The City of London Freemen's School was established by the Corporation of London in 1854 to provide 'a religious and virtuous education for the orphan sons and daughters of Freemen of the City'. The School is now a fully co-educational, Day and Boarding School with a roll of 770 pupils from the ages of 7-18. Today it is an Independent HMC School for any fee paying pupils who qualify for entry by examination and interview. The School moved in 1926 to Ashtead Park in Surrey.
The facilities within the 57 acres of parkland include a new Junior School complex opened in 1988. This caters for 360 pupils in a purpose built building with 18 classrooms and many specialist areas including a Library, Assembly Hall and Laboratories. The sporting facilities now include a fully floodlit all weather pitch, a six lane indoor swimming pool and a Sports Hall, opened in September 1995. There are fully sponsored plans to develop a new Sixth Form Block in 1996/7 and Senior School teaching blocks over the next 5 years, in a multi million pound project supported by the Corporation of London.
The School's policy is to provide opportunities for pupils to reach high standards in all round development as well as academic achievements. Extra curricular activities and games flourish, major dramatic and musical productions are regular features of the School calendar and there is a thriving well subscribed Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme.
Entry is by selective examination procedures at the age of 7 for the Junior School and at the age of 13 for the Senior School. Class sizes are limited to 20 pupils in the Junior School. Entry at 13 may be by Common Entrance or by the School's own examination. A number of places are also available for Sixth Form entry each year. The Corporation of London funds over 30 Scholarships annually and the School enjoys the support of many City Livery Companies in the form of substantial Bursary funds. Additionally the School has been accepted into the Government's Assisted Places Scheme for entry at ages 7 and 11 into the Junior School, and at ages 13 and 16 in the Senior School.
