AN INDEPENDENT CO-EDUCATIONAL DAY AND BOARDING SCHOOL FOR PUPILS AGED 7 TO 18 IN THE HEART OF SURREY
Finance Officer – Accounts Receivable and Payable Information for prospective staff
About Freemen's
Our mission is to inspire our people to learn, to lead and to make a difference.
These are exciting times at Freemen’s as we deliver on our mission of inspiring our children to learn, lead and make a difference. We believe that if we can motivate and inspire pupils and staff to give of their best at all times, the School will continue to grow and thrive.
The School was founded by Warren Hale in Brixton in 1854 to provide a ‘religious and virtuous education’ for the orphaned children of Freemen of the City of London. Freemen’s moved to its present site, Ashtead Park, in 1926, following expansion, and is today a nondenominational school with a strong ethos of community and service in accordance with values and wishes of its original founders. It occupies a magnificent site with modern buildings alongside the original house set in 57 acres of parkland.
Freemen’s today is an independent coeducational day and boarding school for 950 pupils aged 7 – 18. The Junior School (ages 7 –11) has 250 pupils on roll; the Senior School (ages 13-18) has 700 pupils on roll, approximately 240 of whom are in the Sixth Form. Pupils enter the School at 7, 11, 13 and 16. About fifty-five pupils are boarders, most of whom are international students. The majority of boarders are in the Sixth Form.
The school has an excellent reputation locally and nationally for academic success but the trait most often remarked on is the sense of community and kindness at Freemen's. Colleagues, pupils and parents are all made to feel that they matter and the focus within the School is on every individual finding a path which is appropriate for them. 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 meet the tests of life they face every day.
Freemen’s is academically selective and is the leading co-educational school in the area. Pupils achieve excellent results, in 2023 A Level results were A*/A: 60% whilst GCSE results were 9/8: 67%. However, this is only part of the value of a Freemen's education, and we work to help students realise and be confident in the breadth and depth of what they have learned in terms of their skills, characteristics and knowledge. The majority of students from Freemen’s go on to University study at either Russell Group or Oxbridge, although some of our students choose to study abroad or enter into apprenticeships.
Although the academic is the ‘bread-and-butter’ of life at Freemen’s, we provide a holistic education for the young people in our care and the School is proud of the high standards achieved in sport, music and drama and by the range of opportunities available to all pupils in the school.
About Freemen's
Opportunities are a key theme at Freemen’s and we expect our teaching staff to weave three specific Opportunities throughout their lessons at each key stage, examples of these Opportunities include KS2’s Marvellous Mistakes, KS3’s Technology for Lifelong Learning and KS5’s Being a Leader. Each student’s tutor works with them in a coaching capacity to help them understand the person they are becoming and set goals as to what they wish to challenge themselves with next.
The School is one of three 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. In the past ten years, more than £20 million has been invested in facilities at the School, and Freemen’s has embarked on an ambitious building development plan to further enhance its teaching, recreational and boarding facilities. Our contemporary Music School, award-winning swimming pool and stylish boarding house have been completed and a refurbishment of the Georgian Mansion house, designed by Sir Thomas Wyatt was completed in 2021. This gives our Sixth Form a new home in the heart of the School. This will be followed by developments to our Junior School
Freemen’s is a forward-looking school with an ambitious agenda to support development. In addition to our site development plan, the School is currently seeking:
• continued development of our proactive approach to student wellbeing, enabling all children to thrive at the School and beyond;
• to embed our Curriculum aims, ensuring our whole community benefits from the work we do;
• to embed a comprehensive staff development programme, which encourages the professional development of all staff in line with their own aims and those of the School;
There are approximately 120 full and part time teaching staff in the Junior and Senior schools and they provide committed and inspirational support for students at the School. They are supported by around 70 Professional Services staff. A small number of staff involved in boarding live on site. Staff facilities include a modern and well-equipped staff room in both the Senior and Junior Schools. There is substantial technical support in the Sciences and technical subjects and excellent facilities to support teaching and administrative duties.
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 seven-minute drive from the School
Department Information
Finance at Freemen’s
The City of London Freemen’s School is a thriving independent co-educational day and boarding school, situated on the outskirts of the pretty village of Ashtead, Surrey. Freemen’s is known for the quality of its education provision, whilst ensuring that students are well supported and encouraged in a nurturing, yet academic, environment.
This new post will join the School’s friendly Finance team to work across the Accounts Receivable and Payable functions. Under the guidance of the Finance Manager, you will be covering for the Fees Manager during holidays as well as supporting two Accounts payable colleagues on a day-to-day basis and working to ensure all purchases offer the best value for money for the School.
