AN INDEPENDENT CO-EDUCATIONAL DAY AND BOARDING SCHOOL FOR PUPILS AGED 7 TO 18 IN THE HEART OF SURREY
Community and Partnerships Officer Information for prospective staff
About Freemen's Our mission is to inspire our people to learn, to lead and to make a difference. We believe that if we can motivate pupils and staff to always give their best, the School will continue to grow and thrive. Community engagement and our impact on the world beyond our walls are at the forefront of everything we do at Freemen’s. The School was founded in Brixton in 1854 to provide an education for the orphaned children of Freemen of the City of London before moving to the present site, Ashtead Park, in 1926. We have a magnificent site with modern buildings alongside the original Main House set in a stunning 57 acres of parkland. This idyllic setting further supports the wellbeing of our students and staff, as being here, in the park, makes coming to work a pleasure. It looks striking in every season and we are lucky to have a vast array of wildlife living in our woods. Today, Freemen’s is an independent day and boarding school for students aged 7-18, with a strong ethos of community and service in accordance with the values on which the School
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was founded. We are proudly co-educational and have been since 1854, which was radical at the time, and we continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible with our forward-thinking, progressive approach. You can expect stellar exam results and academic excellence, but that’s not all. The focus within the School is on every individual finding a path which is appropriate for them, be that in the classroom, on a sports pitch or in one of the many co-curricular activities we encourage our young people to throw themselves into. Our mission is built upon four pillars of the Freemen’s education: pastoral support, House activities, academic achievement, and our varied cocurricular programme (including sport) to ensure every student realises their potential to be able to learn, lead and make a difference. Freemen’s is a place where students are keen to learn and eager to engage in the wider aspects of life at our School. Teachers at Freemen's embody our principles for excellent classroom practice, offering innovative and forward-thinking approaches, enabling us to be a beacon of learning and teaching. We take risks in the pursuit of excellence by being brave and radical, willing to challenge the status quo. Through our 1-1 iPad programme, we
About Freemen's aim to create discerning users of technology, so that staff and students can thrive in the modern dynamic world. We do all of this, in an environment where staff feel supported, by investing in life-long learning through research-led enquiry and building learning communities. The emphasis in the Junior School is on Kindness, Honesty and Fun and the Senior School picks up that message with a pastoral programme that emphasizes the importance of a strong, supportive community in which every member, staff and student, feels respected, supported and valued. As a result, we are able to support our young people to successfully navigate the tests of life they face every day. The School is one of four independent schools managed by the City of London Corporation (The City). The City provides financial support in the form of bursaries and scholarships. Other links with the City of London and the Livery Companies are strong, which presents opportunities for staff to attend events at Guildhall and elsewhere in the City, as well as the possibility of gaining the honour of the Freedom of the City of London. Transport links are good; the School is a mile from Ashtead station with regular services to Epsom and London and south to Leatherhead and Guildford. The M25 junction 9 is a sevenminute drive from the School.
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The External Relations Department The External Relations Department is comprised of Admissions, Community and Partnerships, Development and Alumni, and the Marketing team.
The successful candidate would need to be comfortable in a team atmosphere. While we all have our distinct areas of responsibility, we are not afraid to lend a hand as and when other members of the team require it, with everyone collaborating to ensure the success and growth of the wider External Relations function. However, any new member of the team can expect support at every level.
This is an exciting time for the External Relations department. We have worked hard to ensure that we provide the most positive experience to students and their families before, during and after their time at Freemen's. The hard work is paying off as we begin to see record numbers of pupil admissions, as well as significantly increased engagement, donations and community support.
Development and Alumni Team Philanthropy has always been a core value of Freemen's since it opened its doors in Brixton in 1854 to house and educate the orpahsn of Freemen of the City of London. The Development team is critical in remaining true to that priciple today. This role works closely with the Development Officer and is based with Marketing within the External Relations team.
