Cranbrook School, Kent#Notable alumni

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{{Infobox school

| name = Cranbrook School

| image = Cranbrook School - geograph.org.uk - 880855.jpg

| image_size = 300px

| caption = Cranbrook School

| coordinates = {{coord|51.0968|0.5382|type:edu_region:GB_dim:100|format=dec|display=inline,title}}

| motto = “ Kindness, Integrity, Curiosity, Aspiration and Individuality”

| established =

| closed =

| type = Grammar School;
Academy

| president =

| head_label = Headteacher

| head = David Clark

| r_head_label =

| r_head =

| chair_label =

| chair =

| founder = John Blubery

| address = Waterloo Road

| city = Cranbrook

| county = Kent

| country = England

| postcode = TN17 3JD

| dfeno = 886/5416

| urn = 137739

| ofsted = yes

| staff =

| capacity =

| enrolment =

| gender = Coeducational

| lower_age = 11

| upper_age = 18

| houses =

| colours = Maroon, Gold {{colourbox|maroon}}{{colourbox|gold}}

| free_label_1 =

| free_1 =

| free_label_2 =

| free_2 =

| free_label_3 =

| free_3 =

| website = https://www.cranbrookschool.co.uk/

}}

Cranbrook School (formerly Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School) is a co-educational state funded boarding and day grammar school{{cite web|title=Overview|website=Cranbrook School|url=http://www.cranbrookschool.co.uk/about-us/overview/|access-date=10 November 2018|archive-date=10 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181110200103/http://www.cranbrookschool.co.uk/about-us/overview/|url-status=dead}} in the market town of Cranbrook, Kent, England.

Selection is made of pupils at age 11 and 13.{{cite web | url=http://www.cranbrookschool.co.uk/about-us/headmasters-welcome/ | title=Headmaster's Welcome| website=Cranbrook School | access-date=10 November 2018}}

History

The school was founded after the death of John Blubery, a yeoman of the King's Armoury. In his will he decreed that if the child of his daughter be a girl, then his mansion house be turned into a free school for the poor children of Cranbrook. Queen Elizabeth I granted the school charter in 1574, which is now housed in the library.

=Recent history=

In 2003 alumnus Piers Sellers, a NASA astronaut, took a copy of the school charter into space with him. A photo is exhibited in the school cafeteria. In 2005 Sellers opened the school's observatory, which is named after him. This observatory houses the 22.5-inch Alan Young telescope operated by the Cranbrook and District Science and Astronomy Society (CADSAS). In May 2010 Sellers took into outer space aboard the Space Shuttle an original watercolour portrait of Cranbrook School painted by Brenda Barratt. The painting was later returned to the school with official NASA verification that it has travelled into space.BBC News report, 25 January 2010 In 2018, a new day house specifically for the 120 students in Years 7 and 8 was named after Sellers.

Campus

=Queen's Hall Theatre=

The Queen’s Hall Theatre was first opened in 1976; the original vision for the building was to provide a local community theatre which was funded by Cranbrook school, by the Education Authority and by Public subscription. {{cite web | url=https://www.queenshalltheatre.co.uk/info/about-the-queens-hall/ | title=About the Queen's Hall - the Queen's Hall Theatre | date=4 August 2021 }}

The subsequent refurbishment twenty years later in 1996 was financed by a generous grant from Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, the Lottery Agency and by the Governors of the School, to capitalise upon the venue’s ability to attract visiting Arts Companies of a high calibre to the local area.

Today the Queen’s Hall Theatre provides a diverse range of professional shows to appeal to all ages and tastes within the Cranbrook community,{{cite web | url=https://www.queenshalltheatre.co.uk/whats-on/ | title=What's on - the Queen's Hall Theatre | date=4 August 2021 }} such as live music events and The Cranbrook Comedy Club.{{cite web | url=https://www.queenshalltheatre.co.uk/info/cranbrook-comedy-club/ | title=Cranbrook Comedy Club - the Queen's Hall Theatre | date=12 April 2022 }} As well as professional productions, The Cranbrook Operatic and Dramatic Society puts on 3 shows a year,{{Cite web|url=https://www.cranbrookods.org.uk/|title=Amateur Dramatics | Cranbrook|website=cods}} whilst the school puts on a musical and a play each year, both are done to a very high standard.{{cite web | url=https://www.queenshalltheatre.co.uk/cranbrook-performing-arts/ | title=Cranbrook Performing Arts - the Queen's Hall Theatre | date=4 August 2021 }}

Seating a maximum of just over 350 people, The performance space is very flexible with adaptable seating allowing performances in the round, as well as on stage within the traditional proscenium arch.

The building is well equipped with state-of-the-art technical equipment and includes a large retractable cinema screen, a comprehensive lighting rig including intelligent moving fixtures, and a high-quality sound system.

There are two good-sized dressing rooms backstage as well as a classroom and green room which can double as extra-large dressing/band rooms when required.

= Performing Arts Centre =

The Performing Arts Centre (PAC) was opened in 2004. It contains the Wilkinson Studio, Music Practice Rooms, Vickers Auditorium, and a Recording Studio.{{Cite web |date=2021-08-04 |title=Cranbrook Performing Arts - The Queen's Hall Theatre |url=https://www.queenshalltheatre.co.uk/cranbrook-performing-arts/,%20https://www.queenshalltheatre.co.uk/cranbrook-performing-arts/ |access-date=2023-07-23 |language=en-GB}} The PAC is used for drama and music lessons and is open to students for practice during break.

Notable Old Cranbrookians

{{see also|Category:People educated at Cranbrook School, Kent}}

See also

References

{{reflist}}

  • [https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B014MIJRJA/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B014MIJRJA&linkId=67a5f70a4614d6d12123a7dcc9aaaca9 Duncan H. Robinson, Cranbrook School - A Brief history, 1972]
  • Nigel Nicolson, Cranbrook School - An Illustrated History 1518-1974, 1974

=News items=