The Knightley School is the boarding school in Cornwall, Connecticut, attended by Serena van der Woodsen following her self-imposed "exile" from Manhattan prior to the start of the Gossip Girl television series.
Television series[]
The Knightley School is never actually seen in the Gossip Girl television adaption, but is mentioned on occasion throughout the series. Forcing herself into "exile" after believing she was responsible for the drug overdose and death of Pete, whom she and Georgina Sparks were to have a threesome with, Serena enrolled at the Knightley School to escape the Upper East Side.
While at Knightley, Serena developed a crush on her English teacher, Ben Donovan, whom reciprocated those feelings to some extent. However, due to his position as her teacher, nothing actually ever came of this relationship until season four, when Ben was released from prison. During her time at Knightley, Serena also befriended Damien Dalgaard, who helped her with schoolwork and secretly had a crush on her.
In "Pilot," Serena van der Woodsen returns to the Upper East Side after her younger brother's suicide attempt. Deciding to return to New York for good, Serena re-enrolls at Constance, where she attempts to reclaim her title of queen bee and it-girl.
Faculty[]
- Benjamin Donovan (English teacher)
Notable alumni[]
Class of 2009[]
- Damien Dalgaard (departed, after Fall 2007)
- Serena van der Woodsen (departed, prior to Fall 2007)
See also[]
- Hanover Academy, the Knightley School's counterpart in the Gossip Girl novel series.