City Of London Freemen’s School – Review, Fees, And More
City of London Freemen’s School, a sibling institution to the City of London School and the City of London School for Girls, is located within the serene environment of Ashtead Park in Surrey. Constructed in 1854, it has been a bastion of co-education for over 160 years. Even so, Freemen’s has consistently evolved, regularly updating its facilities and infrastructure to resonate with contemporary standards.
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Table of Contents
Summary Of School
- Type of school: Co-educational
- Age range: 7-18
- Pupils: 548; sixth formers: 203
- Fees: £18,190 – £18,456 (Per term, incl. VAT)
- 2024 A Level Results: 72% A*-A
- 2024 GCSE Results: 86% 9-7
Overview
Although Freemen’s school places considerable emphasis on academic excellence, it equally values a holistic development of its students. The aim is to cultivate not only knowledge but also inherent talent. To accomplish this, the school gives weightage to co-curricular activities. The establishment of a Sports Hall, Art & Design Centre, and a swimming pool in the late 1960s has empowered students to unleash their creativity while simultaneously fostering a healthy lifestyle. Philip MacDonald, the previous principal, spearheaded the construction of a new Boarding House and a dedicated Music School.
Freemen’s School embodies the ethos of ‘Reviving the past. Shaping the future.’ This is manifested through the ongoing renovation of the Main House. Initially erected in the Georgian architectural style, the Main House is continuously updated and modernized, all while safeguarding its historical charm. The school also prides itself on having ample open spaces that promote camaraderie and collaboration among students. All these efforts align with Freemen’s unwavering commitment to educating, inspiring, and empowering children to learn, lead, and make a difference.
City of London Freemen's School Courses/Programmes
Junior
In City of London Freemen’s School, pupils aged Year 3-6 are taught according to the National Curriculum which consists of 11 subjects. For Year 7 students, the 16 subjects are taught by subject specialists. Year 7 pupils are required to take up one Modern Foreign Language of their choice, either French, German or Spanish. Year 8 students are also taught by subject specialists. They continue to learn their first-choice foreign language, at the same time, they are expected to start on a second foreign language. Both Year 7 and 8 students have the opportunity to attend educational trips and visits to places such as Black Country Museum, Ashtead Common and Marwell Zoo.
GCSE
The 7 core subjects required are Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, English Language, English Literature, and one Foreign Language (French, German or Spanish). Besides these 7 core subjects, pupils at City of London Freemen’s School have Games, PE and religious studies added into their timetable. There are a total of 14 optional subjects which students can choose from, including Design Technology, Sports Studies, Drama, History and Geography.
A Level
City of London Freemen’s School offers three pathways for A Levels. The first pathway includes 4 A Level subjects, including Mathematics and Further Mathematics. The second pathway offers 3 A Level subjects along with Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) and Free Minds programme. The third pathway has 3 A Level subjects and the Free Minds programme. Among the A Level subjects offered are Art, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Business, Computer Science, Drama, Economics, French, German, Latin, Spanish, Further Mathematics, Mathematics, Design & Technology, Geography, History, Philosophy, Ethics & Religion, Psychology and Sport Studies.
EPQ is a qualification that is designed to develop skills through independent research and project management. Students taking EPQ will be able to go beyond the A Level syllabus and find their area of personal interest. The Free Minds programme was constructed to inspire students to learn by engaging them in a wide range of subjects. For those taking the Free Minds programme, they are required to pick 5 courses from each field. Each course lasts for 6 weeks with a 1-hour seminar per week.
City of London Freemen's School Ranking and Results
In 2024, City of London Freemen’s School achieved 86% 9-7 at the GCSEs and 72% A*-A in A Levels, a testament to the quality of education provided at this institution. In our 2024 GCSE League Table, City of London Freemen’s School is ranked 38th.