The Finance team are integral to the School’s operation and form part of the wider Professional Services Team.
You will have recent accounts experience and be able to demonstrate working within a busy team.
Information about the role
Reporting to:
Finance Manager
Purpose of Post
To work across Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable, covering for the Fees Manager during holiday periods and supporting all aspects of the Finance Office daily. To lead on procurement, helping to ensure the best value for money across all purchases.
To work with other members of the Finance Team to provide an efficient finance service to the School community.
Main duties and responsibilities
• To cover all aspects of the Fee Manager role including creating invoices and preparing Direct Debits for collection.
• Working with the City of London procurement team, to lead on procurement for Freemen’s, helping to ensure the best value for money across all purchases.
• To work with other finance team members on creating purchase requisitions and monitoring the shared inbox and to help ensure the correct accounting codes are used.
• Raise invoices for Lettings (as directed by the Lettings Manager), and ensure payment is received.
• Raise invoices for the Livery companies for Bursary support and prize day donations, liaising with the Development Office.
• Raise any other non-Fee related invoices.
• To assist the Finance Manager in the year end accounts, audits and account reconciliations.
• Work with the Finance team to suggest improvements to processes and help maintain process documentation.
Other Points
• Actively seek to implement and comply with the School’s Safeguarding policies and procedures and to demonstrate a commitment to the safety and welfare of children.
• Actively seek to implement the City of London’s Occupational Health and Safety Policy in relation to the duties of the post, and always give due regard to the health and safety of both themselves and others when carrying out their duties.
• Report all accidents to the COO via the School’s Accident Report Form procedure.
• Inform the COO of any concerns regarding Health & Safety and safe working practices.
• 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.
• To undertake any other duties that may reasonably be requested appropriate to the grade.
Person Specification
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Please find below the qualifications, experience and technical skills required to undertake this post. Each criterion will be assessed at application (A), interview (I) or test (T) as indicated below.
Professional Qualifications / Relevant Education & Training
• Essential - GCSE or equivalent English and Mathematics (Grade C or better) (A)
• Essential - Educated to A Level standard or equivalent (A)
• Desirable - Accountancy/Bookkeeping/Purchasing qualification (A)
Experience Required
• Previous experience working in Accounts and/or Procurement (A,I)
• Ability to be flexible and prioritise work to meet deadlines (A,I,T)
• Excellent attention to detail (A,I,T)
• Working as part of a team (A)
• Understanding of Independent Schools and/or The City of London Corporation (I)
Technical Skills
• Good written and verbal communication skills and an ability to build relationships with internal and external stakeholders (A,I)
• Good Excel & Word skills (A)
• Good knowledge of accounting systems (I)
• Problem solving (I)
• Confidentiality (I)
Other Relevant Information eg. working hours or desirables (only if applicable)
• Full time, 9am to 5pm, 52 weeks a year.
• Flexible working hours can be considered for the right candidate.
"This friendly, grounded and well-run school takes the pressure off getting academically bright young things into senior schools and seems to have a knack of making challenging work seem fun."
The Good Schools Guide
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.
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.
How to apply
Applicants should send a letter of application and a completed application form to the School by emailing: CLFS-Recruitment@cityoflondon.gov.uk, by 9am on Tuesday 5th November 2024. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interviews that will take place on Tuesday 12th November 2024.
Candidates are asked to note that Freemen’s retains the right to interview and appoint at any time during the application process. Early applications are encouraged.
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 on 01372 822442 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).
"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-judgmental,’ we also heard, with support on tap."
The Good Schools Guide
Your benefits
Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
Contributory defined benefit
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
Season Ticket Loan
Free parking on site
Access to on-site facilities
City of London benefits:
• CityBenefits - discounts and cashback.
• Wellbeing resources.
• Sponsorship to become a Freeman of the City of London.
Sports and Leisure:
• 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.
Wellbeing:
• 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.
Campus Map
1. Visitor parking
Reception
Philp House
Science and Technology
Medical Centre
Art and Design
Stable Block
Ferndale Theatre
Dining Hall
Haywood Centre
Junior School (Kemp House)
Boarding (Walbrook House)
13. Music School and Recital Hall
14. Main House
15. Sports Hall 16. Swimming Pool 17. Cricket Pavilion 18. Tennis and Netball Courts
Astro Pitch
Cricket Nets
Cricket Pitch
Italian Garden
Rugby and Football Pitches
Green Room
25. Fire Assembly Point
Bus Stop
Upper Car Park
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."
