At this small, rural ‘Round Square’ school, outdoor activities take centre stage. Every child who loves nature and animals will feel at home here.
Located in the northern English county of Staffordshire, about an hour from Birmingham, Abbotsholme School sits on an expansive, idyllic campus with striking Gothic architecture. Huge windows flood the rooms with light, creating a wonderful atmosphere.
Abbotsholme aims to nurture its pupils’ understanding of nature and the environment, making it particularly well-suited to children who enjoy being outdoors and physically active. The campus boasts its own working farm, and the surrounding countryside — including the nearby Peak District National Park — invites hiking, camping, and other outdoor pursuits.
The boarding school is home to its own equestrian centre, reflecting the strong emphasis on riding here. As a Round Square school, Abbotsholme has a distinctive atmosphere. We love the warmth and respect that underpin life here — you sense it wherever you go. Whether your child is a horse lover, an outdoor explorer or a bookworm, they will find a wonderful place to learn.
Akademis makes history – A Triple Award-Winning Consultancy (2023, 2024 & 2025) 🏆
Akademis has been recognised three years in a row by StudyTravel for excellence in the education sector:
2025 & 2024: Winners of the StudyTravel Secondary School Award (Best Western European Agency)
2023: Winner of the StudyTravel Star Award
(Best Western European Agency)
The StudyTravel Awards are among the most prestigious honours in international education, recognising outstanding quality, client focus and trusted partnerships. Being the first consultancy ever to win for three consecutive years is something we are deeply proud of. For us, these awards highlight our commitment to offering the very best guidance, personal service and long-term support for families embarking on this exciting journey.
Quick Overview
Age range: 12-18 Jahre
Number of students: 300
Boarders: 35%
Students in Sixth Form: 20%
Boarding fees per term: £ 17,725
Main sports activities besides traditional team sports: hockey, cricket, athletics, swimming, badminton, gymnastics, tennis, dance
Nearest airports: Manchester (90 minutes by car), Birmingham (about 2 hours 40 minutes by train)
https://www.abbotsholme.co.uk
Key strengths at a glance
Rural location
Strong outdoor program
On-campus farm
Great opportunities for those interested in agriculture
Abbotsholme School– Photo Highlights
Abbotsholme School in detail
Activities
One of Abbotsholme’s greatest strengths is its outdoor programme. Three-day expeditions, sailing, climbing, mountain biking, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, kayaking and fishing are all on offer. The school’s own 32 hectares of farmland blend seamlessly into the campus — and the pupils even enjoy produce grown on site! Agriculture plays an important role here, and the sight of farm animals on campus is entirely normal. Pupils are encouraged to care about nature, sustainability and environmental protection, and are also offered an exciting array of other activities — from fitness, debating and cooking to yoga, beekeeping and gardening.
Academics
Abbotsholme is non-selective and seeks to offer each pupil a balanced, flexible curriculum. Sciences, languages, history and mathematics are taught in small classes averaging just ten students. There are also more specialised subjects available, such as medicine, agriculture and philosophy. The school has its own Careers Department, providing tailored guidance on future pathways, and it hosts a Careers Fair every two years where pupils can meet prospective employers. The commitment of the teaching staff clearly pays off — in 2021, 74% of pupils achieved A*/A grades at A-level, an outstanding result compared to many other boarding schools.
Sport and Riding
Abbotsholme is proud of its equestrian centre, which sits next to the school’s farm. The indoor sand arena measures 50m x 30m and even supports show jumping. The school has 15 stables housing its own horses, but pupils are also welcome to bring their own ponies, which can be stabled on site. Riding is available as a formal subject too.Beyond riding, pupils can enjoy athletics, football, swimming, badminton, tennis and more. Every other year, the school tours the Netherlands to play hockey.
Creative Arts
The creative arts — including visual arts, music and theatre — also thrive at Abbotsholme. Concerts and plays are part of everyday life, and pupils have many opportunities to perform in front of enthusiastic audiences, both in school and beyond. A bright, airy studio provides an inspiring setting for drawing, painting and graphic design. The impressive photography studio teaches students not only photography and film-making, but also lighting, composition, editing and retouching in a professional environment.
Abbotsholme School – Fees
The fees at Abbotsholme School are £17,725 per term, or £53,175 per year. There is also a one-off registration fee of £125.
Photos from our visit
What our clients say about us
Get a free consultation and find out more about Abbotsholme School
Words from the Head
Helen Wilkinson
„It is always a pleasure to work with Akademis! The entire team is friendly, supportive and professional. The students who join us come with enthusiasm and embrace a wonderful experience here. Their politeness and ability to integrate into our busy daily life make welcoming these pupils a real joy every year. We always look forward to working with Akademis — they bring a smile to our faces and send us delightful young people who feel at home here. Our meetings and all our interactions with Akademis are always a pleasure.“
In summary
Abbotsholme is a rural, family-oriented boarding school with a wonderfully broad and impressive programme of activities. But it is far from the only British boarding school with excellent sport and riding opportunities.
We therefore warmly encourage you to explore other schools in the UK as well. We are, of course, happy to advise you. With years of close contact with these schools, we know their individual characteristics and can assess them well.
We are confident — together we will find the right boarding school for your child.
You will find an overview on our page about boarding schools in the UK.
Benefit from:
- authentic insights first-hand
- our strong relationships with admissions offices
- our experience in placements
- help with visa questions
What Makes Akademis Stand Out?
- We remain your trusted contact throughout your child’s stay, well beyond the placement process.
- We provide support with guardianship, visa applications and recognition of qualifications within the German school system.
- We offer fully tailored advice. Our school recommendations are unique to each child and can run to 40 pages in length.
- Families receive our 30+ page boarding school guide, packed with practical tips and insights.
- We prepare your child thoroughly for entrance exams and interviews to maximise their chances of success.
- We arrange school visits, ensuring you have the opportunity to experience each school first-hand.
Every boarding school has its own character and ethos. Having personally visited more than 100 schools, we understand these nuances. We also work with schools that do not pay commission, ensuring that our advice remains independent and always in the best interest of your child.
Our roots lie in the UK. For years, we have placed 200–300 families annually into British boarding schools. While our portfolio now includes schools beyond Britain, the UK remains at the heart of what we do.
Our tailored approach results in exceptional acceptance rates. For example, in 2022/23, all seven students we placed at the highly selective Malvern College received offers – a 100% success rate.
We arrange for prospective families to speak with our current students to hear first-hand accounts of life at a UK boarding school.
