The first day of school for students will be Monday, 18 August 2025. 

Regular Monday school hours will apply - 8:30 am to 3:30 pm. 

(Exceptions - Week 1 will be half days for youngest students in Early Childhood, so parents will need to pick them up at noon. No school buses at noon. Flopsy Bunny families will have inductions in Week 1 and 2. All this information is available for families in the Lower School Welcome letter)

School buses will operate from Day 1, so your child will get picked up in the morning, and dropped off in the afternoon, as arranged with the Transportation team. 

Regular drop-off and pick-up procedures will also apply from Day 1. These vary for the different age-groups, and you can read a summary here.

Where do the students need to go after drop-off?

Several members of staff and the Leadership team will be available to greet students at their various drop-off points. From here, students will be directed to their buildings / classrooms, or in case they arrive very early, to their designated Divisional waiting areas. Note that students may be dropped off on campus from 7:45 am.

Traffic

For those arriving by car, please note that traffic leading into school tends to be heavy in the first few days, and especially the first day as we see many families accompanying their children on Day 1. So it is advisable to allow extra time to arrive in the morning for drop-off, and to pick-up in the afternoon. As everyone settles into their routines, and as the after school clubs begin, effectively staggering pick-up times for families, traffic becomes much lighter. 

Please don't stress if you end up being delayed. The usual thing to do when you're late is to call the relevant Divisional office and let them know, and then 'sign in' at the Divisional Office when you arrive (before heading to class). Please note that Lower School children cannot be left to walk to places on campus without adult supervision. So please walk your Lower School child to the office, and help them sign in if you arrive late.

Handy phone numbers:

• School Reception / Switchboard - 01932 867 251

• Lower School Office - 01932 586 523

• Middle School Office - 01932 869 703 / 01932 869 794

• Upper & High School Office - 01932 869 788

What do the students need to bring?

Students should wear comfortable clothes/shoes, bring a refillable water bottle and a healthy snack, plus a lunch plan i.e. plan to eat at the Dining Hall or bring a packed lunch. 

We find that snacks are hugely helpful, especially in the first few days, as the children transition from their summer holiday schedules to a regular school routine. 

(Please note that we are a strictly 'nut free' school. More information on Lunch and Snacks can be found in the Catering pages).

For students in Grades 5 and above, if you have not yet had the chance to purchase all the items from the Divisional supply lists, please do not worry. A pen, pencil, and notepad for the first day will be sufficient. 

Students in Grade 9 and above should have their MacBooks.

The ACS PE Kit is essential for PE lessons. We advise you to order the kit ASAP as it can take some time to be delivered in busy periods. But for the first few PE lessons, if you cannot be in your PE kit, please don't worry. Kindly make sure your alternative clothes are comfortable, appropriate for PE (e.g. tracks or leggings rather than dresses or jeans), and ideally, navy or black, rather than bright colours.

• Lower School Parents' Information Session

Q&A session with the Lower School Principal, Assistant Principal; and an Introduction to the Student Services team.

Monday, 18 August: 8:30 am, after drop-off, in the Lower School Dining Hall  

• PSO Divisional Coffee Mornings

Meet with other parents and the Divisional Leadership team in this informal gathering after drop-off.

• Middle School Parents - Wednesday, 20 August @ 8:45 AM to 10:30 AM - Location Sports Centre Cafe; 

Kindly RSVP here 

• Upper & High School Parents - Thursday, 21 August @ 8:45 AM to 10:30 AM; Location Sports Centre Cafe; 

Kindly RSVP here

• PSO Lower School Playground Playdates 

After pick-up, bring your Lower Schooler and let them play, as you catch up with other parents in this informal gathering.

Siblings are very welcome to join. 

An ice cream truck is a regular feature on Lower School playground playdates! 

• Grades 1 to 4 - Thursday, 21 August @ 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM - Location: Lower School Playground 

Kindly RSVP here

• Grades Flopsy Bunnies to Kindergarten - Wednesday, 03 September @ 2:30 PM - 4:30 PM - Location: EC Playground 

(later than the others due to the 2 week induction in Flopsy Bunnies)

Kindly RSVP here

• Performing Arts Try-outs 

Whether your child is a budding violinist, a future percussionist, or just curious about music, this is a great chance to discover which instrument might be the perfect fit. Music teachers and staff will be on hand to guide students, answer questions, and provide demonstrations.

Wednesday, 20 August, 2:30 to 4:30 PM in the Theatre

Kindergarten to Grade 12 students and parents invited to attend. Drop-in. No prior registration needed.

Note that Lower School parents must pick up their child at dismissal and accompany them to the try-outs. Senior School students can attend on their own if required.

Sports Try-outs will take place from Tuesday 26 August to Friday 29 August, after the end of the school day. 3:30-5:30 PM on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday; 2:30-4:30/5:30 PM on Wednesday. 

These try-outs are for extracurricular sports teams in Middle, Upper & High School only (Grades 5 and up). (Except swim team try-outs, which are also for Lower School). No prior booking is needed to attend try-outs. Students will be able to just turn up to the Sports Centre and try out the different sports.

More information on Sports at ACS is available on this page

The 'Late bus' service will be available from Tuesday, 26 August too. Note that late buses leave the campus at 5:45 PM and follow a schedule that is different from the semester door-to-door and shuttle bus services. Information on confirmed routes and booking protocols will be available once school reopens (See 'Transport' for more information) 

• Lower School Curriculum Presentations

  • • Monday, 01 September @ 8:45 AM: Kindergarten

    • Tuesday, 02 September @ 8:45 AM: Scramblers (Puddle Ducks)

    • Wednesday, 03 September @ 8:45 AM: PreK

    • Friday, 05 September @ 11 AM - Flopsy Bunnies

• Lower School Grades 1 and 3 Open House: Thursday, 04 September @ 8:45 AM

• Lower School Grades 2 and 4 Open House: Friday, 05 September @ 8:45 AM

• Middle School Open House (Grades 5 to 8): Wednesday, 10 September @ 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM

• Upper & High School Open House (Grades 9 to 12): Wednesday, 27 August @ 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM

These sessions offer you an opportunity to meet your student’s teachers and learn about our programs. 

A very special event titled 'International Flag Parade & Peace Day Assembly' is scheduled for Monday, 19 September. 8:45 AM.

A beautiful and heartening ceremony that will celebrate the International Day of Peace and our own International community at ACS Cobham. Similar to last year, the whole school will gather around the sports fields, as a large group of Country teams walk with their many national flags, creating a fabulous International Parade.  A true salute to our incredibly diverse, global community, and a testament to the spirit of belonging at ACS! 

To represent your country and walk in the parade, please get in touch with our Country Representative Groups Lead on crg1@psocobham.org