Cranleigh

[JLS77]

We are thinking of moving DD to Cranleigh, she’s at an all girls currently in year 3. Perhaps a year 4 move, Ideally then staying on to a levels. Hard to get a feel when you’re on the outside, what’s it like? Also considering Claremont fan court, it seems like they might be very different. Experiences gratefully received

Wow, they are really different schools! Have you studied the Claremont Fan bus routes, she could end up with friends in Twickenham and Wimbledon and all her socialising based around Kingston. Are you looking for a mixed school? You would do better to wait and try for Epsom/St Johns at 11.

We live nearby so the bus routes aren’t an issue. We are trying to find out the feel of the schools. What are they like? We are familiar with St John’s

I live near Claremont Fan, it's a good all round school set in nice grounds with a wide catchment but also a good percentage who live locally. Academically and in terms of sport etc it's a notch below the other schools in the area both the single sex of which there are many and the mixed including Epsom/St Johns and St George's.
The sixth form is relatively new and they still lose a high percentage to Esher college at the end of GCSEs each year which was historically the case. (If you live in certain postcodes you automatically get a place at Esher College regardless of your previous school). It would be a risk to imagine your dd would want to stay until the end of the 6th form when she is so young.

I’ve got two boys at Cranleigh, both still at the prep. They have been there since the start and are both very happy. It’s a genuine all rounder with solid academics, sport, drama, music etc. I’d say the ability range is quite wide, some very bright kids in the top sets but also some kids who need more support, and the rest somewhere in the middle. The vast majority go up to the senior, I’d say less than 10% go elsewhere. Most kids are pretty local in the lower years of the prep (think 10 miles away or less). Then a fairly big cohort tend to join from London in year 7 and they usually weekly board.

At the moment, you can choose without restriction whether to go boarding or day at the senior school if you are joining from the prep. They’ve also just ditched the formal 11+ process for entry into the senior school if coming from the prep and offers are based purely on reports/assessments taken in the normal course of the year.

New heads coming in for both schools. Senior head starting in September and there is widespread excitement at her arrival. New head at the prep in January 25, he also seems really good.

Hope that helps 😊

Thank you! Very helpful insight. We are very open to her moving for a levels (so no risk really) just nice for her to have the option to not move too

I would agree with Hoppababy. We have moved from a "hothouse" prep in London to Cranleigh. I have two quite different boys, one in the prep and one in the senior.

In our experience it's a good all round school. It has a broad range of abilities but an academic child will be challenged. The extra-curricular offering is fantastic with drop off from 7:30am and clubs running until 6pm which is a god send as a working mother! There is a bus route coming apparently. Both our sons are very happy and delighted with the move!

Feel free to DM me if you would like the opinion of someone who has kids at the school. I actually think it is quite a special place that has changed a lot in the last few years (eg results are on a par with Epsom now)

What sort of child is best suited to the prep school?

We are considering it, but don't want a sporty, pushy alpha vibe. Are the kids kind? Are they really able to find what makes them tick?

Also regarding the 11+ move to the senior school, are there no formal exams to ensure entry now?