View source for City of London Freemen's School

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{{short description|Private school in Surrey, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2023}}
{{More citations needed|date=May 2014}}
{{Infobox school 
| name          = City of London Freemen's School (CLFS)
| image         = Coat of Arms of The City of London.svg
| image_size    = 240px
| caption       = 
| motto         = {{langx|la|Domine Dirige Nos}}
| established   = 1854
| type          = [[Independent school]] <br> Day and boarding school
| coordinates   = {{coord|51|18|28|N|00|17|14|W|type:edu_region:GB|display=inline,title}}
| pushpin_map   = Surrey#England#United Kingdom 
| religion      = 
| president     = 
| head_label    = Headmaster
| head          = Roland Martin
| r_head_label  = 
| r_head        = 
| chair_label   = 
| chair         = 
| founder       = 
| specialist    = 
| address       = [[Ashtead Park]]
| city          = [[Ashtead]]
| county        =[[Surrey]] 
| country       = [[England]]
| postcode      = KT21 1ET
| local_authority = 
| urn           = 125349
| ofsted        = 
| staff         = 
| enrolment    = 842
| gender        = Co-educational
| lower_age     = 7
| upper_age     = 18
| houses        = Hale, Gresham and Whittington
| colours       = red and white
{{color box|#A71A24}}{{color box|White}}
| publication   = 
| free_label_1  = {{URL|https://www.facebook.com/groups/407189859348180/}}
| free_1        = 
| free_label_2  = 
| free_2        = 
| free_label_3  = 
| free_3        = 
| website       = {{URL|https://www.freemens.org/}}
}}
'''City of London Freemen's School''' ('''CLFS''') is a co-educational [[Private schools in the United Kingdom|private school]] for day and boarding pupils, located at [[Ashtead Park]] in [[Surrey]], England. It is the sister school of the [[City of London School]] and the [[City of London School for Girls]], which are both independent single-sex schools located within the City of London itself. All three schools receive funding from the [[City's Cash]].<ref name="City's Cash A R 2016">{{cite web|title=CITY'S CASH ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2016|url=https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/about-the-city/budgets-and-spending/Documents/citys-cash-accounts-2016.pdf|website=www.cityoflondon.gov.uk|publisher=Corporation of the City of London|access-date=5 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107031425/https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/about-the-city/budgets-and-spending/Documents/citys-cash-accounts-2016.pdf|archive-date=2017-11-07|url-status=live}}</ref> The school's head is a member of the [[Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference]].

The ''[[Good Schools Guide]]'' described the school as "A traditional academic and sporty school in a stunning setting with impressive facilities but not at all elitist – in fact quite the opposite."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://goodschoolsguide.co.uk/school/city-of-london-freemens-school.html |title=Schools |publisher=The Good Schools Guide |access-date=2014-05-20 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101130203436/http://www.goodschoolsguide.co.uk/school/city-of-london-freemens-school.html |archive-date=2010-11-30 }}</ref> In 2023, 60% of pupils achieved A*-A in A Levels and 84% achieved 9-7 in GCSEs.<ref>{{Cite web |last=StudyLink |first=Britannia |date=2020-12-28 |title=City Of London Freemen's School - Review, Fees, And More |url=https://britannia-study.com.my/uk-boarding-school/city-of-london-freemens-school |access-date=2024-04-05 |website=Britannia StudyLink Malaysia: UK Study Expert |language=en-GB}}</ref>

== History{{anchor|School for Orphans of Freemen of the City of London Act 1850}} ==
{{Infobox UK legislation
| short_title           = Foundation of a School for Orphans of Freemen of the City of London Act 1850
| type                  = Act
| parliament            = Parliament of the United Kingdom
| long_title            = An Act for establishing a School for Orphans of Freemen of the City of London.
| year                  = 1850
| citation              = [[13 & 14 Vict.]] c. ''10''
| introduced_commons    = 
| introduced_lords      = 
| territorial_extent    = 
| royal_assent          = 14 August 1850
| commencement          = 
| expiry_date           = 
| repeal_date           = 
| amends                = 
| replaces              = 
| amendments            = 
| repealing_legislation = 
| related_legislation   = 
| status                = current
| legislation_history   = 
| theyworkforyou        = 
| millbankhansard       = 
| original_text         = https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukppa/Vict/13-14/10/pdfs/ukppa_18500010_en.pdf
| revised_text          = 
| use_new_UK-LEG        = 
| UK-LEG_title          = 
| collapsed             = yes
}}
The school was founded in 1854 by the Corporation of London, and was originally located in [[Brixton]], London to educate orphans of [[Freedom of the City of London|freemen]] of the city.<ref name="History">{{Cite web |url= https://www.freemens.org/schoolhistory |publisher= City of London Freemen's School |title= History |year= 2021 |access-date= 13 May 2021 |archive-date= 6 August 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200806063955/https://www.freemens.org/schoolhistory |url-status= live }}</ref> It is still possible for such children to be educated as "Foundationers" at the school with the costs of their education borne by the [[City of London Corporation]].  The school is set in {{convert|57|acre|m2}} of Ashtead Park in Surrey, having moved from Brixton to Ashtead in 1926.<ref name="History"/>

== Boarding house ==
[[File:Ashtead Park House (June 2021).jpg|thumb|right|Ashtead Park House]]
The boarding house is next to Main House and the junior school.

