Charterhouse and Cranleigh

[oriol]

Can anybody tell me what the main differences are between these schools, I know Charterhouse is single sex until the sixth form and Cranleigh is co-ed, I am interested in the differences in ethos, academics and the type of children who thrive in each.

I always think Charterhouse is more academic, especially as it offers the Pre U for some subjects and is often the first choice of those failing to get into Eton. It has a macho reputation rightly or wrongly.
Friends sent their bright cricket obsessed DS to Cranleigh (other cricket obsessed/rising crickets stars at DS's prep also went there so I'm assuming the cricket is good) they really like it, they're abroad and can't praise the pastoral care high enough, it's less selective, and IME attracts conservative with a small c parents.
Both are weekly boarding, our friends only complaint, especially in the lower years.

Thank you happygardening. Is the sport still strong at Charterhouse? Somebody suggested to me it is not as good as it was, boys more interested in parties! On balance, would you say Charterhouse is more macho than, say Radley or Harrow? I thought football rather than rugby would reduce macho ethos. Perhaps co-ed is the best guarantee that a school is not too macho, or are the girls impressed with macho? I think it is hard not to be one of the "cool" set at a co-ed school, but maybe it depends on the pupils. Any thoughts?

I've heard more negative things about Cranleigh (things boarding parents don't necessarily hear but day parents gossip about). Charterhouse is pretty much weekly boarding, and a gorgeous set of buildings, very good gym (also used as a private gym by local yummy mummys).

In my impressions (which doesn't know Radley or Harrow much) Charterhouse is less macho, not more.

I think sport is strong at Charterhouse because sport is always going to be pretty strong in most boarding schools because it's usually compulsory 3-4 times a week I don't think it matters if they do rugby or not. My DS met the boys at Charterhouse at a recents sports thing he said they were rude, 1 of only two schools he says this about. Ive also heard gossip about the Charterhouse boys liking to party and have fun can't comment if this is true or not. I've met a lot of boys from Radley they are always very polite and I would say almost slightly unworldly which rather surprised me. It's a very strong rugby school the one on the circuit everyone hopes to beat but I don't think this makes them more macho than others. We have adult friends who went to Radley they're all of a type but that's far from macho. I can't comment on Harrow all boys from DS's prep who went there weren't particularly macho but many wanted to be "cool".
Coed definitely changes the general ethos of a place I think, and some girls are inevitably impressed with macho, other like cool and of course others don't dare.
I think in single sex the boys form very deep bonds between each other, and it can become very collegiate, perhaps there's less going into other houses than you get in coed. I'm not sure.
Interesting mummy about you hearing negative things about Cranleigh, all we know with DC's there like it very much but all do have DC's boarding.

May I ask the name of the other school where the boys are rude? I too have found the few Radley boys I know to be very polite - although I think if you insist on manners at home, they are less likely to be rude at school, or indeed anywhere. It may say more about the parent body than the school?

I think schools like Radley and Charterhouse are macho as defined by the first team in rugby (for Radley) or football (Charterhouse) are still put on a pedestal compared to other non-sporty pursuits. That overlaps with a cool party set not least because first team boys attract the girls. That does n't mean that non-sporty boys can't enjoy themselves and do well there.
I hear mixed reports of behaviours on the match circuit (don't know about rugby) of all these schools, I don't think one school particularly stands out for uniformly bad or good behaviour. I know nothing about Cranleigh.

I'm not going to post it on here as I'm likely to bring the wrath of some members of MN down on my head! I'll PM you.

I removed my son from the school after one year. A lot of bullying. The boys I encountered were rude and arrogant. You may care to know that 6 boys left the school during the same year. I asked for my son to move House as he thought he would be happier. I was told that "this had never happened in the history of Charterhouse and if it is that bad then perhaps it is not the school for him." It wasn't and I regret I did not remove him the day I was spoken to that way. I heard later a young boy was allowed to change House. Probably more to do with losing more fees than the welfare of the boy.

Zombie!

I have children at Charterhouse and do not recognise the criticism. I think it should be acknowledged that all of these schools are pretty demanding in that they require the pupils to work hard, play hard, and to get on with a diverse group of peers. Some find that harder than others, and some are more sensitive than others. At Charterhouse the academic standards are high - much higher than Cranleigh (on a par with Tonbridge, Harrow, Wellington etc), and pupils have to hit the ground running; the support and pastoral care network is, however, marvellous.
Similarly, the sport is taken seriously - the football , hockey, tennis and cricket is outstanding (the u14 cricket team was unbeaten this year, beating Eton, Cranleigh, Harrow, Wellington, Tonbridge etc) with top class coaches and facilities, yet the sport is not the be all and end all in the way it is at other schools; that means that a boy or girl does not have to be in a sporting star to be popular, and there is room for interesting characters.
Charterhouse is going fully co-ed in a few years' time, and will be large with 1000 pupils. This is viewed as a positive step, and has really benefitted other traditional boys public schools. As for the parties, I have not yet seen any evidence that Carthusians party more than other school children, but I guess it is not unusual for a teenager to like a party.
In summary, Charterhouse does what it says on the tin: it is a traditional yet forward thinking 400 year old major public school set in idyllic grounds with amazing facilities. Some people like that, some people don't. The only way to decide is to go and take a look for yourself.

This thread started more than 2 years, and is it 2 heads ago. Maybe that’s why you don’t recognise it.

Point taken (though strictly speaking its not 2 years since the last post and it is only 1 head) but the fact you read my post (and commented) shows that these threads are still referred to for advice and information so it is important that they are up to date.

.

Our DS has been accepted at Charterhouse for 2018 year 9 and would love to hear people's view's on it - especially house selection as we are yet to do it (he was only accepted last week as we were late applying).

Congrats to your son. nice grounds. Old houses near lesson but new houses have nicer boys in the older years for your son. Your choice. Lockites, Hodgsonites, Robinites, Weekites (long walk) and Pageites. Good luck.

Hi rejectgoods - thaanks for posting. As we were late in, we had a choice of only Saunderites, Weekites and Hodgsonites. He/we decided on Saunderites as he wanted to be close to the school even though he's their sports scholar and so further away from the sports facilities!

We're super excited and for the money we are paying we are hoping for awesomeness!!