| Cranleigh School provides a wide and varied programme of sporting activities for all pupils. High standards are set for the numerous competitive teams, with an extensive programme of fixtures at all levels, and for all ages. “Sport for All” is a key philosophy, supported by an experienced and talented team of coaches. We aim to involve as many of our pupils as possible in competitive fixtures, whilst at the same time seeking to stretch our most able sportsmen and sportswomen, providing opportunities for them to achieve excellence in a wide range of sports. Individuals and teams are encouraged to achieve success at county, regional and national level.
The School has an impressive array of sports facilities, including three full-size artificial pitches (one of which is floodlit), ten rugby pitches, eight netball courts, two lacrosse pitches, a 9-hole golf course (with putting green and three four squash courts, six fives courts, five cricket squares (with twenty all-weather cricket nets), two swimming pools (25m indoor, and 33 m outdoors), and twenty-four tennis courts. A state-of–the–art sport centre has recently been built, accommodating two netball/tennis courts and an indoor cricket school, alongside a separate dance studio and fully-equipped fitness suite.
In the Michaelmas Term the majority sports are hockey for girls, and rugby for boys; in the Lent Term the majority sports are netball for girls, and hockey for boys. All pupils in the Fourth and Lower Fifth Forms take part in the majority sport, whilst an element of choice is gradually introduced for the older pupils. During the winter terms, matches are also played in lacrosse, cross-country, golf, water-polo, soccer, fives, rugby-sevens, canoeing, basketball, riding, shooting and squash. These “minority” sports can be played in addition to the majority sport of the term, or in some cases can be chosen as the main sport of the term for Upper Fifth and Sixth Formers. Badminton and aerobics are also available in the Sixth Form. In the Summer Term, team sports include cricket, tennis, swimming, athletics, golf and rounders, with an inter-House mixed-sports league operating for pupils not involved in the team squads.
All pupils take part in sports sessions on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, with an extra team practice on Fridays for many pupils. Fourth Formers have an additional sports session each week, where they all take part in one of the minority sports. Every Saturday afternoon a full programme of inter-school fixtures takes place; in most weeks this will involve almost all the pupils in the Fourth and Lower Fifth Forms. Any Lower School pupils not involved in the matches take part in an alternative sports session.
The activity programme also provides opportunities for involvement in many of the minority sports, along with fencing, dance, indoor climbing, conditioning and life-saving.
Overseas tours are commonplace, the most recent ones being a girls’ hockey tour to Australia, a rugby tour to Fiji, and a cricket tour to Kenya.
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