Boarding at Cranbrook School - anyone know what it's really like?

[Cranbrookornot]

My dd has just done the entrance exam to go and be a boarder at Cranbrook School, Kent - from Sept 2017 when she will be nearly 14. She would come home most weekends as most of the kids there do.

We will know if she gets in on 12 Dec and then we will have to decide whether to encourage her to go or not. She is currently at a good mixed comprehensive school.

We were shown round last week by current year 9 girls who were very friendly and bright, and seemed genuinely happy with the boarding houses and the school. But of course there could be less happy girls who were not invited to do the tours! So my question is, do any of you have kids at Cranbrook School currently? and if so are they and you happy with it - or not?
Thanks very much.

You need to do a search on here for other Cranbrook threads. I seem to remember criticism was quite harsh and they have suffered spending cuts. Be very careful moving if she is happy in a good comp and happy living at home. How exactly do you think she will benefit from moving?

Cranbrook School is undergoing pretty dramatic budgetary cuts, even by current standards. It is also about to expand, to take children from 11. It has been something of an anomaly school for ages - a state school that recruits on competitive exam at 13+, largely from a couple of local prep feeder schools.

I know many families who have sent their DC to Cranbrook. I wouldn't.

pink Thanks for the heads up. I have read the other threads now. I can see that the new Headl has had to make some changes which have not been popular. Dd thinks she would enjoy being a weekly boarder. My work takes me to a distant city once or twice a week so it would also suit me.

Bobo. Thanks for the info. It has been an anomalous school. I can see why they are changing to taking children from 11 otherwise they are just catering for prep school kids.

Interested to hear from anyone on MN who has kids at Cranbrook now.