Freemen’s A Level students celebrate strong results despite two years of disruption

• 90% of grades achieved were A* - B grades 
• 75% of grades achieved were A* / A grades 
• 45% of all grades achieved were A* grades 
• 100% of grades achieved were A*- C grades 

Students at City of London Freemen’s School in Ashtead are celebrating impressive A Level results this year, despite the disruption of the last two years. 90% of all grades achieved were A*- B and the percentage of A* grades awarded (45%) reflects the resilience shown by Freemen’s students.

Despite a general trend across education settings seeing a reduction in top grades compared to the results from the last two years, Freemen’s 2022 A Level results have not seen a significant fall.

Such continued excellence is reassuring, given that this is the first time this cohort has undertaken external examinations, with their formal GCSE assessments having been cancelled in 2020 owing to the pandemic. These results mark a return to the traditional set of exam outcomes since the COVID-19 challenges resulted in the nationwide use of Centre Assessed Grade in 2020, and Teacher Assessed Grades last year. 

“I should like to extend huge congratulations to our students who have demonstrated remarkable resilience given the challenges they have had over the last two years. They should be admired for the way in which they have approached their studies given the inevitable compromises to their school life they have experienced,” said Roland Martin, Headmaster at City of London Freemen’s School. 

“In addition, these results are testament to the emphasis the School has placed on pastoral care and the importance of mental health and wellbeing of our students. They also reflect the rigour Freemen’s previously put in place to provide accurate results during the pandemic. In the absence of centralised examinations in 2020 and 2021, we ensured our students produce outcomes which are a true representation of their talents. This is now playing out in the largely consistent set of results produced this year, on the return of the first set of formal examinations since 2019,” added Mr Martin. 

“We should like to congratulate our students not only on their impressive A Level results, but also for the difference their contributions have made at Freemen’s. We believe in an holistic education and we have been fortunate with the leavers of 2022 that many of them have been so keen to develop through the opportunities here outside of the classroom – so important as they prepare for life beyond school – as well as maximising their intellectual potential inside the classroom. I hope that we have prepared our leavers for bright and successful futures and we wish them every success as they move on to the next phase in their lives, with places achieved at top UK universities.”

Freemen’s is incredibly proud of the students who have secured places on a huge range of courses at competitive universities. The vast majority of students have been placed on their first choice of course, with students gaining places to read Medicine, Economics, Law and Architecture, amongst many other popular subjects, at highly selective universities. Freemen’s students have again enjoyed Oxbridge success this year, with two students confirming their places at Oxford for PPE and Material Sciences, whilst one student will be taking up a place at Cambridge to study Linguistics. 

Philip Woodhouse, Chairman of the Board of Governors of the City of London Freemen's School, commented, “Students should be very proud of their considerable achievements, particularly in light of the fact that this is the first time that they have encountered the traditional examination process for awarding grades. I very much hope they have enjoyed being the inaugural year group which has experienced life in the visionary Sixth Form facility, which - having been opened in September 2021 - has been developed to ensure that students in the Sixth Form have the best education possible.

The City of London Corporation is committed to providing access to world-class education and learning opportunities and I am grateful to the Headmaster and all our dedicated staff for the commitment that they show in supporting students at Freemen’s.

I hope the leavers will be able to make the most of the experience that they have had during their time at Freemen’s and that they will stay in touch with our special School. They have set a fantastic standard for what can be achieved in the future. We wish them luck with whatever they choose to do."

A multi-million pound investment programme was undertaken at the School with the refurbishment transforming Main House at the heart of Ashtead Park into a new Sixth Form Centre featuring dedicated learning and social spaces. 

Another year of impressive GCSE successes at Freemen’s despite a return to formal examinations.

• 42% of grades achieved were 9s
• 69% of grades were 8s or 9s
• 86% of grades were 7, 8 or 9s
• 29 students achieved all 8s and 9s

Students at City of London Freemen’s School in Ashtead are celebrating impressive GCSE results this year, despite the disruption of the last two years. 69% of all grades achieved were 8 or 9 and the percentage of 9 grades achieved (42%) reflects the resilience shown by Freemen’s students.

Despite a general trend across education settings seeing a reduction in top grades compared to the results from the last two years, Freemen’s 2022 GCSE results have not seen a significant fall.

