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: Day £23,583 – £24,642 pa; Boarding £38,763 – £42,933 pa
- 2022 A Level Results: 75% A*-A
- 2022 GCSE Results: 86% A*-A
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
Based on the 2019 A Level League Table, City of London Freemen’s School is ranked #52 among 260 schools, with a 63.34% out of 112 candidates scoring A*/A in their A Level. In the 2019 GCSE League Table, the school is ranked #43, with 82% of students scoring A*/A.
The school has seen great results year on year. According to the 2022 Sunday Times Parent Power league table, Freemen’s is ranked 14th among co-educational independent schools in the UK.
In 2022, City of London Freemen’s School achieved 75% A*-A at the A-Levels and 86% A*/A at the GCSEs.
City of London Freemen's School Entry Requirements
Entry Points | Requirement(s) |
7+ |
|
11+ |
|
13+ |
|
16+ |
|
City of London Freemen's School Application 2024
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
May, September, October | Open Events |
| 1 October 2023 | Deadline to apply |
| 4 November 2023 | Entrance Assessments for Senior School candidates 16+ Scholarship Exams and Music Auditions |
9 December 2023
| Entrance Assessments for Junior School candidates 11+ and 13+ Scholarship Exams and Music Auditions |
| Pre-Christmas | Decision letters are sent |
31 January 2024 4 March 2024 | Deadline to accept offers of places into Year 3 – 6, Year 9 and Sixth Form. Deadline to accept offers of places into Year 7. |
| June / July 2024 | Induction Day for all new pupils and welcome evening for new parents |
| September 2024 | Start at Freemen’s |
City of London Freemen's School Fees
Year 3 (7+) – Year 6 (10+) (Day only)
£5,856 per term, exclusive of school lunches
Year 7 (11+) – Year 8 (12+) (Day only)
£6,505 per term, exclusive of school lunches
Year 9 (13+) – Year 11 (15+)
Day:
£7,861 per term, exclusive of school lunches
Weekly Boarder:
£12,568 per term, inclusive of school lunches
Full Boarder:
£13,958 per term, inclusive of school lunches
Year 12 (16+) – Year 13 (17+)
Day:
£8,214 per term, exclusive of school lunches
Weekly Boarder:
£12,921 per term, inclusive of school lunches
Full Boarder:
£14,311 per term, inclusive of school lunches
Flexi / Ad Hoc Boarding
Ad Hoc boarding is available to day pupils on request and is subject to availability.
£82.50 for 1 night Ad Hoc boarding
Additional Fees
Year 3 (7+) – Year 4 (8+)
£258 per term for school lunches
£290 per term for music lessons
£44 per term for instrument hire
£12.15 per session for Speech and Drama
£40 per hour for EAL English
Year 5 (9+) – Year 13 (17+)
£288 per term for school lunches (lunches are included in the fees for boarding students)
£290 per term for music lessons
£44 per term for instrument hire
£12.15 per session for Speech and Drama
£40 per hour for EAL English
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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