== Old Freemen's ==
Once pupils leave school they become part of ''Old Freemen’s Association'', which includes the Old Freemen's Rugby Football Club, Cricket Club and Hockey Club. There is also a [[Guild of Scholars]] of the City of London, which was formed to encourage former pupils from the three ‘City schools’ to develop links with the [[City of London]]. Membership is open to all former pupils, staff, and retired staff, who must have obtained their ‘Freedom of the City of London’ but there is no subscription.

In addition any pupil aged 14–17 who is still at school may apply to become an apprentice to a [[Freedom of the City|Freeman of the City]]. They will then be entitled, at the age of 21, to apply for the [[Freedom of the City]] and membership of the Guild of Scholars.{{cn|date= April 2024}}

==Feeder schools==
* [[Danes Hill School]], [[Oxshott]]
* [[Homefield Preparatory School]], [[Sutton, London|Sutton]]
* [[Downsend School]], [[Ashtead]]
* [[Kingswood House School]], [[Epsom]]
* [[Milbourne Lodge School]], [[Esher]]
* [[Aberdour School]], [[Burgh Heath]]

==Notable former pupils==
{{see also|Category:People educated at City of London Freemen's School}}
Former pupils are known as Old Freemen. Some better known Old Freemen include:<!---♦♦♦ Please keep the list in alphabetical order by LAST NAME ♦♦♦--->
* [[Rory Burns]] - Surrey and England cricketer<ref name=CLFS_alumni>{{cite web |url= https://www.freemens.org/alumni |title= Development and alumini relations |publisher= City of London Freemen's School |access-date= 18 January 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cricinfo.com/england/content/player/398778.html |title=Rory Burns &#124; England Cricket &#124; Cricket Players and Officials &#124; ESPN Cricinfo |publisher=Cricinfo.com |access-date=2014-05-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100914124228/http://www.cricinfo.com/england/content/player/398778.html |archive-date=2010-09-14 |url-status=live }}</ref>
* [[Simon Cowell (presenter)]] - MBE, presenter of ''[[Animal Planet]]'' and ''[[Wildlife SOS]]''<ref>{{cite journal|date=March 2013|title=The Ashtead Link|url=https://issuu.com/oldfrees/docs/link_27|journal=The Ashtead Link - Journal of the Old Freemen's Association|issue=27|pages=12–13, 16–17|access-date=15 July 2022}}</ref>
* [[Warwick Davis]] - actor, star of ''[[Willow (1988 film)|Willow]]'', also appeared in the [[Star Wars]] and [[Harry Potter]] movie series<ref name=CLFS_alumni/><ref>{{cite news |last= Ryder |first= Liam |date= 30 April 2022 |title= Warwick Davis' quiet life in Epsom - from growing up in Surrey to lucky Star Wars break |url= https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/warwick-davis-quiet-life-epsom-23832310  |work= Surrey Live |access-date= 14 May 2022 }}</ref>
* [[Andrew Garfield]] - actor, appeared in the film ''[[The Amazing Spider-Man (2012 film)|The Amazing Spider-Man]]'' and others<ref name=CLFS_alumni/> 
* [[Andrew Goddard]] - [[gastroenterology|gastroenterologist]]<ref>{{Who's Who | year= 2022 | title=Goddard, Sir Andrew (Francis) | id= U283172 | doi= 10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U283172 }}</ref>
* [[Ashley Mote]] - former [[UK Independence Party|UKIP]] [[Member of the European Parliament|MEP]]<ref>{{Who's Who | year= 2021 | title=Mote, Ashley | id= U45096 | doi= 10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U45096 }}</ref>
* [[Anders Nielsen (badminton)|Anders Nielsen]] - [[badminton]] player<ref name=CLFS_alumni/>
* [[Alexandra Rickham]] - [[Paralympic Games|Paralympic]] sailor<ref name=CLFS_alumni/>
* [[Guy Spier]] - investor<ref>{{cite book |last= Spier |first= Guy |year= 2014 |title= The education of a value investor |publisher= Palgrave Macmillan |location= New York |isbn= 978-1-13-727881-4 |at= Chapter 2: The perils of an elite education }}</ref>
* [[Joe Strummer]]-lead singer of [[punk rock]] band [[the Clash]]. Strummer's real name was John Mellor (died December 2002)<ref name=CLFS_alumni/>
* [[Gavin Turk]] -  one of the [[Young British Artists]]<ref name=CLFS_alumni/>
* [[Andy Ward (musician)|Andy Ward]] - [[progressive rock]] drummer best known for playing in [[Camel (band)|Camel]] in the 1970s<ref>{{cite web | url= http://andywardmusic.com/history.htm | title= A Drummer's Tale | work= Official Andy Ward Website | access-date= 4 August 2015 | url-status= dead | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150811151327/http://andywardmusic.com/history.htm | archive-date= 11 August 2015 }}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.freemens.org/ Official website]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20101130203436/http://www.goodschoolsguide.co.uk/school/city-of-london-freemens-school.html Profile at the Good Schools Guide]
*[http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk Cityoflondon.gov.uk]

{{Schools in Surrey}}
{{Mole Valley}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Boarding schools in Surrey]]
[[Category:Private schools in Surrey]]
[[Category:History of the City of London]]
[[Category:Member schools of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference]]
[[Category:Educational institutions established in 1854]]
[[Category:1854 establishments in England]]
[[Category:Freedom of the City]]