Headmaster, Roland Martin, commented, “These GCSE results are impressive, and our students, staff and parents should rightly be proud of these achievements. We are delighted that 42% of the papers assessed were awarded the top grade of 9 and I am delighted that in a difficult context that pupils at Freemen’s have done so well.”

Such continued excellence is reassuring, given the impact of the pandemic on students’ school and home lives. These results mark a return to the traditional set of exam outcomes since the COVID-19 challenges resulted in the nationwide use of Centre Assessed Grades in 2020, and Teacher Assessed Grades last year. 

“I should like to extend huge congratulations to our students who have demonstrated such a commitment to their studies, given the challenges they have had over the last two years. They should be admired for the way in which they have approached their learning given the inevitable compromises to their school life they have experienced as a result of the pandemic,” said Roland Martin, Headmaster at City of London Freemen’s School. 

“In addition, these results are testament to the emphasis the School has placed on pastoral care and the importance of mental health and wellbeing of our students. They also reflect the rigour Freemen’s previously put in place to provide accurate results during the pandemic. In the absence of centralised examinations in 2020 and 2021, we ensured our students produced outcomes which are a true representation of their talents. This is now playing out in the largely consistent set of results produced this year, on the return of the first set of formal examinations since 2019,” added Mr Martin. 

In line with the A Level results there has been a much smaller than expected deflation of the top grades for Freemen’s students. Whilst nationally results have been brought back towards 2019 parity it appears that Freemen’s results have been deflated less than the national average. This reflects not only the hard work of our students and staff in 2022 but also the integrity and professionalism Freemen’s applied to the 2020 and 2021 grading requirements.

“In the context of these solid results, it must not be overlooked that our students continue to flourish outside the classroom in music and drama, as well as achieving success as part of our sports teams and regularly volunteering within the local community, not to mention all that they have accomplished in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and CCF, which cannot be reflected in exam grades,” noted Mr Martin.

Supporting students in maintaining a balance between academic studies and emotional and physical wellbeing is an important part of day-to-day life at Freemen’s. This has become a key priority for the School, particularly throughout the pandemic and no doubt has played a part in the success story of this year’s GCSE results.

Head of Upper School, Sophie Blair remarked, “There is certainly a great deal of pressure on young people as they build towards their first set of public examinations notwithstanding the impact of a global pandemic, and we have been impressed at the resilience our pupils have continued to demonstrate. Freemen’s pupils have not only excelled themselves academically, but have also maintained perspective, supported their peers and prioritised their own emotional wellbeing over the last two years. We are hugely proud of every single one of them.”

Philip Woodhouse, Chairman of the Board of Governors of the City of London Freemen's School, was enthusiastic about this year’s outcomes. “After last week’s very impressive A Level results it was encouraging to hear more good news this week and to see that the excellent academic standards at the School have been maintained, despite the challenges all schools have faced as we navigated COVID-19. We appreciate that an enormous amount of work goes into supporting pupils’ academic and co-curricular needs at our school and there has been a drive to strengthen the pastoral support for students at Freemen’s in recent years too, so that children are best prepared for their future. My congratulations to students, parents and staff at the School and I look forward to your return for the new school year.”

We look forward to welcoming the students back into the Sixth Form at the start of the new academic year, where – along with 35 new students joining from other schools -  they will begin an exciting journey of study in the visionary Sixth Form centre. Having been opened in September 2021, the new facility has been developed to ensure that students in the Sixth Form have the best education possible.

Students at Freemen’s once again prove their worth at GCSE despite exam chaos.

• 43% of our students were the top grade of 9
• 72% of all grades were 8 or 9 
• 91% of all grades achieved were 7, 8 or 9
• 30% of students gained 10 or more 8 or 9 grades
• 5 students achieved all 9s
• 911 grades were awarded to our GCSE students

In spite of the chaos surrounding GCSE exams this year, students at City of London Freemen’s School in Ashtead once again received outstanding GCSE results. 43% of all grades conferred were graded 9 and 72% of grades achieved were 8 or 9.

Headmaster, Roland Martin, commented, “These GCSE results are outstanding, and our students, staff and parents should rightly be proud of these achievements. We are delighted that 43% of our students were awarded the top grade of 9 and I am delighted that, in spite a very challenging few months, pupils at Freemen’s have done so well.

