Cranbrook School Sydney

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Cranbrook School

Motto	Esse Quam Videri 'To be, rather than to seem to be'
Established	1918
Type	Independent all-male secondary
Chairman	Justice Ken Handley
Headmaster	Mr Jeremy Madin
Chaplain	Rev David Hayman
Students	1000
Grades	K–12
Location	Bellevue Hill, NSW Australia
Campus	19 acres
Colours	Red, White and Blue
Website	www.cranbrook.nsw.edu.au

Cranbrook School is a private school located in Bellevue Hill in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1918 by the Reverend Frederick Thomas Perkins, Cranbrook has about 1000 students from pre-school to high school. It is a single-sex school with the boys spread across 11 houses, with both full-time boarders and day boys. It is a member of the six-school Combined Associated Schools.

1 History
2 The house system
- 2.1 Boarding houses
- 2.2 Day boy houses
3 Prefects
4 School song, motto and crest
5 Daily life
6 Academic Results
7 Sporting Achievements
8 Neighbouring schools
9 Other facilities
10 Notable alumni
11 See also
12 References
13 External links

[edit] History

On December 1, 1917, the former private home and vice-regal residence, Cranbrook, was purchased at auction by an agent for Mr (later Sir) Samuel Hordern. He was the main financial benefactor of a group of businessmen and churchmen aiming to establish a Church of England boys' school in the Eastern Suburbs. These founders believed that many existing independent schools were "too hidebound by the traditions and manners of England" and that this new school should have "less pomp and ceremony, producing less of a prototype elitist product and more of an individual". From December 1917 to June 1918, a provisional committee of 12, 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.

From the time of its foundation in 1918, Cranbrook School established a tradition of high teaching standards, a comprehensive curriculum and an acknowledgement of the importance of boys' physical and spiritual development and giving individual attention to every boy. As well, boys were expected to contribute their public spirit toward the community. Cranbrook also has a strong history of sporting success, particularly in rugby and cricket.

[edit] The house system

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

[edit] Boarding houses

The boarding houses are Rawson and Street.

Rawson House (Red) was founded in 1931. It was named after Admiral Sir Harry Holdsworth Rawson, KCB, who resided at Cranbrook as the 21st Governor of New South Wales from 1902 to 1909. Current housemaster is Mr A T Jenkinson.

Street House (Green) was founded in 1957. It was named after The Honourable Sir Kenneth Whistler Street, KCMG, BA, LLB, HonLLD, KStJ, 10th Chief Justice of NSW from 1950 to 1960, Lieutenant Governor of NSW 1950-1972, a school councillor 1935-1966, and school council president 1939-1966. Current housemaster is Mr A F Slavin.

[edit] Day boy houses

The school also has nine day boy houses - Chelmsford, Cutler, Davidson, Hone, Northcott, Perkins, Strickland, Wakehurst and Woodward.

Chelmsford House (White) was founded in 1931. It was named after The Right Honourable Frederick John Napier Thesiger, Baron Chelmsford, GCMC, who resided at Cranbrook as the 22nd Governor of NSW 1909-1913. Current housemaster is Mr R Lock.

Cutler House (Black) was founded in 1980. It was named after Sir Arthur Roden Cutler, VC, KCMG, CBE, KStJ, 32nd Governor of NSW from 1966 to 1981, who was the longest serving Governor of NSW. The colour of the house was previously brown, from 1980 to 1993, but was changed to black. Current housemaster is Ms C L McCann.

Davidson House (Light Blue) was founded in 1941. It was named after Sir Walter Edward Davidson, KPMG, 24th Governor of NSW from 1918 to 1923, at the time of the foundation of Cranbrook. Current housemaster is Mrs E M Parsons.

Hone House (Purple) was founded in 1970. It was named after Sir Brian Hone, MA, FACE, OBE, third Cranbrook headmaster from 1940 to 1950. Sir Brian restructured the house system in 1941 to incorporate academic, pastoral and administrative matters. Current housemaster is Mr D A Thomas.

Northcott House (Maroon) was founded in 1957. It was named after Lieutenant-General Sir John Northcott, KPMG, POVO, CB, STSTJ, 30th Governor of NSW from 1946 to 1957, in the year of his retirement as Governor. Current housemaster is Ms D Marsh.

Perkins House (Silver/Grey) was founded in 1994. It was named after the Reverend Frederick Perkins, first Cranbrook headmaster 1918-1932, and acting headmaster during Terms 1 and 2, 1940. He was first president of the Old Cranbrookians' Association 1921-1932, chaplain in 1933 and 1940-1946, and Strickland housemaster 1941-1945. Current housemaster is Mr R G Messiter.

Strickland House (Dark Blue) was founded in 1931. It was named after Sir Gerald Strickland, 1st Baron Strickland, 6th Count of Catena, KCMG, who resided at Cranbrook as the 23rd Governor of NSW from 1913-1917. Current housemaster is Mr S J Davis.

Wakehurst House (Yellow) was founded in 1960. It was named after Baron Wakehurst (Captain the Right Honourable John de Vere Loder), KCMG, 29th Governor of NSW from 1939 to 1966. The current housemaster is Ms K E Kyriacou.

Woodward House (Orange) was founded in 1969. It was named after Lieutenant-General Sir Eric Winslow Woodward, KPMG, CB, CBE, DSO, 31st Governor of NSW from 1957-1965. Current housemaster is Mr W R Braddock.

[edit] Prefects

Every year, the school community elects prefects from boys in Year 12 to serve the school. There are prefects, head of house prefects, a second prefect and a head prefect. Up until 2002, there were also senior prefects.

