Cranbrook School

Cranbrook is an Anglican independent day and boarding school for boys, Pre-school to Year 12.

Our vision is to be a world class school which encourages and enables all of our students to explore, enjoy and fulfil their potential.

Cranbrook possesses a distinctive, and increasingly relevant, educational philosophy which reaches back to the School’s foundation; it is based upon integrity as well as the warm rigour of the great liberal tradition of education and includes both a love of cultural and co-curricular breadth, and respect for individuality. We energise the educational environment by offering a well-rounded and distinctive schooling both within and beyond the curriculum, and give powerful pastoral support to each student in our care.

As a school we are aiming for the development of potential and a recognition of each other’s individuality and value. A sincerity and wholeness, and a realisation of humanity’s possibilities.

The School motto esse quam videri means 'to be rather than to seem to be' and this resonates through all that we do.

As an Anglican school, Cranbrook has a fantastic foundation upon which to build a flourishing community.

This is because Christianity has so much to say about what it means to be fully human, fully alive and fully present in this beautiful yet broken world. As John Calvin famously reflected in his introduction to Institutes of Christian Religion; 'It is certain that a man never achieves a clear knowledge of himself unless he has first looked upon God’s face and then descends from contemplating him to scrutinize himself.'

Education involves the entire person – mind, body and spirit and in keeping with our goal to seek excellence in education we take great joy in our chaplaincy programme. All students attend regular chapel services and sit Religious Studies classes. There is also a voluntary group for those who seek to be encouraged in or further explore the Christian faith.

Our vision is of a world class school which encourages and enables all of our students to explore, enjoy and fulfil their potential.

Our mission is to lead all students to discover and make the most of their talents, to give of their best and to thrive in and love the pursuit of excellence;

To energise the educational environment by offering a well-rounded, rich and distinctive schooling both within and beyond the curriculum and to give powerful pastoral support to each pupil in our care;

To uphold the character of our Anglican foundation in order to promote the moral and spiritual development of each student and to foster the principles of service;

To build resilience and confidence within our students so that each can face the challenges of the twenty-first century with personal confidence, intellectual versatility, academic hunger and optimism, and

To inspire and support students to respect the integrity of differences and to lead adventurous, courageous and generous lives which contribute to the betterment of society.

Cranbrook School was established on 22 July 1918 in Bellevue Hill on the shores of Sydney Harbour. The School was founded at a time when the outcome of the Great War was beginning to swing in favour of the Allied forces and feelings of optimism were strong in people's vision of the future.

Cranbrook School was part of this vision. It was to be a school in the Anglican tradition whose mission would be to provide the best possible education for each boy entrusted to its care.

The School, through the combined efforts of its Headmasters, Council members, teachers and its many supporters, has consistently worked to maintain and reinforce these ideas. Within almost 100 years of tradition, the name Cranbrook has become synonymous with an expectation that each boy is acknowledged as an individual and given the opportunity to develop his personal strengths and talents in an environment which is both supportive and nurturing.

By fostering these ideals, by providing leadership in education and teaching, and by serving the broader community, on completing their education Cranbrook boys leave with the knowledge, skills and confidence to realise their full potential.