“I am relieved for young people here, and those across the country, that our Government saw sense and made the decision to allow Centre Assessed Grades to be awarded to our students. I was always confident in the grades we recommended to examination boards and as importantly, I was under no doubt that we had stuck to the guidance to the letter and had not tried to game the system in any way. Colleagues have invested hours of work into providing accurate predictions and rank orders and our processes have been rigorous; above all, we have achieved fair and accurate prediction of performance based on data and information from those closest to the pupils - our teaching staff, who know their charges extremely well. I extend my thanks to colleagues at Freemen’s for delivering a process which has cemented a true reflection of our pupils’ attainment.”

Following the chaos surrounding A Level grades last week, Freemen’s made the unprecedented decision to accept all prospective Sixth Form applicants based on their interviews and predicted grades, rather than waiting for GCSE results to be published.

"Given the outcry following the publication of last week's A Level results, I took the decision to confirm all conditional offers held by candidates looking to join our Sixth Form as accepted, regardless of the outcome of GCSE results. This was absolutely the right thing to do given the circumstances,” suggested Mr Martin. "At Freemen's, our screening and interview process for potential Sixth Form students is rigorous and reliable. As an academically selective School with a proven track record in exam success, this demonstrates that as a school leader, I have the utmost faith in our own selection process. So many talented young people have been let down by the events of the last week, that we took matters into our own hands and have accepted all candidates we felt to be of a sufficient standard to study A Levels at Freemen's regardless of their GCSE results. This decision has removed much of the anguish our applicants were feeling and has enabled talented students make the move to A Level study, based on our rigorous application process alone."

“Like many school leaders, I am still angered by the way that this year’s examination cohort has been treated when they were already trying to navigate one of the most stressful times of their lives. The fact that the Chair of Ofqual had to be invited by a journalist to apologise for the chaos of the previous week or so emphasises the detachment between those who shape policy decisions that impact young people and those who know them best – in the context of education, their teachers. It has been a very fraught period for students, teachers and school leaders, as well as for parents and families and much of the anxiety could have been avoided by clearer consideration of consequences and more informed decision making.”

Supporting students working remotely during lockdown in maintaining a balance between keeping up with academic studies and emotional and physical wellbeing continues to have been an important part of day-to-day life at Freemen’s. 

Students have demonstrated huge courage and determination in the face of the cancellation of their external examinations, having taken full advantage of the Sixth Form bridging courses devised by Freemen’s teaching staff. GCSE students were afforded the opportunity to further develop their studies in their chosen A Level subjects, in order to provide them with a head start on their Sixth Form studies.

Said Philip Woodhouse, Chairman of the Board of Governors of the City of London Freemen's School “After last week’s record-breaking A Level results it was encouraging to hear more good news this week and to see that the excellent academic standards at the Freemen’s School have been maintained, despite a series of upsets. We appreciate that an enormous amount of effort went into the Sixth Form bridging courses, so that children are best prepared for their futures. My congratulations to students, parents and staff at the School.”

We look forward to welcoming the students back into the Sixth Form at the start of the new academic year, where they will transition to the new state-of-the-art Sixth Form Centre in Main House during the early part of 2021.

Freemen’s A Level students celebrate record-breaking success despite this year’s challenges. 

• 94% of grades achieved were A* - B grades 
• 79% of grades achieved were A* - A grades 
• 44% of all grades achieved were A* grades 
• 100% of grades achieved were A* - C grades 

Students at City of London Freemen’s School in Ashtead are celebrating record-breaking A Level results this year, despite the chaotic circumstances surrounding grade allocation. 94% of all grades achieved were A*- B and the percentage of A* grades awarded (44%) is the highest that the School has achieved. Such continued excellence is reassuring, given A Level students in the UK face a particularly challenging environment at the moment. 

Freemen’s is continuing to improve despite having historically outstanding results – this reflects the significant investment in teaching and learning over recent years, the expertise of the staff and the incremental approach that see’s Freemen’s’ students peak as they reach the end of the Sixth Form. 

“I extend my congratulations all A Level students on their resilience throughout this challenging time,” said Roland Martin, Headmaster, City of London Freemen’s School. “Not only have our students missed out on their final weeks of their careers at Freemen’s, they have also been unable to enjoy so many of their final events. They have demonstrated huge courage and determination in the face of the cancellation of their external examinations, having taken full advantage of the university bridging courses devised by our teaching staff, and I am immensely proud of each and every success.” 

