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Our View
Set on a glorious 50-acre campus just an hour from London by train, Dulwich Prep Cranbrook was founded when the headmaster of Dulwich Prep London evacuated his pupils here to his in-laws’ house after the outbreak of the Second World War. What was originally a group of huts in the orchards surrounding the main manor house has grown into a thriving, incredibly open and welcoming school for 400 children aged three to 13.
Where?
The school is situated a mile outside the pretty Kent village of Cranbrook. The sweeping driveway brings you up past a string of converted farm buildings and modern add-ons, leading down to a spread of well-maintained playing fields and the school’s extensive grounds – which include a mini-nature reserve and wilderness wood for children to let off steam in.
Life here begins at Nash House (nursery to Year 1), a super-modern, funky building with a retractable roof and classrooms spilling out into the gardens. From there, it’s on to Little Stream (Years 1 to 4), a short hop down the corridor, before pupils’ final stop in the Upper School (Years 5 to 8).
Head
Charming head Paul David has been here for 11 years and lives on site with his family in an idyllic oast house (his wife Nicky teaches at the school). Parents are huge fans of his open-door policy (he’s at the gate every single morning, greeting families) and his gorgeous Labrador, Binky, often wanders in and out of classrooms for a cuddle with children.
A keen mathematician, sportsman and trumpet player, Mr David gets a big thumbs-up from pupils (on our visit, they described him as ‘friendly’, ‘funny’ and ‘kind’) and we got a strong sense that under his leadership, the school is going from strength to strength.
Admissions
Admissions are brilliantly flexible; the nursery has typically been – and will always be – the most popular entry point, but the school will do what it can to find a spot for children in any year group (including midway through the year, if there’s space). Entry is non-selective; prospective pupils in Year 1 and above pop in for a taster day, before being formally offered a place.
Academics and senior school destinations
There’s a solid focus on independent learning. Pupils in the top two years study towards their Dulwich Colours, a humanities-focused, non-examined curriculum, in addition to the more prescriptive CE classes in maths, English, science and Latin. Tech is encouraged; older pupils get their own iPad, and there’s plenty of coding, app design and time to experiment with the school’s very own green screen. That said, traditional literacy is just as important – and all children curl up on beanbags with a book in the bright library for 20 minutes after lunch each day. We hear high praise for the school’s learning-support department too, with any extra help required included in the fees.
Around 40 per cent leave at 11+ (there are some excellent grammar schools nearby, such as highly sought-after Cranbrook School), but those staying till 13 are thoroughly prepared for CE success. Students head to a wide range of south-east state and independent schools, including Tonbridge, Benenden, King’s Canterbury, Sutton Valence, Eastbourne College and Hurst.
Co-curricular
Children get outdoors whenever they can; running and cross-country are big; a pro footballer pops in to help out with games lessons and older students get to pick from a carousel of sporting options, such as sailing, climbing and biking in nearby Bedgebury Forest. Sport is very inclusive – all Year 3 and 4 pupils play in every school fixture – and some weeks, every single Upper School student will be representing the school on match day.
Art shines out here – and it’s impossible to miss the vibrant displays all over the school (pupils have won two out of the three top prizes in the IAPS iArt competition over the past two years). There’s always a smattering of art scholarships won to senior schools. The music department is incredibly strong too – opportunities abound to perform in informal concerts, orchestra renditions and even in the famous rock school band. Professional-style auditions are held for the senior drama play, and everyone’s welcome to get involved with set, lighting, sound and prop design.
We love the sound of Drawing, Walking and Talking Club – a chance for children to take some time out in the surrounding beautiful Kent countryside. Other options include cookery, gardening, bushcraft and tree-naming; and those who prefer to opt out of matches on a Wednesday afternoon can instead get stuck into water sports, mountain biking and raft making.
Boarding
There are 30 beds available in the Manor House – which sits at the heart of the Upper School. Boarding is superbly flexi; some pupils stay two or three nights a week (Monday to Thursday night only – there’s no Saturday school), others dip in and out when parents need a night off (or an alternative to a babysitter).
School community
Wellbeing gets top billing. The school has a longstanding partnership with Place2Be, with group chatting sessions at breaktime for small niggles and one-on-one counselling sessions for anything more deep-rooted (parents and staff are welcome too). Everyone follows the iSpace Wellbeing Programme to teach children how to express themselves and talk about how they feel; something that’s been fully championed by Mr David.
We love the school’s ‘greeters’ system, where two pupils in each form are in charge of chatting to any visitors who pop into their classrooms. It very much epitomises the nurturing and emboldening style of the school – every child gets a little gentle encouragement to have a voice and so, in turn, even the shyest are persuaded to come out of their shells.
This is a broadly local school, and most families live within half an hour’s drive away. Dulwich Prep Cranbrook is a hit with London exiles (many of whom still commute to the capital on the fast train from Ashford), and flexibility is a major part of the sell: day pupils can arrive for breakfast club and stay as late as 8pm after supper and prep. There are also regular coffee mornings and gatherings for parents after morning drop-off, giving them an opportunity to catch up with not just fellow parents, but staff too.
And finally....
Forward-thinking, family-focused and academically sound, this is a fantastic school that should be firmly on the radar of any family living in (or thinking of relocating to) Kent.