Age range. 7–13.
Number of pupils. 315 (70 Boarders, 245 Day).
Fees per annum (2023-2024). Boarders: £28,515; Day Pupils: £18,195 (Forms 1 & 2), £23,610 (Forms 3–6). A discount of fees is available for the third (20%) and subsequent (30%) siblings attending either the Prep, Senior School or Sixth Form at any one time.
The School stands in its own beautiful and spacious grounds, set in 40 acres of stunning Surrey countryside, just 50 minutes from London. Cranleigh Preparatory School is a co-educational boarding and day school. A teaching staff of 50 enables classes to be small. The Head and his wife live just at the bottom of the school drive. The boarding Houseparents and their families both live on the school site. They are fully involved with the health and happiness of the boys and girls, together with pastoral staff, including matrons. A great source of strength is the close partnership with Cranleigh School ‘across the road’, with both schools sharing an innovative 7–18 programme across sport, music and computing. The Preparatory School has use of Senior School sports facilities, including an indoor pool, artificial pitches, the stables and golf course.
The boys and girls are prepared for Common Entrance and scholarships. Pupils have achieved over 200 scholarships in the last five years to some of the country’s leading schools, including Cranleigh School, Brighton College, Charterhouse, Eton, KCS Wimbledon, Marlborough, RGS Guildford, Tonbridge, Wellington and Winchester.
Boarding life is busy and fun, with a wide array of exciting activities on offer. There is the opportunity to board all week or flexi board for one or more nights during the week; all pupils return home every weekend and there is a weekly bus service to and from London.
The curriculum is broad, balanced and covers all and more than that laid down by the National Curriculum. The School teaches Computing, and technological problem solving is encouraged. Art, Food Technology, Design and Music are included in the curriculum at all levels. Individual instrumental lessons are available and peripatetic music staff teach at both schools. There are choirs, orchestras, bands and several ensembles. Boys and girls are given every incentive to develop spare time interests and a choice of activities is built into the timetable.
The School is fortunate to have excellent facilities including a full-sized artificial pitch, a large Sports and Drama Hall, a Dance Studio, a Music School and very light, airy classrooms. The School has recently opened a brand new teaching block, housing three new Science laboratories, two Art Studios and state-of-the-art Design and Food Technology areas. Boarding numbers are steadily increasing, and the boarding facilities are being updated again later this year.
Rugby, football, hockey, netball, cricket, athletics, tennis, swimming, squash, cross country, basketball, fencing, riding, golf, Eton Fives, archery and badminton, are among the sports.
Main entry age is at 7 or 8, with limited availability at 11. Places are sometimes available in the intervening year groups.
Charitable status. Cranleigh School is a Registered Charity, number 1070856, whose Preparatory School exists to provide education for boys and girls aged 7–13.