AN INDEPENDENT CO - EDUCATIONAL DAY AND BOARDING SCHOOL FOR PUPILS AGED 7 TO 18 IN THE HEART OF SURREY
Professional Services Staff
Information for prospective staff
AN INDEPENDENT CO - EDUCATIONAL DAY AND BOARDING SCHOOL FOR PUPILS AGED 7 TO 18 IN THE HEART OF SURREY
Information for prospective staff
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
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
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 researchled 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
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.
Staff will be leaders in the School, exercising good judgement and modelling the behaviour and habits that are expected of the students
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.
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.
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.
"Friendly
was the single most uttered word used to describe the school by students, while parents report that their offspring are happy. 'Kind' and 'nonjudgemental,' we also heard, with support on tap."
The Good Schools Guide
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.
"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