These are available for students in PreK, Kindergarten and Grades 1 through to 4. Activities vary and usually include options such as Lego League, Magic club, Bracelet making club, Football, Tennis, Chess, Reader's Theatre and others. These clubs are designed to provide an opportunity for students to socialise and learn with each other.

Most clubs run for one hour after the end of the school day. Transportation after clubs is not provided. Students who participate should be picked up promptly from the designated dismissal area.

More information about these, and the opportunity to register, will be available in the first weeks of school.

Middle School:

The Middle School also provides an optional after-school club program in three terms: fall, winter and spring. Self Defence, Archery, Fencing, Yoga, and Athletic Fitness are some of the opportunities offered. Most are generally free but some require a fee that will be paid through Parent Pay. The options will be added at the start of the school year once schedules are finalised. You will receive a note enabling you to register for any of interest.

Upper & High School

Upper & High School Students can choose to participate in a range of Service & Interest Clubs. These are run and managed by student leaders with support from faculty sponsors. Students are encouraged to take initiative, provide service, as well as build on their personal passions. At the beginning of the school year, an 'Activities' Fair' introduces students to all available opportunities where they can meet existing club teams, and explore options. They can then choose to enrol in the ones of interest. Clubs will usually meet weekly or fortnightly on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons (Upper & High School Sports fixtures run on Mondays and Wednesdays, with some JV and Varsity teams playing on Fridays too)

HERE is a list of all service & interest clubs that were available in 2024-25 - this list will be updated for 25-26 at the start of the new academic year.

Students will attend the Activities Fair on Tuesday, 10 September 2025.

Performing Arts

Our Performing Arts programme is rooted in the curriculum (K – 12) and is offered during the school day. We also offer a broad extracurricular programme in Music and Drama before and after school. In addition, we run a complementary visiting music teacher programme, offering private tuition in piano, percussion, strings, brass, woodwind, guitar, keyboard, theory, voice as well as speech & drama tuition and exams.

See below a few examples of extracurricular opportunities offered across Divisions. Detailed information about all of these is available in the Welcome Letter from the team enclosed below. Information will also be shared with parents / students during the school year, with opportunities to register:

Lower School Choir & Orchestra for Grades 3 & 4 - these are optional year long commitments. Rehearsals are once a week before school.
Middle School Choir & Orchestras are optional commitments too. In Grade 5 rehearsals take place once a week before school, and from Grade 6 onwards these are integrated as choices within the school day.
Lower School & Middle School Drama clubs rehearse on Saturday mornings.
Students wishing to learn an instrument 1-1 can do so with visiting music teachers during term time. A whole school instrument try-outs session takes place in the first week of school, where all students are invited to explore their interests.
There are several lunchtime and other music opportunities available for enthusiasts to join in Middle, Upper & High School - e.g. Colliery Band, Marimba Bands, Encore Choir, High School Technical Theatre Club, Rock Band workshops etc
Performing Arts Productions & Musicals offer another dimension to the opportunities available across all Divisions.

Welcome to Performing Arts - Introduction from the team

The Performing Arts Calendar for the year includes a busy plethora of concerts, recitals, drama productions, workshops, and music assemblies. Below is a summary of events planned for 2025-26. All of these events can of course also be seen via the main school events calendar on the intranet (Schoology Calendar)

Performing Arts Events Calendar 2025-26

Performing Arts Handbook 2025-26

Sports & PE, including PE Kits

ACS Cobham Sports team offers training, fixtures & competitive sporting opportunities across three distinct sports seasons during the academic year:

Season 1 - Fall

Sep 1st - Nov 21st

Student Try-outs Aug 26th - 29th

Season 2 - Winter

Nov 28th - Mar 13th

Student Try-outs w/c Nov 24th - 27th

Season 3 - Spring

Mar 20th - June 5th

Student Try-outs w/c Mar 16th - 19th

The try-outs for Season 1 are scheduled in Week 2 of school. These are for Middle, Upper & High School students (i,e, Grades 5 and above). (Exception: Swim team try-outs are for Lower School students too). It is important to note that - Try-Outs = Trying the sport, not being cut from a sport! We encourage students to explore different sports, and offer opportunities to participate at various levels of ability.

The Sports Programme is offered in addition to Physical Education (PE) lessons that are part of the school curriculum. Whilst PE lessons take place during the school day, sports training takes place after school, from 3:45 to 5:30 PM (AM swim team sessions take place before school too) - Usually on a Monday and Wednesday for Upper & High school students, and Tuesday and Thursday for Middle School students. Many Varsity and JV teams have additional sessions on Fridays.

Details of the various sports offered in these seasons, and other FAQ's can be found in the enclosed document - ACS Cobham Sports Programme 2025-26.

Also see details below on the ACS PE & Sports Kit, and the Season 1 Try-outs schedule.

ACS Cobham Sports Programme 2025-26

Season 1 Try-outs Schedule

ACS PE & Sports Kit: Check what you need to buy

BUY KIT: Kukri Website

Flag Raising Ceremonies

As an International School, we proudly host flag-raising ceremonies to provide our community with a sense of pride and belonging here at ACS. With families from over 70 different nationalities, the annual flag-raising calendar tends to be quite long, and starts in the very first week of school. Ceremonies are usually held around the national days for most countries, and these are co-ordinated and confirmed by our country representative groups (CRG) - a very active part of our PSO (Parent School organisation - PTA).

The ceremony comprises of a few words spoken by a student, parent or staff member; followed by the raising of the flag by the Head of School or another member of the School Leadership team, alongside the backing track of the national song. Short and sweet - 10-15 min. At 8:35 am, after which, students head back to their classes. Students from Lower School attend with their whole class, and students from Middle, Upper and High can choose to attend if they wish - they just have to let their teachers know in advance. Parents are welcome to attend.

Dates for Flag Raising ceremonies can be found in the school calendar (on Schoology), and you will see their video recordings in weekly newsletters.

Nearer to the start of the new school year, our PSO Liaisons will offer to connect you with your CRG's via the various informal parent groups in our community. Here you will be able to make friends with other ACS families from 'back home'. We know our families value these connections; and they can be so very supportive when settling in a new school and social environment. If you do not see your country represented by any of our current CRG's, or if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to the PSO team on crg1@psocobham.org

School Residential Trips

There are several school trips that take place during the normal course of the academic year - day trips and residential trips. Some of these are optional or specifically related to elective or extracurricular activities that students participate in e.g. Sports competitions, or Duke of Edinburgh camps. Others are Grade level trips that all students are expected to attend. Below are examples of some key trips, their timings and the approximate costs from 2024-25 (subject to change in further years).

Grade 4 trip to High Ashurst - May, no cost

Grade 5 Isle of Wight trip - April/May, Approx cost £500

Grade 6 Mendip Hills Trip - September, Approx cost £500

Grade 7 New Forest Trip - September, Approx cost £375

Grade 8 Stratford Trip - September, Approx cost £500

Grade 9 Skern Trip - September, Approx cost £630

Optional World Languages Spanish & French Trip for Grade 8 Students - April/May, Approx cost £1400

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