“A focus solely on academic results is crude and blunt, and in this day and age simply not a true measure of a child’s future potential. I want to know what joy a child is going to bring to our school.”
Admissions
Please note that we are currently taking enquiries and applications for Reception to Year 4 2024 and 2025, and Year 7 2025.
Application pROcess
The Headteacher, Mr Pollock, or a member of his senior management team, would be delighted to have an initial conversation with you before progressing through the admissions process. It is vital that you carefully read the sections below and our admissions policy for your information, before enquiry.
Our first requirement is that your child is happy and curious; of good conduct and exemplary behaviour. Our second requirement is that they are meeting their ‘age-related expectations’ academically in their current setting. This is not necessarily a high bar to reach, and we certainly do not advocate hot-housing children for a test, but at least functioning well in a classroom environment. If they are not meeting either of these requirements, we are not likely to be the right school for your child.
When the time is right, we will arrange a time for you and your children to visit the school, enjoy a cup of tea, maybe some cake, and take a personal tour with the Headteacher and the best Cransley Ambassadors... our pupils.
It is the role of Mrs Louise Wingrove to ensure that your child's entry into the school is as smooth and seamless as possible - from your initial visit enquiry to the first months of learning at Cransley. She and our team will also make sure that you as a family are feeling welcomed and supported by the School.
You can call Mrs Wingrove on 01606 891747 (Option 2) or email her on admissions@cransleyschool.org.uk. Please help us in the first instance by completing this form:
Junior School Admissions
We will want to get to know you and your child, and decide on whether we can meet their educational needs in our learning environment.
Firstly, we will invite your child to an enrichment session with the Head of the Junior School, Mr Rob Morris. This will give an enjoyable opportunity to experience the creative side to learning at Cransley.
After this, online 'challenge' assessments will help us make an informed decision as to whether we can meet the academic needs of a prospective pupil, and these will always be shared with parents. We require pupils to meet the age-related expectations for the relevant academic year group for successful admission.
Once confident that we can meet your child’s academic needs, they will be invited to spend two consecutive familiarisation days in School. During these days, your child’s positive social skills - those of kindness, consideration and compassion - will be assessed formatively in a classroom setting to ensure that they can take full advantage of the opportunities available at Cransley.
Pupils from the Junior School currently have priority consideration for entry to the Senior School. Limited places are available for external Senior School entry, therefore early application is encouraged.
Limited bursaries are available to new applicants. Parents are encouraged to read the Admissions Policy below for detailed information about admission criteria.
Senior School Admissions
We will want to get to know you and your child, and decide on whether we can meet their educational needs in our learning environment.
Candidates for Year 7 entry are invited to attend an assessment day in January, during which they will be observed closely through a number of challenging tasks designed to provide opportunities to demonstrate strengths in problem-solving, initiative, collaboration and written and spoken communication. Kindness, consideration and compassion are key qualities we seek in our pupils.
A place in the Senior School is offered on the understanding that the candidate achieves nationally recognised age-related expectations in our assessments.
All places offered are at the Headteacher’s discretion, as described in the Admission Policy.
Pupils from the Junior School currently have priority consideration for entry to the Senior School. Limited places are available for external Senior School entry, therefore early application is encouraged.
Selection
Cransley is foremost an inclusive setting, where children are welcome. However, it is important that places are offered only to those prospective pupils who demonstrate that they will be able to take full advantage of a Cransley School education.
We do not solely rely on their academic performance in entrance assessments, although it is important that we can meet the needs of all pupils. We must also feel reasonably sure that we are able to educate and develop the prospective pupil to the best of his or her potential and in line with general standards achieved by the pupils’ peers, so that there is every chance that the pupil will have a happy, fulfilling and successful school career. These aims must continue to be met throughout the pupil’s time at the school.
It is necessary, therefore, that a pupil is meeting their academic age-related expectation at their current setting.
The decision will then be made by the School on the basis of their character, their behaviour, motivation, community contribution, their work ethic and with due consideration to all other information made available to the School in the application process.
Parents of pupils with special educational needs are welcome to enquire, but please be aware that, quite simply, no school can meet every child’s needs.
We have a duty to protect the excellent working atmosphere and opportunity for our existing pupils and parents, and will be keen to ensure this is maintained with excellent pupil behaviour amongst our current and prospective pupils.
It is of great importance that a parent informs the school on the application form should a prospective pupil require any special arrangements for any entrance assessment or if there any any special educational needs information and assessment. Failure to disclose and discuss all of this information could compromise the offer of a place at Cransley.
Cransley School will only accept pupils who reside with a parent (or parents), or legal guardian.
We are committed to ensuring that admission decisions will be made by a process that is free from any discrimination on the grounds of disability; race; ethnic or national origin; gender; religion or belief (assuming that, in the case of the latter, the prospective pupil and parents agree to adhere to the religious ethos of the school).