City of London Freemen's School
Independent Co-educational Day & Boarding School · Est. 1854
City of London Freemen's School is delightfully grounded, outdoorsy, and genuinely high-achieving. Backed by the City of London Corporation — one of the world's oldest civic bodies — it carries a deep tradition of social purpose and financial accessibility. The campus is 57 acres of Surrey parkland; the pool is stunning; the CCF is active; the pastoral care is exceptional. But above all, Freemen's is a school for all-rounders who want elite academic results without the toxic hothouse pressure of London's most intense day schools. Children here thrive because they love to learn, not because they're afraid not to. It perfectly suits the energetic, curious, collaborative child who wants a top-tier education while still getting muddy on the sports pitch.
A top-50 independent co-educational school in 57 acres of Surrey parkland, backed by the City of London Corporation, with nationally ranked academic results, outstanding pastoral care, and bursaries covering up to 100% of fees.
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Ashtead Park, Ashtead, Surrey KT21 1ET
11+ Places
50–60
external (Year 7 ~110 total)
Day Fees
~£8,736
per term (Yr 7–8)
Total Pupils
~950
co-educational
Founded
1854
by City of London Corp
A-Level A*/B
92.2%
National Rank #49
GCSE 9-7
81.5%
National Rank #92
Best For
The energetic all-rounder — academically strong, enthusiastic about sport and co-curriculars, and looking for a genuinely collaborative, kind school environment in beautiful Surrey parkland without the pressure-cooker intensity of London's most selective day schools.
Watch Out For
Boarding is not available until Year 9 — Years 7 and 8 are day pupils only. The 11+ includes a group activities assessment that rewards collaborative behaviour; coached, over-rehearsed children tend to underperform. The exam includes NVR which many preps under-prepare for.
Entry Points
- 11+ (main)
- 13+ (ISEB Pre-Test)
- 16+ (Sixth Form)
The Complete Admissions Timeline
Every key date, deadline and decision point — with insider intelligence you won't find on the school website. Click any item to reveal verified insider knowledge.
The critical window: Registration closes in early October — earlier than most Surrey independents. The window from registration to exam is only 4–6 weeks, so preparation must be well underway before you apply.
Open Events
Exploring the magnificent 57-acre Ashtead Park campus in person is highly recommended. Open mornings run throughout the autumn term. The school strongly recommends visiting the year before you intend to apply.
Registration Deadline
The online application form must be submitted by early October, along with a £200 registration fee. Late applications are not accepted.
Entrance Examination
All registered candidates sit Freemen's bespoke written papers at the school: English (comprehension and creative writing), Mathematics (non-calculator), and Non-Verbal Reasoning.
Interviews & Group Activities
Shortlisted candidates are invited back for a one-on-one interview with senior academic staff and collaborative group assessment tasks with other candidates.
Offer Letters
Offer letters are dispatched to successful families by late January or early February.
Acceptance Deadline & Deposit
Families must formally confirm acceptance and pay the acceptance deposit by early March.
Key Dates At-a-Glance — 2026/2027 Entry
Registration closes
Early October (Year 6)
Entrance examination
November (Year 6)
Interviews & group activities
January (Year 6)
Offer letters
Late Jan / Early Feb (Year 6)
Acceptance deadline
Early March (Year 6)
Inside the Freemen's Entrance Assessment
Freemen's uses its own bespoke papers — not ISEB, CEM, or any third-party provider. This is important: standard adaptive test preparation alone is insufficient. The two-stage process (written papers in November, then interviews and group activities in January) means the school is assessing both academic ability and collaborative character.
Mathematics
~45–60 minutes · Written non-calculator paper
Candidates who rush through the arithmetic questions to get to 'the hard ones' consistently lose easy marks to careless errors. Every question in the first section is a guaranteed mark if approached carefully. Slow down, check, then accelerate.
English
~60 minutes (reading + writing combined) · Written comprehension + creative writing paper
The most common failure is surface-level comprehension answers with no textual evidence. Freemen's markers require a quote or specific reference for every inference answer. Additionally, the creative writing prompt rewards risk-taking — safe, predictable plots consistently underperform.
Non-Verbal Reasoning
~30–45 minutes · Written NVR paper (multiple choice)
Starting NVR preparation too late is the defining mistake. NVR skills improve with pattern exposure, not curriculum revision — you need volume of practice over several months, not intensive cramming in the final week. Begin a NVR workbook at least 3 months before November.
Group Activities
Interview ~15–20 min + group activities ~25–30 min · One-to-one interview + observed group activities
Over-coaching for the group activities is counter-productive. Children who arrive with 'leadership scripts' appear unnatural and are spotted immediately. Freemen's wants to see genuine collaborative instincts, not a performance. Build real group confidence through team sports and drama, not rehearsed lines.
Topic Difficulty & Weight
Difficulty (%) and exam weight by topic area
Key takeaway: Premium
Topic Breakdown
Known Exam Traps — Mathematics
The pattern: Candidates who rush through the arithmetic questions to get to 'the hard ones' consistently lose easy marks to careless errors. Every question in the first section is a guaranteed mark if approached carefully. Slow down, check, then accelerate.