“The circumstances around grading this year have been incredibly challenging for schools. Colleagues here and across the country have put hours of work into providing accurate predictions and rank orders only for them to be ignored. At Freemen’s, 42% of the grades awarded were lower than the Centre Assessed Grades which we took pains to provide through rigorous and accountable process. The hurried, eleventh-hour suggestion that mock grades could be taken as an alternative is further evidence that there is a disconnect between Government ministers and school operations. How non-standardised assessments can be a better alternative than the judgement of professionals who have been working with pupils during their studies is highly questionable.” 

“I should like to thank my colleagues – Mr Bridges, Heads of Department, subject teachers, our examinations officer, Mrs Williams - who have worked so hard to ensure that students were supported during this period, not least in the predicted results that were submitted. Our processes were rigorous and onerous as we were determined to have a narrative that could prove what we felt this cohort deserved.” 

University bridging courses, devised by Freemen’s teaching staff, were undertaken by A Level students following lock-down, allowing them to use the time productively to further their skills and studies and providing them with a solid start to university life. In light of the cancellation of formal examinations, the School supported students moving on to study undergraduate courses, during the period of remote learning. Freemen’s responded to research which has shown that students are more likely to flourish if they have both an understanding of what is to be expected of them and prior experience of work that is geared towards the demands of study for undergraduate courses. 

Paul Bridges, Deputy Head Academic, commented, “I hope that we have prepared our leavers for bright and successful futures, despite the period of remote learning, and we wish them every success.” 

Freemen’s is incredibly proud of the students have who have received offers for places on a huge range of courses at a number of highly competitive universities, so-called ‘higher tariff providers’. Freemen’s students have enjoyed considerable Oxbridge success this year, with five students holding offers from Oxford for PPE, Classics, Materials Science, Engineering Science and Psychology, whilst four students hold offers from Cambridge for Medicine, Engineering, Mathematics and Natural Sciences, so it is vitally important that our students are as well-prepared as possible for these demanding undergraduate courses. In addition, PSHE sessions were delivered on topics related to the transition from school to university. 

Philip Woodhouse, Chairman of the Board of Governors of City of London Freemen's School, commented, “In any normal year, an enormous amount of effort goes into preparing for these examinations, let alone given the challenges our students have faced during this very trying period. The provision of bridging courses for students in such a short time frame has no doubt assisted our talented Sixth Form students with an accelerated start to their university life. I remain in awe of both students and staff for the tremendous efforts they have demonstrated in such challenging circumstances.”

With reference to the exciting new provision for future Sixth Form students, said Mr Woodhouse, “The visionary Sixth Form facility, which is nearing completion in the Main House here at Freemen’s, will ensure that future students in the Sixth Form will continue to enjoy the best education possible.” 

A multi-million pound investment programme is underway at the School with the refurbishment of the Main House at the heart of Ashtead Park into a new Sixth Form Centre featuring dedicated learning and social spaces.

• 35% of the 980 papers assessed were the top grade of A* or 9
• 99% of all grades achieved were 9-5
• 83% of all grades achieved were A*, A, 7, 8 or 9
• 60% of all grades achieved were A*, 8 or 9
• 20 students gained all A*, 8 or 9 grades
• 4 students achieved all 9

Following the recent major examination reforms, the students and staff of City of London Freemen’s School in Ashtead achieved another year of outstanding GCSE results. 35% of all grades achieved were A*/9 grades and 60% of grades achieved were A*, 8 or 9; the modal average for the cohort is Grade 9.

Headmaster, Roland Martin, commented, “These GCSE results are outstanding, and our students, staff and parents should rightly be proud of these achievements. We are delighted that 35% of the 980 papers assessed were awarded the top grade of A*/9 and I am delighted that in a difficult context – eight out of ten school leaders condemning the increased difficulty of GCSE examinations and the impact that they have had on students – that pupils at Freemen’s have done so well.

It is particularly impressive that as well as studying English Language and Mathematics at GCSE, every pupil here takes a compulsory core of five subjects, including not only English Literature, but also all three separate sciences: it’s a traditional curriculum which is under review. I am hugely grateful to colleagues and students for their hard work and commitment throughout the year.”

