LONDON

London, city, capital of the United Kingdom. It is among the oldest of the world’s great cities—its history spanning nearly two millennia—and one of the most cosmopolitan. By far Britain’s largest metropolis, it is also the country’s economic, transportation, and cultural centre.

London is situated in south eastern England, lying astride the River Thames some 50 miles (80 km) upstream from its estuary on the

North Sea. In satellite photographs the metropolis can be seen to sit compactly in a Green Belt of open land, with its principal ring highway (the M25 motorway) threaded around it at a radius of about 20 miles (30 km) from the city centre. The growth of the built-up area was halted by strict town planning controls in the mid-1950s. Its physical limits more or less correspond to the administrative and statistical boundaries separating the metropolitan county of Greater

London from the “home counties” of Kent, Surrey, and Berkshire (in clockwise order) to the south of the river and Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, and Essex to the north. The historic counties of Kent, Hertfordshire, and Essex extend in area beyond the current administrative counties with the same names to include substantial parts of the metropolitan county of Greater London, which was formed in 1965. Most of Greater London south of the Thames belongs to the historic county of Surrey, while most of Greater London north of the Thames belongs historically to the county of Middlesex. Area Greater London, 607 square miles (1,572 square km). (2011 prelim.) population of Greater London, 8,173,941.

If the border of the metropolis is well defined, its internal structure is immensely complicated and defies description. Indeed, London’s defining characteristic is an absence of overall form. It is physically a polycentric city, with many core districts and no clear hierarchy among them. London has at least two (and sometimes many more) of everything: cities, mayors, dioceses, cathedrals, chambers of commerce, police forces, opera houses, orchestras, and universities. In every aspect it functions as a compound or confederal metropolis.

Historically, London grew from three distinct centres: the walled settlement founded by the Romans on the banks of the Thames in the 1st century ce, today known as the City of London, “the Square Mile,” or simply “the City”; facing it across the bridge on the lower gravels of the south bank, the suburb of Southwark; and a mile upstream, on a great southward bend of the river, the City of Westminster. The three settlements had distinct and complementary roles. London, “the City,” developed as a centre of trade, commerce, and banking. Southwark, “the Borough,” became known for its monasteries, hospitals, inns, fairs, pleasure houses, and the great theatres of Elizabethan London—the Rose (1587), the Swan (1595), and the world-famous Globe (1599). Westminster grew up around an abbey, which brought a royal palace and, in its train, the entire central apparatus of the British state—its legislature, executive, and judiciary. It also boasts spacious parks and the most fashionable districts for living and shopping— the West End. The north-bank settlements merged into a single built-up area in the early decades of the 17th century, but they did not combine into a single enlarged municipality. The City of London was unique among Europe’s capital cities in retaining its medieval boundaries. Westminster and other suburbs were left to develop their own administrative structures—a pattern replicated a hundred times over as London exploded in size, becoming the prototype of the modern metropolis.

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CITY OF LONDON FREEMEN’S SCHOOL

We know from the pandemic how important it is to belong, and the key role that schools play in establishing that sense of belonging. We encourage everyone in our community, whether they are children or adults, to aspire to learn, lead, and make a difference.

HISTORY

The School was founded in Brixton in 1854 by the City of London Corporation to provide ‘a religious and virtuous education’ for the orphaned children of the Freemen of the City of London; Christian principles remain at the heart of our ethos, although the School is non-denominational. Freemen’s is one of three schools governed and maintained by the City of London Corporation. In 1926 the School moved to Ashtead Park in Surrey, our present site, and now educates approximately 900 girls and boys, from age 7 to 18.

PASTORAL CARE

Pastoral care is at the heart of a Freemen’s education. During the lockdown period, our tutors were connecting with their pupils every week, making sure they were in good health, good spirits and tracking their wellbeing. It continues to be a really important part of the care we provide now that students are back in school, as the community adjusts to the changes brought about by the pandemic. We know that students need the support of their families, their friends and the teachers that know them so well.

This is particularly true of our boarding community, where a smaller boarding house means that our staff build strong, lasting relationships with every boarder. Whenever a child comes home to the boarding house there is always someone waiting for them, to challenge or push them, to study with, to advise and support them, and is why our boarding students do even better than our day students academically.

“‘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, December 2021

“Stellar results at both GCSE and A Level give the school the reputation as the best in the locality academically.”

The Good Schools Guide, December 2021

City of London Freemen’s School is a community of day and boarding pupils who like to look after one another.

CO-CURRICULAR

Alongside the sense of community, the co-curricular programme is integral to a Freemen’s education. We believe that young people learn as much about themselves, about their relationships with other people and the world around them, through what they learn outside of the classroom as well as in it. We make no apologies for the fact that Freemen’s is a busy place, and we encourage young people to go outside of their comfort zones and enjoy as many co-curricular activities on offer as possible. We like pupils, especially our boarding pupils, to be active, creative, and fully engaged. MAKE A DIFFERENCE

The third pillar of education at Freemen’s is the importance of service and giving something back. We want everyone in this community to have a desire to make a difference, whether it be through fundraising, developing strong community partnerships and collaborations or planting trees.

ENVIABLE ACADEMIC REPUTATION

We are fortunate to have an enviable reputation when it comes to academic outcomes. Our high level of success at GCSE and A Level speaks for itself and our pupils go to desirable university destinations, but we don’t put academic outcomes before any of the other things that matter in a young person’s development. We will encourage your child to think, to develop an inquiring mind, and when it is time for them to leave us, to want to learn further.

