Cranbrook school, Kent

[feelingfedup]

What is it like for boarders?

I want to know the answer to this question as well

Cammelia - don't know what it's like for boarders but Cranbrook is more socially mixed than Sevenoaks.

Have a friend whose twins go there and as far as I know are enjoying it as boarders.

Ds1's dad went there. So did lots of his friends/our mutual friends. They all seemed to love it, and the impression I got was that even if you were thick as f*ck like he was, you would turn out well-to-do and polite, with an a-level or two (even if you had to take it 5 times)

Plus they are all big partyers. Massive in fact. And well into their wine and ghanja.

That would have been about 1979 he left, though.

Sorry that was a really unhelpful post!

Cranbrook makes me come out in hives it's sooooooooo perfect!

I know a few people whose kids go to the school and they all think it is fantastic

I suspect it of being a Truman Show style film set in fact

The ducks were sent out as they knew you were coming fio

Glad you're keeping up with my school quest posts Anna8888

I don't know if Cranbrook is more socially mixed than Sevenoaks but its a lot cheaper !

I know its because its a hybrid of state grammar for day pupils (we're not in the cathchment area) with private boarding (ie you pay but its cheap)

Both are academically selective, not sure how the entrance criteria compare but dd's school advises to put names down at more than one school.

Cammelia - I lived in Sevenoaks for the first seven years of my life and my family still has plenty of connections there.

And my parents live in between Cranbrook and Tenterden.

I used to go to Tonbridge Grammar School (which also recently introduced the IB).

Had an aunt and a cousin at Benenden, two cousins at Judd, two cousins at Tonbridge Grammar etc etc.

Also lots and lots of friends and family around in the area.

And I'm very interested in alternatives to A-levels - my sister and I did EB, my sister's children are in an IB school, my cousin's daughter is just taking her IB.

Your parents house will be worth a bomb now then Anna8888 being in that school catchment area.

Out of interest will you be in France when your children go to senior school and if so what are your options ?

Yes, I will most probably be in France forever

The current plan A is:

• daughter stays at Ecole Active Bilingue until end of primary school (modified French curriculum, small annual fees). Daughter spends one year in England at boarding school (poss Sevenoaks, poss KC Pembury). Daughter goes to Ecole Active Bilingue Jeannine Manuel (a different school) for secondary and either does IB (at vast expense in two final years only) or French OIB (French international baccalaureate) (normal small annual fees).

Plan B

• daughter not academic enough for Ecole Active Bilingue Jeannine Manuel. Stays at Ecole Active Bilingue and does normal French bacc or French OIB.

IB is always full fee-paying in France as it is not supported by the French Ministère de l'Education Nationale.

Cammelia - how about your daughter applying for Ecole Active Bilingue Jeannine Manuel boarding school in Lille? Very academic school. Not expensive. You can move to Northern France in due course.

www.eabjm.com

Ive just been looking at the Cranbrook catchment area map online. Spooky
We are also out of catchment, but only just Dh`s parents live in Hawkhurst though & thats definitely in catchment. Perhaps we should move in with them? Maybe not.
Have no idea what its like for boarders. Similar to all boarding schools I assume. If you think your dc would like to board then its worth a try.

Thanks for all this wonderful information.

You are in Paris aren't you? Is the Lille school connected to a Paris one?

The Paris and the Lille school function as "one school". Some (poss all?) teachers teach at both.

Surely Cranbrook School is different to most boarding schools in that it is (a) a state school (b) the majority of pupils are not boarders?

The wife of a Cranbrook housemaster used to come to the mother-and-baby group I went to at Frittenden when my daughter was born. Their life sounded very nice - a lot of boarders went home at weekends, but the ones that stayed got very well looked after in a nice cosy family environment.

I didnt realise that boarders were allowed to come home at weekends Anna. Ive never seen anything in writing to suggest that they can or cant. Perhaps its worth considering for us if thats the case. Were only about 35 minutes drive away, but way out of catchment.
I will have to confirm if they still allow that first though.

SparklePrincess - yes, the housemaster's wife said that lots went home at weekends. I don't know how it works if you live just outside the catchment area. You could ring up and ask.

Just checked their website. It is true! Will definitely look into that when the dd`s are a bit older.

Thanks Anna.

Anna do you know the Ford family? Ds1's dad grew up in Puddingcake Lane. Just curious!