Cranbrook School, Sydney


Cranbrook School is a dual-campus independent Anglican early learning, primary and secondary day and boarding school for boys, located in Bellevue Hill and Rose Bay, both eastern suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Founded in 1918 with the Rev'd Frederick Thomas Perkins as the first headmaster, Cranbrook has a non-selective enrolment policy and currently caters for approximately 1,300 students from early learning to Year 12, including 97 boarders from Years 7 to 12.
Cranbrook is affiliated with the International Boys' Schools Coalition, the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia, the Junior School Heads Association of Australia, the Australian Boarding Schools' Association, and the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference. It is a founding member of the Combined Associated Schools.

History

On 1 December 1917 the former private home and vice-regal residence, Cranbrook, was bought at auction by an agent for Samuel Hordern. He was the main financial benefactor of a group of businessmen and churchmen aiming to establish an Anglican boys' school in the Eastern Suburbs. From December 1917 to June 1918, a provisional committee of twelve, comprising the founders and six additional men, prepared for the opening of the new school. They held meetings, ensured building renovations were completed, drew up the first articles of association and appointed the first Headmaster, Rev. F. T. Perkins. On 6 June 1918, the provisional committee reformed itself as the first council of Cranbrook School and organised the official opening of the school for 22 July 1918.
during a visit to Cranbrook in 1928

Headmasters

Campus

Cranbrook school is situated over two campuses; the Senior School are located on the main campus in suburban Bellevue Hill, while the Junior School, for students from Kindergarten to Year 6, is located in nearby Rose Bay.

House system

Cranbrook has a system of houses from year seven to twelve. This system was created in order for boys to socialise better between different year groups, where senior boys would be acting as juniors' mentors within the house. There are currently ten day houses, with about 80 boys each. There are also two boarding houses with around 40 boys each.

Day houses

The school has ten day boy houses:
ColourNameYear foundedNamed in honour of
Chelmsford1931Lord Chelmsford, a former Governor of New South Wales
Strickland1931Sir Gerald Strickland, a former Governor of New South Wales
Davidson1941Sir Walter Davidson, a former Governor of New South Wales
Northcott1957Sir John Northcott, a former Governor of New South Wales
Wakehurst1960Lord Wakehurst, a former Governor of New South Wales
Woodward1969Sir Eric Woodward, a former Governor of New South Wales
Hone1970Sir Brian Hone, a former Headmaster
Harvey2012Sir John Musgrave Harvey, the founding School Council Chairman

Boarding houses

Cranbrook has two boarding houses:
ColourNameYear foundedNamed in honour of
Rawson1931Sir Harry Rawson, a former Governor of New South Wales
Street1957Sir Kenneth Street, a former President of School Council

and is heritage-listed.

Notable alumni

of Cranbrook School are known as "Old Cranbrookians" and may elect to join the schools alumni association, the Old Cranbrookians' Association. For a list of notable Old Cranbrookians, see the list of Old Boys of Cranbrook School. These "Old Cranbrookians" include Kerry, Clyde, and James Packer, David Gyngell, Hon. Tim Bruxner, Olympic sprinter Steven Solomon, Mike Cannon-Brookes, and Murray Rose.