Recent GCSE results have been excellent, with 45% of students achieving the highest grade (9) and 89% of examinations awarded grades A*/A or equivalent (7–9). A Level results have been equally impressive with 49% of grades at the highest level (A*) and 95% of examinations awarded A*– B grades. Nearly all leavers go on to degree courses at universities or other higher education institutes. 2021 saw 67% of students receive an offer at a Russell Group university and 89% of students achieving their first choice or chosen insurance offer.

In the 2022 The Sunday Times Parent Power league tables nationwide, Freemen’s ranks 14th in the UK amongst co-educational independent schools for results at GCSE, and our students’ success in achieving A* (8/9) grades is significantly higher than any those of our neighbouring schools in Surrey. Freemen’s is also included in the top 50 schools of The School Guide Top 200 English Independent School League Table which is based on a unique combination of official performance data, and a result of our dedication to academic excellence.

BOARDING

The Boarding House (Walbrook) is a home-from-home for our pupils. It provides a safe, happy, family-like environment in which pupils and staff work together to promote a positive and supportive atmosphere which encourages success in all aspects of school life, which may explain why our boarders tend to perform slightly better at exams than our day students.

The aims of Walbrook are consistent with the School’s aims: • Providing each pupil with a calm, caring, safe and supportive family atmosphere in the Boarding House in which they can develop self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence. • Promoting mutual respect, good behaviour, responsibility, self-discipline and develop independence of action and decision-making amongst the boarding pupils. • Developing integrity, judgement, initiative, loyalty and leadership skills in the pupils.

Because numbers are small, staff know the pupils well and every Walbrook pupil benefits from individual attention and care. It also allows for greater integration across the School. Boarders are free to invite day students to ‘hang

out’ or with consent, join their day student friends for weekend visits.

We are a diverse school and welcome students from across the world. Current and recent students have the following nationalities: American, Australian, Belgian, Canadian, Chinese, Czech, Danish, German, Hong Kong, Indian, Irish, Japanese, South Korean, Lithuanian, Malaysian, New Zealand, Norwegian, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, South African, Spanish and Taiwanese.

The purpose-built coeducational Boarding House opened in 2014 with spaces for 60 students and has recently been expanded to cope with rising demand. Each student has a spacious bedroom (some single, others shared) sharing bathroom facilities with up to 12 other students in one of six apartments or pods. There are large social areas where all members of the House can meet and socialise, play snooker, or table football, watch TV, sing Karaoke or take part in the range of scheduled Boarding House activities. There are also kitchens and a laundry for students to use should they wish.

We are proud of our colleagues who put pupils at the heart of every decision they make and of our unpretentious, capable and often inspirational young people who demonstrate sound judgement and good values.

We would love you to come and visit us to get a sense of Freemen’s and to become part of our community.

www.freemens.org/ openevents

“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, December 2021

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT BOARDING

WHY SHOULD I CONSIDER A BOARDING EDUCATION?

There are many reasons why a family would choose to send their child to a boarding school, however, for most service parents, it is the knowledge that their child will benefit from a continuing education, enabling them to settle and forge friendships which will make for a more productive learning environment.

Boarding schools offer a safe and healthy boarding environment, enabling children to grow in confidence, each pupil being able and encouraged to discover and reach their full potential and recognise their own unique talents.

Boarding houses are communities, where every pupil matters and in which all can develop confidence and self-awareness, learning to live, communicate and support their fellow boarders in an ambitious and dynamic environment.

Whilst enjoying the boarding experience, they also learn to be self-reliant and resilient living within a community. They take on responsibility, mature as individuals and learn self-discipline within the clear boundaries set down for them.

The promotion of physical and mental health, as well as emotional wellbeing and happiness, is a core value to all boarding schools. WHAT DO YOU DO FOR THOSE CHILDREN WHO ARE HOME SICK?

Almost certainly the boarding staff will be very experienced and are used to dealing with children who may be away from home for the first time.

Children are well looked after and given the care and attention they need to settle smoothly and quickly. Staff will always get to know the boarders quickly and are also proactive in noticing when a child is becoming home sick, often playing games, or doing an activity to distract them from thinking about home.

The school day is a busy and buzzing one and children will enviably find themselves immersed in school life very quickly as well as enjoying all that is on offer within the boarding community.

WHAT BOARDING OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE?

Boarding Schools will offer full or a flexible approach to boarding, this is sometimes seen advertised as full or flexi.

Parents may choose to board their children from 1 night a week to 7 nights a week (full boarding). Boarding houses will try to be as accommodating as possible to each individual family’s needs but Weekends are an important time for boarders, those staying at weekends often get to enjoy a wide range of wonderful trips and excursions.

Not forgetting that sometimes the boarders will simply want to enjoy some down time too, whether it is playing games together, reading or anything that helps relax over the weekend. Of course weekend boarders are able to visit friends and family whilst still being on campus.

will appreciate as much notice as possible to any changes in the normal established routine for any individual child.

Day Pupils will usually be welcomed to flexi-boarding if space permits, this is a very popular option for families as they get the ‘best of both worlds’ and enjoy all that is on offer to the boarders.

HOW WILL BOARDING AFFECT MY CHILD?

When boarding children grow in confidence and resilience, as they learn to take responsibility for themselves. They become more independent as they progress up the school and more organised. They learn to get to the right place at the right time with the right equipment and kit. Living in a boarding community also encourages understanding, respect, and consideration of others.

Children love spending time with their friends and enjoy a good social life as boarders, building wonderful friendships. Without the daily travel they have more free time. This means time to spend with friends, better access to a wide range of activities and an ability to use the fantastic facilities boarding schools offer