Cobham Hall School is a

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...

day and boarding school in the English parish of Cobham, Kent, for girls only in Years 7 to 11 and co-educational in the Sixth Form . It is a Round Square school and a member of the

Girls' Schools Association The Girls' Schools Association (GSA) is a professional association of the heads of independent girls' schools. It is a constituent member of the Independent Schools Council. History The GSA can trace its history back to the Association of Headm ...

. The school is housed in

Cobham Hall Cobham Hall is an English country house in the county of Kent, England. The grade I listed building is one of the largest and most important houses in Kent, re-built as an Elizabethan prodigy house by William Brooke, 10th Baron Cobham (1527 ...

, a Tudor era

Grade I listed In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...

manor house A manor house was historically the main residence of the lord of the manor. The house formed the administrative centre of a manor in the European feudal system; within its great hall were held the lord's manorial courts, communal meals w ...

situated in 150 acres of historic parkland on the edge of the Kent Downs. The school featured in the film '' Wild Child'' in 2008, as the fictional school that the characters attended, called Abbey Mount. On 23 February 2021 it was announced that the school would become part of the

Mill Hill School Mill Hill School is a 13–18 mixed independent, day and boarding school in Mill Hill, London, England that was established in 1807. It is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference. History A committee of Nonconformist me ...

Foundation.

School

Cobham Hall was founded as an international boarding school for girls aged between eleven and eighteen by Bhicoo Batlivala in 1962. The school now accepts both day and boarding students. Since September 2022, Cobham Hall has also accepted boys into its Sixth Form. Approximately one-third of students are boarders, both UK and international; some 25 nationalities are represented.

Curriculum

Girls in Years 7 to 9 broadly follow the English National Curriculum alongside a skills-based development programme. Girls in Middle School (up to Year 11) follow the

GCSE The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) is an academic qualification in a particular subject, taken in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. State schools in Scotland use the Scottish Qualifications Certificate instead. Private sc ...

curriculum. In the Sixth Form, A Levels are studied as part of a broad curriculum which also encompasses the Extended Project Qualification, The Ivy House Award, Global Critical Thinking, The Duke of Edinburgh's Award or Service, Sport, and a Tutorial programme to support students through the university application process. The school has a specialist EFL Department, as well as a CReSTeD accredited Student Support Department. The school also offers a range of tailored programmes for international students, including a Pre-A Level Course. Intensive English Support programmes are available for those whose first language is not English.

The building

There has been a

on the site since the 12th century. The current building consists of a pair of 16th-century Tudor wings and a later classical central block, the 'Cross Wing'. Alterations were made by Sir William Chambers, c. 1767–70 The most notable feature of the interior is the two-storey Gilt Hall, c, 1770–81. The fourth earl of Darnley, who inherited in 1781, employed the architect James Wyatt extensively. The landscape designer

Humphry Repton Humphry Repton (21 April 1752 – 24 March 1818) was the last great English landscape designer of the eighteenth century, often regarded as the successor to Capability Brown; he also sowed the seeds of the more intricate and eclectic styles of ...

was hired to draw up a plan for the estate and two of his sons designed features of the building. Cobham Hall remained the family home of the

Earls of Darnley Earl of Darnley is a hereditary title that has been created three times, twice in the Peerage of Scotland and once in the Peerage of Ireland. The first creation in the Scots Peerage came in 1580 in favour of Esme Stewart, 1st Earl of Lennox ...

until 1957 and is now home to the school. As of 2014 it was open to the public on a limited number of days each year. The building has been used as a film set. A scene in ''

Agent Cody Banks 2 ''Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London'' is a 2004 American action comedy buddy film and the sequel to the 2003 film ''Agent Cody Banks''. Directed by Kevin Allen and written by Don Rhymer, the film stars Frankie Muniz, Anthony Anderson, Hannah ...

'' in which Frankie Muniz fights Keith Allen in a room full of priceless treasures was filmed in the Gilt Hall. Scenes from an adaption of '' Bleak House'' were filmed outside the building, and it was used in a few scenes in the comedy sketch show '' Tittybangbang''. The Hall is used as the school 'Abbey Mount' in the 2008 film '' Wild Child'' starring Emma Roberts and as the

Foundling Hospital The Foundling Hospital in London, England, was founded in 1739 by the philanthropic sea captain Thomas Coram. It was a children's home established for the "education and maintenance of exposed and deserted young children." The word "hospital" w ...

in the CBBC adaptation of ''

Hetty Feather ''Hetty Feather'' is a book by English author Jacqueline Wilson. It is about a young red-haired girl who was left by her mother at the Foundling Hospital as a baby and follows her story as she lives in a foster home before returning to the Fou ...

''.

Notable alumnae

* Francesca Amfitheatrof, jewelry designer * Princess Antonia, Duchess of Wellington *

Alex Crawford Alexandra Christine Crawford, (born 15 April 1962) is a British journalist who currently works as a Special Correspondent for Sky News based in Turkey. Biography Crawford was born in Surrey in 1962 to an English-Chinese mother and a Scotti ...

, journalist *

Catherine Fall, Baroness Fall Catherine Susan "Kate" Fall, Baroness Fall (born 1967) is a British peer and political advisor. She served as Deputy Chief of Staff for David Cameron when he was prime minister and became a life peer in September 2015. Early life Born in 196 ...

, British political advisor *

Kate French Kate Lauren French is an American actress and model. She is perhaps best known for her role as Niki Stevens on ''The L Word''. Early life Kate Lauren French was born in Flemington, New Jersey. Career Following in her parents' footsteps, Frenc ...

, modern pentathlete *

Olivia Graham Olivia Josephine Graham (born 21 June 1956) is a British bishop. She has served as Bishop of Reading, a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Oxford, since 2019. She was previously Archdeacon of Berkshire in the same diocese from 2013 to 2019. E ...

, Bishop of Reading *

Annabel Heseltine Annabel Mary Dibdin Heseltine (born 25 July 1963) is a journalist, columnist and TV and radio broadcaster. She is editor of the education magazine ''School House''. Early life Born in London, she is the elder daughter of the politician and form ...

, journalist and broadcaster * Mishal Husain, news presenter * Jane Percy, Duchess of Northumberland * Romina Power, American-Italian singer *

Anjali Rao Anjali Rao is an Australian-Indian global television news anchor and broadcast journalist. She starred on season 5 of ''The Real Housewives of Melbourne''. Rao has spent over 25 years in television journalism, as an anchor and correspondent f ...

, television news presenter * Isabel dos Santos, daughter of the former President of Angola and billionaire businesswoman *

Mary Ann Sieghart Mary Ann Corinna Howard Sieghart (born 6 August 1961) is an England, English author, journalist, radio presenter and former assistant editor of ''The Times'', where she wrote columns about politics, social affairs and life in general. She has al ...

, journalist

References

External links

*
Cobham Hall School official website
*

ISI ISI or Isi may refer to: Organizations * Intercollegiate Studies Institute, a classical conservative organization focusing on college students * Ice Skating Institute, a trade association for ice rinks * Indian Standards Institute, former name of ...

Inspectio
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on the ISC website {{coord, 51, 23, 40, N, 0, 25, 07, E, type:landmark, display=title Grade I listed buildings in Kent Gravesham Country houses in Kent Boarding schools in Kent Girls' schools in Kent Member schools of the Girls' Schools Association Round Square schools International Baccalaureate schools in England Private schools in Kent Educational institutions established in 1962 Grade I listed houses in Kent 1962 establishments in England