insideKENT Magazine Issue 78 - September 2018 | Page 134

IN ASSOCIATION WITH EDUCATION CRANBROOK SCHOOL IS ENJOYING AN EXCEPTIONAL YEAR. THIS HAS BEEN A YEAR OF LOOKING BACK THROUGH 500 YEARS OF RICH, ABUNDANT HERITAGE; FEW SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTRY OR EVEN INTERNATIONALLY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE 500 YEARS OF HISTORY. To mark this tremendous milestone, the School designed a Quincentenary programme of events running throughout 2018. Two Old Cranbrookian events took place in a grand marquee, welcoming over 400 alumni back to the School; Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal officially opened the School’s new Sixth Form Centre, meeting a large number of students and touring the site; special anniversary lectures welcomed alumni guest speakers, who gave informative and inspiring talks to the students and local community; students enjoyed a themed week, off timetable, to explore and enrich their problem solving skills, team working and world knowledge; and an Extravaganza, supported by NFU, brought the School and local people together and even presented Cranbrook School’s very first dog show. Further events are planned for the new term. It has also been a year of looking forward. The School had its first intake of Year 7 students in 50 years; boarding received a consecutive ‘outstanding’ rating from Ofsted; and Cranbrook School’s Combined Cadet Force once again performed superbly at the Biennial Inspection. It is through dedication and ambition that Cranbrook School maintains its success by aiming high for the future, while still valuing its history. 136 At Cranbrook, we track our students’ progress by their academic development, personal well- being, and gradual transition to adulthood across the teenage years. The wider world, however, uses more prosaic measures – exam results. Although we do not believe in hot-house methods, our success in this sphere stands scrutiny alongside the best in the country – and we are proud that Cranbrook is consistently placed among the best schools in England, and, as a result, pupils secure places at the very best universities. Cranbrook School has enjoyed consistent, top-tier exam success in recent years. Cranbrook students are taught to think for themselves, and they are encouraged to use the student portal, where they are able to access revision guides, subject notes/links and exam resources. Equally, parents are also encouraged to support their offspring during their time at Cranbrook. Our setting, with the river Crane running through it and 75 acres of lush Wealden countryside, complements our boarding and teaching accommodation delightfully. Cranbrook was one of the small number of Kent grammar schools founded in the Tudor period. Its history goes back to 1518 when a wealthy Yeoman, John Blubery, bequeathed his ‘chief mansion’ to provide a ‘frescole house’ for the town’s children. Following Queen Elizabeth’s visit to the important cloth manufacturing town of Cranbrook in 1573, a royal charter firmly established the ‘free and perpetual grammar school’. The first Governors are named in the charter: they included the vicar (and each subsequent vicar of Cranbrook has been a Governor), the two leading local gentlemen, and ten wealthy Cranbrook clothiers. Since that date, the school’s biggest change has been that to co- education and 13+ entry in the early 1970s, together with more than doubling of size. We are embarking on a period of similar development with our move to admit 11 year olds for the first time in over 40 years from September 2017. Open days are running throughout September to November for 2019 admissions. For more information, please visit the website: www.cranbrookschool.co.uk, call 01580 711804 or email [email protected]