City of London Freemen's School Entry Requirements
Entry Points | Requirement(s) |
7+ |
|
11+ |
|
13+ |
|
16+ |
|
City of London Freemen's School Application Process
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
September | Open Events 12 September 2024 – Sixth Form Open Evening 21 September 2024 – Open Morning for Years 2,4,5 or 6, and Open Afternoon for Years 7,8, or 9 |
| 1 October of the year before you wish to join | Deadline to apply There is a £200 non-refundable registration fee to pay for application |
| November | Entrance Assessments for Year 7 and above applicants For Sixth Form applicants, you do not need to sit entrance assessments if you are sitting 7 or more GCSEs (including GCSE English); but interviews will take place in November. |
December | Entrance Assessments for Year 3 to Year 6 applicants |
| December | Decision letters will be sent by email |
January / March | Deadline to accept offers of places into Year 3 – 6, Year 9 and Sixth Form is until the end of January Deadline to accept offers of places into Year 7 is until the first working weekday in March |
| The end of the Summer Term | Induction Day for all new pupils and welcome evening for new parents |
| First day of term | Start at Freemen’s |
City of London Freemen's School Fees for 2024-2025
Registration Fee:
£200 (non-refundable)
Deposit:
Day Pupils: £2,000 (£500 credited to first term’s fees, £1,500 held until final account)
Boarding Pupils: One full term’s fees as deposit (£5,000 held, remainder credited to first term)
Tuition Fees (Per Term):
Forms 1–Lower 3 (Years 3–6): £6,295 (excl. VAT) / £7,554 (incl. VAT)
Upper 3–Lower 4 (Years 7–8): £6,993 (excl. VAT) / £8,392 (incl. VAT)
Upper 4–Upper 5 (Years 9–11): £8,451 (excl. VAT) / £10,142 (incl. VAT)
Lower 6–Upper 6 (Years 12–13): £8,830 (excl. VAT) / £10,596 (incl. VAT)
Boarding Fees (Per Term):
Full Boarding:
Years 9–11: £15,158 (excl. VAT) / £18,190 (incl. VAT)
Years 12–13: £15,537 (excl. VAT) / £18,645 (incl. VAT)
Weekly Boarding:
Years 9–11: £13,629 (excl. VAT) / £16,355 (incl. VAT)
Years 12–13: £14,008 (excl. VAT) / £16,810 (incl. VAT)
Additional Fees:
Lunch (Per Term):
Junior School: £285
Senior School: £319
Music Tuition (Per Term): £325
Musical Instrument Hire (Per Term): £44
Speech and Drama: £16 per session
EAL Support: £51 per hour
Other Costs:
Educational trips, public exam fees, school transport, and extras billed separately
Ad hoc boarding for day pupils: £75 per night + VAT
Bursaries:
Means-tested bursaries available
Reviewed annually
Limited due to VAT changes on independent school fees
City of London Freemen's School Reviews
“My son joined in Year 3 and we have seen a significant change in his confidence. The school encourages independence and self-reliance from the beginning, and we have seen the impact this has had on his personality.”
“Freeman’s takes the time to guide students towards making positive choices, giving them the confidence to contribute in a world that can be both challenging and uncertain.”
“Freemans is a universally praised as a kind, non-judgemental place where children can flourish.”
“I am a single mother and the school has been nothing other than supportive to myself and my sons, who have had a massive adjustment period over the last year.”
“The balance is good here. It’s academic, but they let you get on with it. The homework load is manageable. Most people do stuff outside school and the teachers are aware of this.”
“My children have thrived since joining the school and are very happy there.”
“Freemen’s children are expected to be independent from arrival in year 3 onwards and as a result in the main the school produces very confident, organised individuals and we feel that our children have benefitted from this.”
City of London Freemen's School Pastoral Care & Accommodation
The Form Teacher oversees the academic progress of his/her pupils by guiding and supporting them throughout their school journey. Should students have any troubles in school, they have easy access to Form Tutors, subject staff, Heads of Year, Heads of Houses and the Senior Leadership Team. Besides that, Peer Mentors and Nursing Sisters are also available for confidential discussions.
There is an average of 60 boarders per year at City of London Freemen’s School. Due to the small numbers, Freemen’s is able to provide a family-style environment to boarders. The staff knows the pupils well and every boarder will benefit from individual attention and care.
Freemen’s offers full boarding, weekly boarding and flexi-boarding. Full boarders are mostly overseas students where they only return home at half term or at the end of the term. Weekly boarding is extremely convenient for those who have to commute a long way. Weekly boarders typically come to school on a Sunday evening and return home on a Friday. Flexi-boarding is suitable for pupils who have activities that run late or start early in the morning.
Each pupil shares a ‘pod’ with 9 other boarders. The rooms in each ‘pod’ are either single rooms or double rooms. Each room is furnished with desks and storage space and a basin. The bathroom and social area is shared between the 10 boarders of the ‘pod’. The Hub area is the main space between the boys’ and girls’ accommodation. In this area, there is space for playstation, a TV, table football and board games. There is also a device-free zone called the ‘Chill Out Zone’ and 2 kitchens. Freemen’s also built a music practice room for those who want to practice during their free time and a laundry room for those who forgot to send their laundry to the school laundry.
City of London Freemen's School Co-Curricular Activities
The activities offered in City of London Freemen’s School are categorized into three parts: Creative Arts, Sports and Extra-curricular.
For Creative Arts:
Art & Craft, Debate, Drama, Design Technology, Music, Food Technology
For Sports:
Athletics, Cricket, Cross COuntry, Football, Hockey, Indoor Hockey, Seven Hockey, Netball, Rugby Sevens, Rugby Union, Squash, Swimming, Tag Rugby, Tennis and Games
Hockey and netball are the most famous sport in the school, followed by rugby and swimming.
For the Extra-curricular Club:
English, History, Homework Club, Languages, RE and Science.
City of London Freemen's School Contact Information
- Official Website: https://www.freemens.org/
- Location: Ashtead Park, Ashtead, Surrey, KT21 1ET
- Email address:[email protected], [email protected]
- Phone: 01372 822400
Apply For City of London Freemen's School
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