If you can only improve in one area, make it
Mental Arithmetic & Shown Working
What this means in practice:
Dedicate 60%+ of prep time to this area
Practice under timed conditions regularly
Review mistakes immediately after each session
Track progress weekly to spot patterns
All focus areas ranked by impact:
#1
Mental Arithmetic & Shown Working
Mathematics
#2
Inference with Evidence & Creative Risk
English
#3
Systematic NVR Practice (Start Early)
Non-Verbal Reasoning
#4
Genuine Collaboration & Listening
Group Activities
Academic Performance vs National Average
Freemen's consistently outperforms national averages across both GCSE and A-Level examinations. These animated comparisons show where the school excels and how this translates to university placement opportunities.
A-Level Results Comparison
Camp Hill Girls vs. National Average — Higher percentages indicate stronger performance
What this means: Camp Hill Girls consistently exceeds national averages across all A-Level performance bands. With 65% A*/A compared to the national 38%, girls achieve top-tier results that support progression to leading universities, including Oxbridge, Russell Group institutions, and specialist programs in Medicine, Law, and STEM.
GCSE Grade Distribution Comparison
Cumulative percentage achieving each grade threshold — Camp Hill Girls vs. National Average
Grade Distribution Insight: Over 90% of Camp Hill Girls achieve grades 9-7 at GCSE, compared to 31% nationally. This exceptional spread demonstrates consistent high achievement across the cohort, with girls well-prepared for rigorous A-Level study.
Grade 9-8
52%
vs 18% national
Grade 9-7
90%
vs 31% national
Grade 9-6
98%
vs 64% national
Grade 9-5
99.5%
vs 82% national
University Placement Implications
- •
Oxbridge Eligibility
Strong A-Level performance (65% A*/A) makes girls competitive for Oxford and Cambridge, particularly in STEM and humanities.
- •
Russell Group Admission
90% GCSE 9-7 achievement provides strong foundation for Russell Group universities including Imperial, UCL, Durham, and Warwick.
- •
Competitive Edge
Results place girls in top 5% of UK cohort, giving advantage in Medicine, Law, and competitive STEM programs.
Supporting Strong Achievement
- •
No Pressure-Cooker Culture
Excellence achieved through supportive teaching, strong pastoral care, and girls' intrinsic motivation rather than relentless pressure.
- •
Well-Rounded Development
Balanced commitment to academics, co-curricular activities (sports, music, drama), and character formation.
- •
Resilience & Confidence
Girls develop confidence to tackle challenging subjects and university applications without anxiety-driven perfectionism.
GCSE Excellence
90%
Grade 9-7 achievement (vs 31% national)
A-Level Top Grades
65%
A*/A grades (vs 38% national)
Top Achievers
42%
A* grades at A-Level
University Ready
99.5%
Grade 5+ across GCSE
What Freemen's Is Really Looking For
The Freemen's interview is one-to-one with a senior member of staff and is designed to be a genuine conversation, not a formal examination. The group activities that follow are where many candidates trip up — these are specifically designed to observe collaborative behaviour and are taken seriously by assessors.
Contact Admissions
City of London Freemen's School Admissions Team
Insider Intel: What Other Parents Don't Know
These are the verified insights you will not find on the school website, in Good Schools Guide, or from any single tutoring agency. Each insight is compiled and cross-referenced from 68+ sources including official documents, parent reports, and tutoring industry data.This is the intelligence that gives ClassAce families an edge.
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- Timing windows other applicants don't know about
- Exam-day patterns and trap questions verified across 68+ sources
- Interview cues that decide marginal offers
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Common Mistakes Parents Make
The errors we see most often from families preparing for City of London Freemen's School. Avoid these and you're already ahead of the majority of applicants.
4 costly mistakes — and the fix for each
Most parents make at least three of these without realising. Subscribe to read every mistake and the corrective action.
- What to stop doing in the final 6 weeks
- The myth about practice papers that hurts most candidates
- Interview-day briefings that backfire
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Freemen's vs Competitor Schools
How does City of London Freemen's School compare to the schools your child is most likely also applying to? This analysis covers the key factors that actually matter to families.
| Factor | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| School Type | Co-educational, Day & Boarding | Boys, Day & Boarding | Co-educational, Day & Boarding | Co-educational, Day |
| Co-educational | ||||
| VR in Exam | ||||
| Annual Fee | ||||
| 11+ Difficulty | ||||
| Interview Style |
Why Parents Choose Freemen's
Points to Consider
Scholarships & Financial Support
| Scholarship Type | Value | Available Places | Selection Method | Stackable? |
|---|
The Preparation Roadmap
Everything here is built around City of London Freemen's School's specific exam format, interview style, and selection criteria. This is not generic 11+ advice. Every recommendation is calibrated to this school.
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Intelligence Score
Updated April 2026 · 68 sources