City of London Freemen's School

The City of London Freemen's School was founded in 1854 by Warren Stormes Hale, Lord Mayor of London 1864-65, as a school originally intended to provide education for the orphaned children of freemen of the City of London. The school is owned and operated by the City of London Corporation — the local-government authority for the Square Mile of London — and is one of three independent schools maintained by the Corporation, alongside the City of London School for Boys and the City of London School for Girls. The school began in the City but moved in 1926 to its present location at Ashtead Park, Surrey — a 57-acre estate with a Grade II* listed mansion as its principal building.

The Headmaster is Roland Martin. The school is co-educational, ages 7-18, with around 970 pupils across an integrated Junior School (ages 7-11) and Senior School (ages 11-18). The school is a member of the HMC and is inspected by the ISI. Although the founding orphan-of-City-freeman intent has long since broadened, the school maintains a substantial bursary programme funded directly by the City of London Corporation, intended to provide access for families across Surrey and South London regardless of means.

The school's profile is strongest in music (with a strong choral and orchestral tradition), drama and the sciences. The 57-acre Ashtead Park campus provides extensive sports facilities and a particularly strong cross-country running and athletics programme. Old Freemen's include the BBC News presenter Hugh Edwards, who anchored the News at Ten for many years.

The school enjoys a unique relationship with the City of London livery companies and the historic institutions of the Square Mile, reflecting its 1854 foundation by the Lord Mayor.