“In the context of these solid results, it must not be overlooked that our students continue to flourish outside the classroom in music and drama, as well as achieving success as part of our sports teams and regularly volunteering within the local community, not to mention all that they have accomplished in the Duke of Edinburgh Award and CCF, which cannot always be reflected in exam grades,”

Supporting students in maintaining a balance between academic studies and emotional and physical wellbeing is an important part of day-to-day life at Freemen’s. This has become a key priority for the School and no doubt has played a part in the success story of this year’s GCSE results.

Head of Upper School, Sophie Blair remarked, “There is certainly a great deal of pressure on young people as they build towards their first set of public examinations and we have been impressed at the resilience our pupils have continued to demonstrate. Freemen’s pupils have not only excelled themselves academically, but have also maintained perspective, supported their peers and prioritised their own emotional wellbeing over the last two years. We are hugely proud of every single one of them.”

Philip Woodhouse, Chairman of the Board of Governors of the City of London Freemen's School, was enthusiastic about this year’s outcomes. “After last week’s very impressive A Level results it was encouraging to hear more good news this week and to see that the excellent academic standards at the Freemen’s School have been maintained. We appreciate that an enormous amount of work goes into supporting pupils’ academic and co-curricular needs at the School and there has been a drive to strengthen the pastoral support for students at Freemen’s in recent years too, so that children are best prepared for their futures. My congratulations to students, parents and staff at the School.”

We look forward to welcoming the students back into the Sixth Form at the start of the new academic year, where they will begin an exciting original curriculum at the School, incorporating the Free Minds programme, alongside their A levels studies.

• 86% of grades achieved were A* - B grades
• 62% of grades achieved were A* / A grades
• 30% of all grades achieved were A* grades
• 93% of grades achieved were A*- C grades

Students at City of London Freemen’s School in Ashtead are again celebrating impressive A level results this year. 86% of all grades achieved were A*- B and the percentage of A* grades awarded (30%) is the second highest that the School has achieved. Such continued excellence is reassuring as schools in the UK face a particularly challenging environment at the moment. A Level reforms and disruption amongst University admissions departments have required the staff and students of Freemen's to adapt in order to maintain our high standards. We are proud of the fact we have done so without compromising the holistic education which is so important to the School. 

“This year group was exceptionally hard-working and very much deserve their successes,” suggested Headmaster Roland Martin. “We should like to congratulate our students here not only on their impressive A level results, but also for the difference their contributions have made at Freemen’s. We believe in an holistic education and we have been fortunate with the leavers of 2019 that many of them have been so keen to develop through the opportunities here outside of the classroom – so important as they prepare for life beyond school – as well as maximising their intellectual potential inside the classroom. It is very much a team effort here at Freemen’s and well-motivated students are supported by excellent teachers; committed non-teaching staff; dedicated coaches and peripatetic music staff and supportive parents: it’s a winning combination.

The educational context is worth noting: we are now firmly in the realm of linear A levels and the press has been vocal about the ‘tougher’ nature of these papers; both our staff and our students have responded well to the challenges that the new examinations have brought.

I hope that we have prepared our leavers for bright and successful futures and we wish them every success.”

Philip Woodhouse, Chairman of the Board of Governors of the City of London Freemen's School, commented, “An enormous amount of graft goes into preparing for these examinations and the students, staff and parents should be very proud of their considerable achievements. It is a great pleasure to be starting my Chairmanship at such an exciting time for the School and the visionary Sixth Form facility which is now being developed in the Main House here at Freemen’s will ensure that students in the Sixth Form will have the best education possible.

The City of London Corporation is committed to providing access to world-class education and learning opportunities and I am grateful to the Headmaster and his dedicated staff for the commitment that they show in supporting students at Freemen’s.

I hope the leavers will be able to make the most of the experience that they have had during their time at Freemen’s and that they will stay in touch with this special School. They have set a fantastic standard for what can be achieved in the future.”

A multi-million pound investment programme is underway at the School with the refurbishment of the Main House at the heart of Ashtead Park into a new Sixth Form Centre featuring dedicated learning and social spaces.

