Cranbrook School, Sydney

Cranbrook School is a dual-campus independent Anglican early learning, primary and secondary day and boarding school for boys, located in Bellevue Hill and Rose Bay, both eastern suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It was founded in 1918 with the Rev'd Frederick Thomas Perkins as the first headmaster. Cranbrook has a non-selective enrolment policy and currently caters for approximately 1,680^[4] students from early learning (4 years old) to Year 12 (18 years old),^[5] including 97 boarders from Years 7 to 12.^[6] Cranbrook is affiliated with the International Boys' Schools Coalition (IBSC),^[2] the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA),^[7] the Junior School Heads Association of Australia (JSHAA),^[8] the Australian Boarding Schools' Association (ABSA),^[6] and the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference.^[9] It is a founding member of the Combined Associated Schools (CAS).^[10]

Cranbrook School
Location
Bellevue Hill and Rose Bay, New South Wales Australia
Coordinates	33°52′15″S 151°15′9″E / 33.87083°S 151.25250°E / -33.87083; 151.25250Coordinates: 33°52′15″S 151°15′9″E / 33.87083°S 151.25250°E / -33.87083; 151.25250
Information
Type	Independent early learning, primary and secondary day and boarding school
Motto	Latin: Esse Quam Videri (To be, rather than to seem to be^[1])
Denomination	Anglican^[2]
Established	1918; 105 years ago (1918)^[3]
Founder	Frederick T. Perkins
President of Council	Vacant
Headmaster	Nicholas Sampson
Deputy Headmaster/Head of Senior School	Bob Meaken
Head of Junior School	Michele Marquet
Director of Students/Deputy Head of Senior School	Peter Young
Chaplain	Roderick Farraway
Employees	c. 187^[4]
Years	Early learning; K-12
Gender	Boys (Co-Ed from 2026)
Enrolment	c. 1,680 (2021^[4])
Colour(s)	Red, white and blue
Affiliations	International Coalition of Boys' Schools Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia Junior School Heads Association of Australia Australian Boarding Schools' Association Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference Combined Associated Schools
Website	www.cranbrook.nsw.edu.au

History

On 1 December 1917 the former private home and vice-regal residence, Cranbrook, was bought at auction by an agent for Samuel Hordern. He was the main financial benefactor of a group of businessmen and churchmen aiming to establish an Anglican boys' school in the Eastern Suburbs.^[11] From December 1917 to June 1918, a provisional committee of twelve, 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.^[12] 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.^[13]

 

Charles Kingsford Smith during a visit to Cranbrook in 1928

Headmasters

Ordinal	Headmaster	Qualifications	Years	Education	Other key positions held
1	Rev'd Frederick T. Perkins	MA	1918–1932	Townsville Grammar School St Paul's College, University of Sydney	Headmaster, Monaro Grammar School Headmaster, The Armidale School
2	Brigadier Iven G. Mackay	BA HonLLD	1933–1939	Newington College University of Sydney
3	Sir Brian W. Hone OBE	BA(Hons) MA FACE	1940–1951	Prince Alfred College University of Adelaide New College, Oxford	Master, Marlborough College Headmaster, Melbourne Grammar School Deputy Chancellor, Monash University
4	Gethyn Hewan	MA MACE	1951–1963	Marlborough College University of Cambridge Yale University	Master, Wellington College, Berkshire Master, Charterhouse School Master, Winchester College
5	Mark Bishop OBE	BSc ARACI FACE	1963–1985	Parramatta High School University of Sydney	Master, Marlborough College
6	Dr Bruce N. Carter AM	BA EdM EdD	1985–2000	Knox Grammar School University of Sydney Harvard University University of Toronto	Deputy Headmaster, Knox Grammar School Headmaster, Scotch Oakburn College Principal, Emanuel School
7	Jeremy J. S. Madin	BA(Hons) DipEd	2001–2012	Geelong Grammar School Australian National University University of Canberra	Lecturer in Education, University of Sydney Head of History and Boarding Housemaster, Canberra Grammar School Head of Timbertop Campus, Geelong Grammar School Headmaster, Christ Church Grammar School
8	Nicholas A. Sampson	MA PGCE	2012–present	Gillingham School The Howard School, Kent Selwyn College, Cambridge Westminster College, Oxford	Headmaster, Sutton Valence School Headmaster, Geelong Grammar School Headmaster, Marlborough College

Campus

Cranbrook school is situated over four campuses; the Senior School (Years 7 to 12) are located on the main campus in suburban Bellevue Hill, while the Junior School, for students from Kindergarten to Year 6, is located in nearby Rose Bay.^[14]

House system

Cranbrook has a system of houses from year seven to twelve. This system was created in order for boys to socialise better between different year groups, where senior boys would be acting as juniors' mentors within the house. There are currently 14 day-houses, with about 80 boys each. There are also two boarding houses with around 40 boys each.^[15]

Day houses

The school has 12 houses for day students:

Colour	Name	Year founded	Named in honour of
	Chelmsford	1931	Lord Chelmsford, a former Governor of New South Wales
	Strickland	1931	Sir Gerald Strickland, a former Governor of New South Wales
	Davidson	1941	Sir Walter Davidson, a former Governor of New South Wales
	Northcott	1957	Sir John Northcott, a former Governor of New South Wales
	Wakehurst	1960	Lord Wakehurst, a former Governor of New South Wales
	Woodward	1969	Sir Eric Woodward, a former Governor of New South Wales
	Hone	1970	Sir Brian Hone, a former Headmaster (1940–1951)
	Cutler	1980	Sir Roden Cutler, a former Governor of New South Wales
	Perkins	1994	Rev. Frederick Perkins, the founding Headmaster (1918–1932)
	Harvey	2012	Sir John Musgrave Harvey (1918–1938), the founding School Council Chairman
	Thomas	2023	Dr David Thomas, a staff member of 58 years
	Hewan	2023	Mr Gethyn Hewan, a former Headmaster (1951-1963) and staff member of 38 years

Boarding houses

Cranbrook has two houses for boarding students:

Colour	Name	Year founded	Named in honour of
	Rawson	1931	Sir Harry Rawson, a former Governor of New South Wales
	Street	1957	Sir Kenneth Street, a former President of School Council

 

Cranbrook Sports Pavilion was designed by John Horbury Hunt and is heritage-listed.