There is still more to be done, however. This role will play a crucial part in helping us to meet our team objectives as well as the School's wider strategic plan. Most days bring new opportunities and some challenges, which we face together, usually with a smile, a joke and whenever possible with cake.
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"This friendly, grounded and well-run school takes the pressure off getting academically bright young things into senior schools and seems to a knack of making challenging work seem fun." The Good Schools Guide WWW.FREEMENS.ORG
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Information about the role Purpose of post To support the Headmaster in making and maintaining strategic partnerships with feeder schools (both primary and Prep, local and national); corporate and charity partners, including Livery companies, identifying potential partnerships that may lead to students from backgrounds of need joining the school supported by bursaries; facilitating and strengthening relationships between the school and the City Academies; ascertaining potential for holiday courses – for domestic and international students – that would serve the school and its educational and charitable interests, strengthening relationships in the community. Reporting The Community and Partnerships Officer will report to the Director of External Relations and will work closely with Admissions, Development, Marketing, Heads of Section and the Chief Operating Officer as well as directly with the Headmaster. Key responsibilities 1. To be proactive in developing partnerships and building imaginative and innovative relationships in line with the Headmaster’s vision for Freemen’s.
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2. To initiate visits to and from feeder schools, including Star Academy schools and City Academies – to strengthen relationships and develop new opportunities for collaboration, including but not limited to potential for holiday courses that would benefit the educational intentions of the School and the City of London Corporation. 3. Working with the relevant staff, ensure that the operation of charities is effectively coordinated across the School and that students lead and make a difference, including charity selection and support (nb always checking that proposed charities are registered with the Charities Commission). 4. To develop opportunities for pupils to volunteer both during the term time and in the holidays. 5. To work with external organisations and act as liaison – including but not exclusive to The Eastside Young Leaders’ Academy (EYLA), The Royal National Springboard Foundation (RSB), Leatherhead Youth Project (LYP) and the Star Academies - to identify students who would benefit from a Freemen’s education but who do not have the means to access it in order that they might be beneficiaries of bursaries.
Job description - Community and Partnerships Officer
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6. To act as the liaison with RSB personnel, attending relevant RSB training days and conferences; helping select students; visiting feeder schools. 7. To act as a liaison between staff at City Academies and Freemen’s to initiate learning and educational opportunities for pupils across schools. 8. Act as a conduit to Livery Companies, building good relationships with charity reps and clerks, hosting visits and encouraging their continued support of Freemen’s, not least in the important commitment that they have to fund bursary students. 9. To organise and support School initiatives or programmes and volunteering opportunities within the community, such as the Refugee Club, Harvest for Foodbank, Shoebox appeals, Rag Week, Mufti days, as well as
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National events: Movember, Jeans for Genes, Comic Relief, Children in Need etc. 10. To initiate, facilitate and coordinate whole-school improvement initiatives, such as Artsmark (imminently coordinating the Artsmark accreditation or helping to facilitate this across the arts departments. 11. To research potential for holiday courses that would benefit the educational intentions of the school and The City of London Corporation. 12. To explore and implement a range of school events for the local community e.g. drama, music, sports and science outreach. 13. To represent the Headmaster externally, as required (including as a spokesperson for the school’s partnerships).
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Job description - Community and Partnerships Officer
14. To aid the Development Office in making the case for support in relation to raising money for bursaries.
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15. To raise awareness of and celebrate with the Freemen’s community work done in partnership and outreach activity and encourage broad participation and support from staff and students; arrange charity assemblies, speaker programmes and demonstrations.
Revision of Job Description According to the development and requirement of the School, job descriptions may need to be reviewed and updated periodically after consultation with the job holder.
16. To produce an annual report for Governors and members of The Education Board in line with previous reports. 17. To carry out any other duties as reasonably required by the Headmaster. Other points • To actively seek to implement the City of London’s Occupational Health and Safety Policy in relation to the duties of the post, and at all times give due regard to the health and safety of both themselves and others when carrying out their duties. •
To report all accidents to the Chief Operating Officer via the School’s Accident Report Form procedure. Report forms are held in the Medical Centre.