• 35% of the 590 papers assessed numerically were the top grade of 9
• 96% of all grades achieved were A*-B or 9-6
• 83% of all grades achieved were A*-A or 7, 8 or 9
• 64% of all grades achieved were A*, 8 or 9
• 17 students gained 10 or more A*, 8 or 9
• 100 % of students achieved 5 or more grades at A*-C (or grade 4 and above)

Following major examination reforms, the students and staff of City of London Freemen’s School in Ashtead have had a challenging two years where they have had to negotiate an ever-changing education landscape under increasing levels of pressure.

“It is thanks to the hard work and commitment of our students, the dedication and professionalism of our teaching staff and the consistent collaboration of parents that the School is able to celebrate such impressive GCSE results,” Headmaster, Roland Martin, commented. “Being in the mixed economy of grades and numbers depending on subjects does not make for the easiest data analysis – as employers will no-doubt find in the future when they look at Curriculum Vitaes! However, we are delighted that 35% of the 590 papers assessed numerically were awarded the top grade of 9 while the percentage of examinations assessed at 9, 8, and A* overall from this group of students was an impressive 64%. This looks to have been another fantastic year at the School and I am hugely grateful to colleagues and students for their hard work and commitment.”

96% of grades at Freemen’s were graded at A*-B and 9-6 and an impressive 83% were assessed at 9-7, A* and A. These results become all the more remarkable when you consider that these same students have also spent the last two years starring in our various theatre and music productions, achieving sport success as part of our sports teams and regularly volunteering within the local community, not to mention all that they have accomplished in the Duke of Edinburgh Award and CCF.

It is no wonder then given the increase in academic expectation and workload, that the press is consistently reporting on the mental health pressures facing young people. This is why the physical and emotional wellbeing of students has become an integral part of day-to-day life at Freemen’s.

Head of Upper School, Sophie Blair, who has been taking a Senior Leadership lead in this area, remarked, “There is no doubt that there is a great deal of pressure on young people as they build towards their first set of public examinations and we have been impressed at the resilience our pupils have shown this year. Freemen’s pupils have not only excelled themselves academically, but have also maintained perspective, supported their peers and prioritised their own emotional wellbeing over the last two years. We are hugely proud of every single one of them.”

Chairman Roger Chadwick OBE, Board of Governors of the City of London Freemen's School, at the City of London Corporation, was enthusiastic about this year’s outcomes. “After last week’s very impressive A Level results it was encouraging to hear more good news this week and to see that the excellent academic standards at the Freemen’s School have been maintained. We Governors know that an enormous amount of work goes into supporting pupils’ academic and co-curricular needs at the School and there has been a drive to strengthen the pastoral support for students at Freemen’s in recent years too, which we have been enthusiastic to support so that children are best prepared for their futures. My congratulations to students, parents and staff at the School.”

Everyone at Freemen’s looks forward to watching our GCSE students as they grow and make a difference in the Sixth Form.

For more information, go to the school’s website: www.freemens.org

• 88% of grades achieved were A* - B grades (-1% on last year, +4% on 2016)
• 64% of grades achieved were A* / A grades (-1% on last year, + 8% on 2016)
• 27% of all grades achieved were A* grades (-4% on last year, +5% on 2016)
• 98% of grades achieved were A*-C grades (+2% on last year)

Students at City of London Freemen’s School in Ashtead are celebrating impressive A level results, despite the challenge of the exams changing to the new linear format.  88% of all grades achieved were A*-B, which represents just a 1% drop on last year and 4% increase on 2016. 64% of grades achieved were A* or A grades, while just over 1 in four grades achieved were A*.

“This is the first cohort at Freemen’s and nationally to be set the challenge of linear A Levels since Curriculum 2000 was introduced, a significant challenge both for students and teachers across the country,” said Headmaster, Roland Martin. “Important to mention too that teachers across the country have been coping with significant change at A Level and at GCSE these last two years and I should like to commend colleagues here at Freemen’s and professionals nationally for the dedication that they have shown during difficult times for teachers”.

Last year’s cohort broke all records for the School in terms of A Level results and it is much to this year’s group’s credit that they have taken inspiration from those successes and pushed themselves to achieve such strong results. We should like to congratulate our students here not only on their impressive A level results, but also for the difference their contributions have made to sport, music and drama, as well as to the local community, while striving for this academic success: this is all part of the relevant education that we aim to provide at Freemen’s of which, of course, examination outcomes only play a part. It is inspiring to see what a group of well-rounded young people, extraordinary teachers, a very strong Sixth Form leadership team and collaborative parents can achieve when they work so closely together.     