Sport

Cranbrook School is a member of the Combined Associated Schools (CAS).

CAS premierships

Cranbrook School has won the following CAS premierships.^[16]

• Athletics (7) - 1930, 1934, 1936, 1943, 1951, 1952, 1965
• Basketball - 2007
• Cricket (6) - 1935, 1989, 1998, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
• Cross Country (8) - 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2022
• Rugby (13) - 1930, 1931, 1933, 1943, 1960, 1969, 1972, 1973, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1994, 2014
• Swimming (8) - 1942, 1944, 1945, 1949, 1950, 1955, 1974, 1976

Notable alumni

Main article: List of Old Boys of Cranbrook School, Sydney

Alumni of Cranbrook School are known as "Old Cranbrookians" and may elect to join the school's alumni association, the Old Cranbrookians' Association (OCA).^[17] For a list of notable Old Cranbrookians, see the list of Old Boys of Cranbrook School. These "Old Cranbrookians" include Kerry, Clyde, and James Packer, David Gyngell, Hon. Tim Bruxner, Olympic sprinter Steven Solomon, Mike Cannon-Brookes, and Murray Rose.

Controversies

Anti-Semitic incidents

In 2022, there were reports that three students were the targets of anti-Semitic behaviour by fellow students. Later, video footage of a student doing a Nazi salute emerged.^[18] In September 2022, the school announced an internal review to look into it.^[19] Cranbrook has said it had built an improved and centralised incident behaviour register and strengthened its alliances with organisations including the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies.^[20]

Mass resignation from school council

In November 2022, 10 of the 11 members of Cranbrook School’s council announced their resignation due to a deteriorating relationship between headmaster and school council president, as well as disagreement over plans to admit girls to the century-old boys’ school from 2026.^[21] The Cranbrook School Council has appointed 13 new Councillors to fill the casual vacancies arising from retirements from Council on 31 December 2022, as previously announced. This follows the 21 November 2022 announcement that all but one member of the Cranbrook School Council intended to resign. Subsequently, on 25 November, former School Presidents, Helen Nugent AC and Roger Massy-Greene AM, formed an independent Nominations Committee to make recommendations to the current Council on nominations for new members of Council.^[22]

See also

•  Schools portal
•  Christianity portal

• List of non-government schools in New South Wales
• List of Anglican schools in New South Wales
• List of boarding schools in Australia
• Lawrence Campbell Oratory Competition
• Leura

References

1. "Cranbrook School". Schools. Study in Australia. 2005. Retrieved 18 January 2008.^{[permanent dead link]}
2. "Cranbrook School". Member Directory. International Girls' Schools Coalition. 2007. Retrieved 20 May 2008.
3. . School Directory. SchoolSeek. 2008. Archived from the original on 22 February 2008. Retrieved 18 January 2008.
4. "Cranbrook School NESA Annual Report 2021" (PDF). Cranbrook School. October 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
5. (PDF). Publications. Cranbrook School. 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 August 2007. Retrieved 18 January 2008.
6. . Schools. Australian Boarding Schools' Association. 2007. Archived from the original on 17 November 2007. Retrieved 18 January 2008.
7. . New South Wales. Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia. January 2008. Archived from the original on 2 November 2007. Retrieved 18 January 2008.
8. . New South Wales Branch. Junior School Heads' Association of Australia. 2008. Archived from the original on 17 January 2008. Retrieved 18 January 2008.
9. . HMC Schools. The Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference. Archived from the original on 15 March 2008. Retrieved 11 March 2008.
10. . CAS. Cranbrook School. Archived from the original on 30 August 2007. Retrieved 28 January 2008.
11. Paterson, Kate (10 April 2018). "Demolition Report. Cranbrook School". Major Projects. Planning Portal. NSW Govt. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
12. "Cranbrook Centenary". cranbrookcentenary.com.au. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
13. "Cranbrook Centenary". cranbrookcentenary.com.au. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
14. (PDF). Woollahra Municipal Council. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 August 2007. Retrieved 28 January 2008.
15. "Houses - Cranbrook School". www.cranbrook.nsw.edu.au. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
16. "Trophies Awarded – cas-web". Retrieved 17 September 2021.
17. "Old Cranbrookians'". About Us. Cranbrook School. Retrieved 28 January 2008.
18. "Cranbrook School delayed acting on Nazi salutes, anti-Semitism, families say". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
19. "'A moral duty': Cranbrook undertakes review after anti-Semitic reports". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
20. Healey, Bianca (16 January 2023). "NSW Board of Jewish Deputies CEO Darren Bark calls for statewide Holocaust education". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
21. "'Untenable': Cranbrook School councillors quit as internal feud escalates". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
22. "NEW MEMBERS OF CRANBROOK SCHOOL COUNCIL ANNOUNCED" (PDF). Cranbrook School. 30 December 2022. Retrieved 21 February 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

Further reading

• "Two magic words give the signal for a 'school in a park'", 20 June 2006, The Sydney Morning Herald (now archived).

External links

 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cranbrook School, Sydney.

• Official website