Cranbrook School is a co-educational grammar boarding and day school in the market town of Cranbrook, Kent, England.
Selection is made of pupils at age thirteen. The current Headmaster is John Weeds.
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 Cranbrook School with the official NASA verification that it has travelled into space.
The school has six day houses and six boarding houses: four for boys and two for girls, each working in conjunction with the main school to provide pastoral care and academic support.
CornwallisCrowdenRammellSchool Lodge (only for Year Nine boys)BluberyScottAllan Boys (North of Cranbrook)Allan GirlsHorsley Boys (South of Cranbrook)Horsley GirlsWebster Boys (Cranbrook and outlying area)Webster GirlsGeneral Sir John Akehurst KCB CBE, Deputy Supreme Allied Commander, Europe from 1987–90, and President from 1991-9 of the United Kingdom Reserve Forces AssociationSir Anthony Barnes Atkinson, Professor of Economics at the University of OxfordAir Chief Marshal Sir John Barraclough CB CBE, Station Commander of RAF Biggin Hill from 1954–56Emma Biggs, mosaic artistHugo Burnham, drummer for the English rock group Gang of Four and Associate Professor at the New England Institute of ArtCanon John Collins, radical clergyman and political campaignerMichael Croucher TV film producerBarry Davies, sports commentatorPhil Edmonds, cricketerKarin Giannone, Journalist and news presenter at BBC NewsHarry Hill (Dr. Matthew Hall), comedianSir Victor Horsley, pioneering neurosurgeonWing Commander Sir Norman Hulbert, Conservative MP from 1935–50 for Stockport from 1935–50, and for Stockport North from 1950–64Arthur Surridge Hunt, papyrologistProf Richard L. Hunter, Regius Professor of Greek at the University of Cambridge since 2001Hammond Innes, novelistWing Commander Hugh Kennard, World war II pilot and later civilian aviatorAir Vice-Marshal Richard Kyle CB MBE (son of Wallace Kyle)Kevin Lygo, television executive and Director of Television and Content since 2007 of Channel 4Richard Middleton, poet and short-story writerBrian Moore, football commentatorSir David Muirhead CMG CVO, Ambassador to Belgium from 1974-8, to Portugal from 1970-4, and to Peru from 1967–70Tony Nicklinson, Right-to-die campaigner with Locked-In SyndromeStuart Organ, ActorColonel Mike Osborn DSO OBE MC, British military officer and former commander of the 22nd Special Air Service RegimentRichard Pilbrow, theatre producerAir Vice-Marshal Andrew Roberts CB CBE, Station Commander of RAF Kinloss from 1977–79The Rootes brothers, car manufacturersPiers Sellers, astronautProfessor Sir Nicholas Shackleton, FRS, distinguished earth scientist, Professor of Quaternary Palaeoclimatology from 1991-2004 at the University of CambridgeEdwin Shirley, Rock and Roll tour organiserTim Smit, co-founder of the Eden ProjectAndrew Soper, High Commissioner to Mozambique since 2007Henri Tebbitt (1854 - 1927) an English-Australian painterAir Vice-Marshal Sir John Weston CB OBE, Station Commander of RAF Halton from 1952-3Peter West, television presenterSir Charles Wheeler CMG, BBC journalistWallace Duffield Wright, VC recipientLouise Dean, NovelistRuaridh McConnochie, Silver Medal winning member of the Great Britain national rugby sevens team at the 2016 Olympics
