Glebelands School

Glebelands School is a county-funded and charity-supported secondary school in Cranleigh, Surrey, England. It is co-educational and caters for students in the 11-16 age range in that it does not have a sixth form.HistoryThe Crane, as considered by historians a possible origin of Cranleigh (which has or had crane reserves at Baynards and Vachery) was chosen in 1956 as the emblem. The land of the school was part of Parsonage Farm, therefore glebeland. The emblem was a crane, alert and vigilant, holding a pebble to splash itself awake should its alertness falter, however the pebble and 'vigilance' initially chosen as the motto, have evolved under Mrs Knight and the Board of Governors at the time (2004-2009) to a more self-analytical motto, reflecting the greater achievement of society at large, and appreciating one's own ideas and successes as much as those as others. The school from the early 20th century to 1956 was the Secondary Modern Extension of the St. Nicholas (Upper) School, and before World War II part of this stage of education was, for the last two years of school, optional. Elmbridge Boarding School in Cranleigh operated until it was converted to a retirement village and provided limited classes for the relatively advanced pupils who could afford its fees as did public schools which drew the most able and wealthy. On 4 September 1956 the school opened as the County Comprehensive Secondary (Modern) Mixed School, Cranleigh. In 1958, the addition of children from Bramley School meant that, with 317 pupils, the existing rooms in the original village school and HORSA blocks were inadequate and extra rooms were found in places such as the Village Hall. Two years before much groundwork was led in a communal and county-led effort for new buildings, described in readiness by the first headteacher as: The school began largely secular but saw local clerics speak at assembly every Friday.