Academic Families works with more than 450 schools throughout the UK, and we have become experts at matching children to the right boarding school for them in order to ensure each student thrives.
We're delighted to present one of our partner schools:
Cranleigh Senior and Prep School in Surrey, England.
"To educate young people to be the best they can be so that they thrive in all aspects of their lives, professionally and personally. To motivate a new generation of leaders who think globally, act with integrity and make courageous contributions to an ever-changing world. To develop critical thinkers, creatives, communicators and characters who understand the importance of curiosity, generosity and humility.”
Academics at Cranleigh are built upon academic rigour, intellectual curiosity, and an ambition that aims for excellence without unnecessary stress. The school is broadly selective, looking closely at a child's character and eagerness to learn. The curriculum prioritizes strong GCSE and A-Level frameworks tailored to individual strengths, enhanced by the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) for independent university preparation.
In recent public exams, Cranleigh students consistently achieve highly, with recent figures boasting roughly 76% of grades at 9–7 for GCSE, and 43% at A*/A for A-Levels. While the vast majority of graduates successfully progress via UCAS to top-tier UK universities, the school's highly active Futures Team heavily supports modern alternative pathways, including international applications (to US and European destinations) and elite Degree Apprenticeships.
Cranleigh’s sporting and co-curricular provision is unsurpassed in the region, operating on the foundational belief of getting every single pupil involved to foster a lifelong love for activity. Students actively participate in sports four to five times a week, utilizing top-tier facilities for core options like rugby, hockey, cricket, netball, and tennis, alongside alternative sports such as water polo, pilates, and ultimate frisbee.
Beyond the sports field, the school boasts a vibrant creative culture with frequent large-scale drama productions, dance showcases, and an elite music department. Outdoor education is deeply embedded: all Fourth Formers complete a compulsory outdoor skills round-robin, which paves the way for strong engagement in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (Bronze, Silver, and Gold) and the school's thriving Combined Cadet Force (CCF) "Tigers" contingent, which dates back to 1900
Cranleigh has a long tradition of welcoming international pupils into its close-knit community. While the student body remains predominantly British (with many families based in nearby London or the Home Counties), international students make up a cherished portion of the student population, representing diverse global backgrounds. To preserve its global mindset, the school requires international applicants to submit UKiset assessments to ensure strong academic alignment.
Once enrolled, overseas students are comprehensively supported by a dedicated International Pupil Liaison Officer, who collaborates closely with house staff, matrons, and specialized EAL (English as an Additional Language) teachers to guarantee that international students feel entirely at home and thrive linguistically and socially.
Boarding is the heartbeat of Cranleigh School, with approximately 75% of the student body immersed in the boarding community. Accommodation is spread across eight single-sex boarding houses (each functioning like an extended family under the care of a resident Housemaster/Housemistress, deputies, and two dedicated matrons).
The school operates a highly popular weekly and full boarding model, adapting to modern demands with flexible "day-plus" opportunities. Evenings and weekends are vibrant, busy, and structured around pupil feedback. Managed by the boarding teams, the weekend schedule includes diverse off-site excursions - such as trips to the London Eye, Harry Potter Studio Tours, and high ropes courses - alongside a lively array of on-site entertainment like pizza making, escape rooms, and house social events that forge unbreakable, lifelong friendships.
You'll probably have many questions about the exciting times that lie ahead. We are here to reassure you and support your decision to educate your child in the UK.
Message us via Live Chat or request a callback and one of our team members will contact you whenever you prefer.
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