Cranbrook School is to change its admission arrangements from September next year.

The Department of Education has granted permission for the school to admit students at age 11 in Year 7.

The decision will bring it into line with other state schools.

Although private sector pupils are often able to stay at their preparatory schools until 13 before moving to secondary education, students coming from the state sector previously had to spend the first two years of their secondary education at another school, before undertaking the disruption of moving school again to Cranbrook.

Traditionally, local students spent two years at Angley School (now the High Weald Academy), but that number has declined over the past decade, with a higher proportion - sometimes up to 75% - of students coming from local prep schools, St Ronan’s, Marlborough House and Dulwich.

State schoolchildren in Cranbrook who passed the Kent Test often ended up travelling miles to schools in Maidstone or Tonbridge.

Headmaster John Weeds said the change would help the school achieve a more balanced community and ensure it offered the chance of a grammar school education to the local community.

Moves towards the change were initiated back in 2012 under the previous headmistress, Angela Daly.

After a lengthy consultation, the governors took the decision to switch in 2014, but it has taken another two years to work out the arrangements and have them signed off by the DoE.

Helen Grant MP has been supporting the school’s bid and she joined the head of governors, James Peace, and Dr Weeds to celebrate the grant of permission which arrived last week by way of a letter from the Education Funding Agency.

Mrs Grant said: “Full credit must go to the headmaster for his vision and dogged determination and to the governors for their unswerving support. I look forward to meeting the first Year 7 students in September next year.”

The new admissions arrangements are a return to those that applied until 1972.

Mr Peace said: “We are delighted to have been granted permission to admit 11-year-olds for the first time in over 40 years. This is excellent news for the school and the local community. Even better is the timing – Cranbrook is celebrating its 500th anniversary in 2018. What better way to start a new era for the school!’

The school will admit one class of 30 Year 7s in 2017, rising to three classes totalling 90 pupils by 2021.

The school will remain unique in the state sector in Kent by continuing to take boarders as well as day pupils. The 52 boarders will continue to be admitted at 13.