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To inform the Bursar of any concerns regarding Health & Safety and safe working practices, including the reporting of accidents in accordance with the City’s procedures.
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To seek actively seek to implement the City of London’s Equal Opportunity Policy and the objective to promote equality of opportunity in relation to the duties of the post.
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To undertake any other duties that may reasonably be requested appropriate to the grade.
"It’s rare in this neck of the woods to find an all-through route that will scoop up your 7-year old and hand them back to you at the end of Year 13 ready for (most likely a Russell Group) university – and this, say parents, makes a place at this semi-rural Surrey prep the most shiny of golden tickets." The Good Schools Guide WWW.FREEMENS.ORG
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Person specification Please find below the key skills and core behaviours required to undertake this post. These will be used in the decision-making process. Qualifications, relevant education and training • Educated to A Level/equivalent or relevant work experience. • GCSE English (first language equivalent) C/5 or above (or equivalent). • GCSE Maths C/5 or above (or equivalent) • Excellent IT skills, particularly Office 365, and superior database management skills. • Excellent communication skills – both oral and written - with an ability to build relationships with key stakeholders, both internally and externally. Experience required • Proven experience of securing, developing and building partnerships with partner organisations. • Demonstrable experience in overseeing projects or working at an equivalent level in a customer relations/marketing/fundraising/ development role. • Experience of accurate and detailed reporting to relevant stakeholders, and ensuring transparency throughout partner engagement. • Experience of working closely with people from a wide variety of backgrounds and ability to develop lasting and positive relationships with diverse groups of people. • Experience of providing superlative customer service experience to a range of stakeholders • Strong administrative and data management experience. • Proven experience of effective communication with a variety of target audiences.
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Experience of working in a School or educational environment is an advantage, but is not essential
Technical skills • Ability to contribute to the development and review of systems and procedures. • Ability to meet targets over a sustained period of time without compromising on the quality or accuracy of the work produced. • Ability to develop new strategies to maximise success and meet organisational objectives. • Ability to work to strict deadlines, and manage often competing priorities. • Understanding of GDPR regulations, and the ability to manage confidential data appropriately, in addition to maintaining the privacy of supporters’ personal financial circumstances. • Ability to work well as a team, and across multiple teams within an organisation. • Understanding of relevant audiences, and how to tailor communications to the appropriate audience. • Manages time and workload responsibly. • Positive, ‘can do’ attitude, with an ability to find creative solutions to challenges. Other relevant information • On-campus working location. • Full time post (not term time only).
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Professional expectations of staff Safeguarding Staff will be kind, fair and respectful to students and each other, challenge others when they are unkind, unfair or disrespectful and have the highest regard for the students’ safety and their safeguarding duties, whether on or off the school premises. Appearance Smart professional dress, or appropriate co-curricular clothing, at all times. Availability Prompt attendance during the School’s operating hours and a commitment to completing School business is expected. Awareness and use of Freemen’s policies Staff will be able to access and use policies as necessary, and read and act upon them appropriately. Behaviour Staff will establish Freemen’s as a place of learning and will determine clear boundaries of behaviour, based on mutual respect and trust. Staff will have high expectations of students and will manage their behaviour effectively.
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Collective responsibility Staff share collective responsibility for Freemen’s standards, reputation and property, should treat them with respect and care, and insist others do likewise. Communication Staff will expect high standards of communication from students and will, in turn, demonstrate accurate, timely and appropriate communication when dealing with students, parents and colleagues. Ethics and behaviour Staff will uphold public trust in the profession and the reputation of Freemen’s by maintaining high standards of ethics and behaviour, within and outside School. They will be respectful and tolerant of the rights of others, including colleagues, and not undermine fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect, and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs. They will ensure that their personal beliefs are not expressed in ways which exploit pupils’ vulnerability or might lead them to break the law.