[edit] School song, motto and crest

The school's motto is 'Esse Quam Videri', which, translated from Latin, means 'to be rather than to seem to be'.

The school song is called 'Schola Nostra', meaning 'Our School' in Latin. It is sung to the tune of "Gaudeamus" and the lyrics were written by Mr. F Gale. During school sport matches or when farewelling the year 12 boys, Schola Nostra is often turned into a school cheer.

The school crest (see above) incorporates 4 symbols that are important to Cranbrook. The first is the cross that runs through the crest. It is the red cross or St George from the first crusaders and it represents Christianity. The second symbol is the five 5 pointed stars that lie within the cross -- the stars represent the Southern Cross. The third symbol is the open book situated in the top left section of the cross; this open book represents knowledge. The last symbol is the Roman lamp which is seen in the top right corner. The lamp represents truth.

[edit] Daily life

Each day has 6 periods. Each period is 50 minutes in length. The weeks are split up into week A and week B. There is a ten day cycle for subjects. This means that Monday of week A will be different from Monday of week B.

All boys are expected at school by 8:15 am; this is when the warning bell rings. House period starts at 8:20 and goes until 8:40; it is a 20 minute period before lessons start, in which you may do homework or talk to your housemates unless there is something scheduled in your house. Each year has its own 'house room', however most years have to share. At 8:44, first period begins -- the 4 minute interval between the end of house period and the beginning of period one allows time to gather books and walk to class. This 4 minute interval does, however, create problems with the time table: period one ends at 9:34, break is 20 minutes long and goes from 10:28 to 10:48, and lunch is 50 minutes long and goes from 12:36 to 1:26. During lunch, boys may go to the weights room, use the oval or just the indoor basketball court. Many boys choose to "chill out" outside. The tuck shop is also open at break and lunch.

On Wednesdays, because of a whole school assembly, or PCP (Pastoral Care Program), the timetable is different.

[edit] Academic Results

In 2005, Cranbrook boys studied 36 courses in 24 different subjects at school for the New South Wales Higher School Certificate (HSC). The UAI, or rank, of students for university entrance purposes, is not available to schools. However, based on the information given to schools; 67% (87 boys) gained UAIs over 80, 34% (47 boys) gained UAIs over 90, 22% (31 boys) gained UAIs over 95, and 6% (8 boys) gained UAIs over 99.

[edit] Sporting Achievements

In recent years, Cranbrook has featured less prominently at the top end of the CAS table in many sports.

The school has a proud tradition on the rugby field. Cranbrook has won the CAS plume shield (for the winner of the CAS rugby competition) 13 times. Premiership-winning teams played in 1930, 1931, 1933, 1943, 1960, 1969, 1972, 1973, 1982, 1984, 1985 and 1994. In 2006, the 1st XV won two CAS games, against St Aloysius and Trinity.The team also beat Sydney Grammar, St Pius and narrowly lost to Scots College in the "battle of Bellevue Hill".

In basketball, 2005/6 marked Cranbrook's most successful season in its history, along with the 1993/4 and 1996/7 seasons. The team won 8 out of 10 CAS fixtures, placing second on the ladder.

The popularity of cricket at Cranbrook has declined in recent years, with the overall number of teams falling since the halcyon days of the 1990s. The last archer shield winning team was in 1998. Despite this, Cranbrook has had respectable seasons in recent years, particularly in 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2006, when the 1st XI placed fourth or higher.

In 2006, the Cranbrook Athletics squad placed 5th at the CAS Athletics carnival. This was the first time that this had occurred since 1993.

In 2007, the Cranbrook Swimming team placed 5th at the CAS Swimming carnival -- this was the first time that this had occurred in 18 years.

[edit] Neighbouring schools

Nearby schools include The Scots College, Kambala Girls School, Kincoppal-Rose Bay and Ascham School.

[edit] Other facilities

The Cranbrook gym is used for basketball training and matches and PDHPE classes. It is also used as the venue for fortnightly assemblies and other official school occasions such as the Year 12 Farewell Assembly, Scholars' Assembly and Prefect Induction.

Hordern Oval, located outside the Carter Centre on the main campus, is used by boys during PDHPE classes, sport training sessions and rugby and cricket fixtures.

Dangar Oval is located off the main senior school campus, at the rear of the prep school in Kent Road. Car access is through Iluka Street, opposite Lyne Park.

In 2004, Cranbrook announced plans to build a preparatory and primary school complex (including tennis courts, a gymnasium and a multipurpose hall) on the former Rose Bay Bowling Club site, which the school bought in 2001 for a reported $7 million. The development would involve the demolition of the current Cranbrook-owned prep school Dickens House, and of the Rose Bay Bowling Club buildings. Woollahra Municipal Council and the Land and Environment Court both knocked back the school's original plans, which were met by sometimes vehement objection by local residents. The particular concern of the council was the bowling club's zoning as 'open space', on which building is permitted only in a small number of forms; one of them being as development deemed a 'community facility'. The council argued that it had not intended schools to operate on land zoned as 'open space'. Cranbrook took the case to the Court of Appeal, which ruled unanimously on June 19, 2006 that the school's development was permissible with consent under the Woollahra Local Environmental Plan 1995. Justice Basten, one of the three presiding judges, said that:

“Cranbrook School – being an organisation of people seeking to promote the physical, social, cultural, intellectual and religious welfare of school children, and seeking to develop a junior school on the land – is providing a community facility for the purposes of the definition”.