Future Vision for our school
Our Head of School is quizzed on his vision for ACS Cobham following the changes this year
Given all the developments over the past year how do you see our physical campus developments coming to fruition in coming months?
In August the grade one classes will move into their custom created new classrooms in the Lower School Village. On the ground floor of what is currently the Lower School building this will leave a space where we can centre the High School maths teaching. This will enable a greater degree of collaboration that can foster teaching excellence as the classrooms are currently spread across two buildings.
In October the grade two classes will follow into the Lower School Village. At the beating heart of the new Lower School environment will be a Discovery Centre that builds on the huge success of the way that the lower school library has developed into the catalyst for enquiry-based learning. These spaces will foster a love of reading for the purpose of exploring science, nature and documenting this in a digital world.
What are the priorities for the school between now and the start of school in August?
We've had huge success over the last year with our programs being recognised across the board for prizes in a way that we've never seen before . Our digital programs have been celebrated as genre defining, the boarding house has been shortlisted for a national prize and our DEI work has been highlighted as a leader in its field. The priority now for the leadership of the school is to identify how we can build on these successes and generate further growth. We have the new leadership team that is coming into office with a new structure and ways of working together. Our priority has to be to communicate with all stakeholders how this is going to work and increased agility and responsiveness will meet the needs of our community.
With the move for Lower School into the dedicated Lower School Village, how do you see this benefiting the programme for students and teachers alike?
I see the original manor house as the showpiece building on our campus. To have students learning in this inspirational space is a statement about what we think is really important. Students will be able to live and breathe the history that emanates from these walls. A history that sees remnants of these buildings stretching back to King Leopold and that bear witness to these events. This cluster of buildings, originally created to service and supply the mansion from the second part of our Lower School, now provides a safe, inclusive and welcome environment for our youngest students. A base with an unbelievable resource on the doorstep and phenomenal outdoor learning opportunities. This Village is just as much about what is outside the classroom as will be inside the bespoke learning spaces created indoors. The themes and furnishings within each of the spaces will draw inspiration from the remarkable grounds that surround them. The colour schemes will mirror the fields, woodlands, sunshine, river and heathlands that we all know and love. The furnishing themselves will be playful, but clearly ‘tip a hat’ to the outside world just moments from each classroom window.
What are you most excited about in terms of our plans for the Lower School village?
I believe we are creating a proposition that will knock the spots off any primary school locally or internationally. I am most excited about seeing enquiry learning based in our resource pool drawing on our extraordinarily diverse international community and the exceptional flora and fauna of our 128 acre estate.
What are the particular interior design aspirations for these new spaces?
Below are just the initial concepts of our interior design options. We will be developing these over coming months.
1425 ACS Cobham Lower School Village Block H r2 27 04 23 Revised.pdf
With the space that is freed up in our existing Lower School what are the plans for this around the Ready to Thrive centre?
This is our proposal for the Ready to Thrive centre. It is evolving over coming months and we will update our parent community as and when decisions are made. Click here to view the latest proposal.
What are the further plans once the Lower School village is complete?
We will continue to invest in the whole campus, the next focus will be to develop the Senior School spaces that inspire high quality learning where students are engaged, challenged and supported.
What other elements of our campus are we enhancing and why and what are you most looking forward to once the whole vision is complete?
I’m enjoying every exciting stage of these developments and sharing the awe and wonder of the world around us with your children. We’re always climbing a mountain aspiring for the next peak, we’ll never stop being on this journey, so I don’t think we’ll reach a ‘destination’ but, my goodness we are going to make the very most of the ride and enjoy every moment of the trip.
Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, enjoy the present because it is a gift.