Learn, lead and make a difference Leaders Staff will be leaders in the School, exercising good judgement and modelling the behaviour and habits that are expected of the students. Learners Staff will show and share a passion for their subject or discipline(s). They will seek to develop as professionals and as specialists, will be open to feedback and will seek opportunities to collaborate with colleagues and engage with relevant research. Planning Teaching staff will have a sense of where the lesson fits within the scheme of work and plan well-structured lessons using an appropriate range of pedagogies. Use of feedback Staff will seek to use feedback for themselves and if appropriate, their students and will complete assessments and reports in a timely fashion in the appropriate manner and style.
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How to apply Applicants should send a completed application form to the Headmaster via CLFS-Recruitment@cityoflondon.gov.uk, by 9am on Friday 1 March 2024. Interviews will take place at the school shortly afterwards. Candidates are asked to note that Freemen’s retains the right to interview and appoint at any time during the application process. Freemen’s acknowledges receipt of all applications, if you have not received confirmation of the safe receipt of your application within two working days please call the School or email CLFS-Recruitment@ cityoflondon.gov.uk to check on its status. The successful candidate must be able to satisfy the City of London’s health requirements and a confidential medical assessment by the City of London’s Medical Officer is required. The City of London Freemen’s School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all employees to share this commitment. The successful applicant must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service (Enhanced Disclosure).
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"Friendly was the single most uttered word used to describe the school by students, while parents report that their offspring are happy. ‘Kind’ and ‘non-judgemental,’ we also heard, with support on tap." The Good Schools Guide
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Your benefits
Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) Contributory defined benefit
City of London benefits:
• CityBenefits - discounts and cashback. • Wellbeing resources. • Sponsorship to become a Freeman of the City of London.
Sports and Leisure: Family friendly Significantly enhanced maternity, adoption and shared parental leave entitlement
Free lunch and refreshments The option to join Supper Club at a subsidised rate
Annual Leave 25/29 days (subject to grade) plus bank holidays increasing with service.
Cycle to work scheme Up to £3,000 salary sacrifice
• Discounted gym membership. • Free use of the fitness suite. • Staff social and sporting opportunities including pilates, yoga and five-a-side football. • Free staff swimming and weekend family swimming for staff.
Learning and Development:
• In-house and externally run CPL • Enquiring Schools project • Support for professional development appropriate to the role including Apprenticeships/Masters.
Season Ticket Loan Wellbeing: Free parking on site
Access to on-site facilities
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• Up to 2 days’ paid leave for volunteering. • Cash back on private health care treatment. • Access to on-site Medical Centre. • Staff Wellbeing Committee. • Confidential Employee Assistance for staff and their families. • Emergencies-only approach to out of hours email. 17
Campus Map
Click here to view 360 Tour of campus 01. Visitor parking 02. Reception 03. Philp House 04. Science and Technology 05. Medical Centre 06. Art and Design 07. Stable Block 08. Ferndale Theatre 09. Dining Hall 10. Haywood Centre 11. Junior School (Kemp House) 12. Boarding (Walbrook House)
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13. Music School and Recital Hall 14. Main House 15. Sports Hall 16. Swimming Pool 17. Cricket Pavilion 18. Tennis and Netball Courts 19. Astro Pitch 20. Cricket Nets 21. Cricket Pitch 22. Italian Garden 23. Rugby and Football Pitches 24. Green Room
25. Fire Assembly Point 26. Bus Stop 27. Upper Car Park 28. Lower Car Park 29. Service Gate (KT21 1JB)
"A down-to-earth, friendly school that’s comfortable in its own skin rather than relentlessly trying to show off its most polished side – and is all the better for it. Just the ticket for parents after a high-quality, stress-free route for their academically bright sons and daughters from age 7 right through to 18. Almost unique around here." The Good Schools Guide