Boarding School Review Facts:
Headmistress (from September 2024) - Mrs Samantha Price
Location – Cranleigh School, Horseshoe Lane, Cranleigh, Surrey. GU6 8QQ
Nearest airport – Gatwick (45 minutes)
Train to London – Guildford to London Waterloo (45 minutes)
Co-educational
Day and full-boarding from years 9-13 (age 13-18)
Enriching Perspectives: Discovering Cranleigh's Red-Brick Haven
Cranleigh is a co-educational, day and full-boarding school for 700 pupils, near Guildford in Surrey. Established in 1865, it is renowned for its excellent, all-round educational provision; however, it particularly excels in the academic, sports and performing arts. Well-known in London and the Home Counties, it is now attracting pupils from further afield, including from overseas.
With the backdrop of the beautiful Surrey hills, the red-brick campus is centred on the main school buildings with boarding houses scattered further afield and the sports pitches and golf course extending beyond. While its facilities might not be as pristine, manicured or glitzy as other schools, it is what goes on within the facilities that counts here.
The Essence of Cranleigh Education: Cranleigh Thinking, Being, and Giving
Central to a Cranleigh education are the tripartite principles of Cranleigh Thinking - developing pupils’ critical thinking and intellectual curiosity – Cranleigh Being - nurturing in pupils the core human qualities that enable communities to thrive and support one another – and Cranleigh Giving – helping pupils recognise their privilege and go out into the world ready to give back and help to create meaningful change. whilst producing confident and independent yet grounded and socially-aware pupils.
"We want out pupils to go and make a difference in the world." Head
Unveiling Excellence: Cranleigh's Academic and Extracurricular Triumphs
Cranleigh has a strong academic record, not only with many pupils going on to Oxbridge and other Russell Group universities but also with ‘value-added’ results (ie pupils gaining higher grades than predicted). Nevertheless, Cranleigh prides itself on developing pupils’ intellectual interests and thinking beyond the confines of the curriculum through its Cranleigh Thinking programme. Outside the classroom, Cranleigh excels at sport - with pupils and alumni playing a variety of sports for England - and in music and drama – with pupils going on to conservatoires and drama schools.
Community and Camaraderie: Cranleigh's Full-Boarding School Experience
Cranleigh has a strong boarding ethos with 75% of pupils boarding, and all of them full-time (there are no flexi or weekly options here), making this a great option for military and overseas parents (especially when combined with the prep school). There are 4 boys and 4 girls houses, all cosy, well-decorated and well-equipped. Day and overseas pupils are fully integrated into the houses ensuring not only the pastoral and social welfare of all pupils but also the depth of friendships that come from being in a full-boarding school. While boarders can go home after sport on Saturdays, many stay for the full programme of social and entertainment activities at weekends.
Tradition and Excellence: Cranleigh's Legacy of Academic and Personal Growth
Overall, Cranleigh is a traditional, English public school which punches above its weight academically and in sports whilst also producing confident, independent pupils. Ultimately, Cranleigh produces grounded, inclusive pupils who are confident in who they are, whilst still being respectful and supportive of others around them.
Headmaster Interview -
Boarding School Advice:
We advise families from both the UK and overseas who are seeking the best British boarding prep or senior school for their child. Our team of education consultants visited over 80 boarding schools last year and have helped more than 500 families over the past 10 years to find the best-fit British boarding school. We also support and mentor children throughout the application, entry testing, ISEB pre-test and interview process – building their confidence to present the best version of themselves on the day.
Please get in touch if you would like advice from our friendly, experienced team. We offer a complimentary call to all families who get in touch so we can find out more about you and your child, before talking to you about how we can help you with your boarding school choice process.
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