We know that those students now leaving Freemen’s will not just take with them some great memories of their time with us. They will also feel more prepared and confident for the challenges that life may throw at them. We wish them every success for their futures.”

Roger Chadwick OBE, Chairman of the Board of Governors of the City of London Freemen's School, commented, “Congratulations to all the students for achieving excellent A Level results. We know that a lot of hard work goes into preparing for these examinations and the students, staff and parents should be very proud. I am delighted that in a year when the School has benefited from a successful Inspection outcome that staff at the School have managed to maintain such high academic standards.

The City of London Corporation is committed to providing access to world-class education and learning opportunities.

I hope the leavers – who I enjoyed meeting for a final time on Leavers’ Day - will be able to make the most of the experience that they have had during their time at Freemen’s and use it in the career path of their choice. I hope too that they will stay in touch with this special School.”

This is also the first cohort to leave Freemen’s following the introduction of its new Free Minds curriculum for the Sixth Form which offers students a broader experience of learning.

This Autumn, the school will begin the refurbishment of the Mansion House at the heart of Ashtead Park into a new Sixth Form Centre.

• 31% of all grades achieved were A* grades (+9% on last year and highest since 2011)
• 65% of grades achieved were A* / A grades (+9% on last year and + 10% from AS Level results for the same cohort from 2016)
• 89% of grades achieved were A* - B grades (+5% on last year)
• 96% of grades achieved were A*-C grades ( equal to last year)

City of London Freemen’s School in Ashtead is celebrating excellent A level results, recording some of its best results in the last six years.  31% of all grades achieved were graded A*, an 9% increase on 2016 results. 65% of grades achieved were A*-A, which represents not only  9% more A*/ A grades on 2016, but also a 10% increase from the AS level results this same cohort achieved last year, despite the second year of A levels being significantly harder than the first.

“These results are testament to the hard work that students and dedicated staff have put into this last year,” suggested Headmaster, Roland Martin. “We are fortunate to have a talented group of teachers, supportive parents and ambitious students at Freemen’s and it is a winning combination.

Results like these need to be put into the context of a busy School: the accomplishments these same students have made to sport, music, drama and socially in the School, as well as their contributions to the wider community, are equally noteworthy and we are all very proud of the leavers of 2017.

We wish those students now leaving Freemen’s further success as they continue their academic career and embark on life beyond education. ”

Freemen’s has introduced a new curriculum for the Sixth Form which gives them a broader experience of learning and is about to begin a multi-million pound investment in Sixth Form learning and social spaces with the refurbishment of the Mansion House at the heart of Ashtead Park.

Click on the link below to see the 2017 A Level results by subject.

Record GCSE results for Freemen’s

• Highest percentage of A* grades on record at the School 
• 88% of grades achieved were A* or A grades (+ 4% on last year)
• 64% of grades achieved were A* grades (+ 10% on last year)
• 100% of students achieved 5 or more grades at A*/C

Students at City of London Freemen’s School in Ashtead have once again achieved record GCSE results, surpassing last year’s exceptional year. 64% of all grades achieved were A* grades, which adds 10% to last year’s record-breaking results.  88% of grades achieved were A* or A grades, surpassing last year’s record-equalling 83%.

Freemen’s curriculum supports every student through compulsory English Literature, Biology, Chemistry and Physics at GCSE as well as the mandated English Language and Mathematics.

"The press has been reporting for a week that this has been a difficult and erratic year for GCSE results and teachers and pupils in schools across the country have certainly been under increased – and frankly unacceptable – pressure these last few years to get their heads round a new set of reforms that have been implemented suddenly and haphazardly. With this national landscape in mind, the hard work that my colleagues at Freemen’s have put in to support the equally conscientious pupils in this year group has to be commended.

Having broken school records at GCSE last year, to go to greater heights this year is a phenomenal achievement and says much about the positive culture in this School: the ambition of its pupils; the support of parents; the professionalism of teachers; the leadership of the Academic Deputy Head, Heads of Department, Heads of Section and Heads of Year as well as guidance from Form Tutors.

Days like this certainly give cause for celebration and pride," Headmaster, Roland Martin suggested.

“We very much look forward to the start of the new school year, when we welcome back these students, along with some new classmates, as they embark on the next exciting stage of their lives.”

After record breaking results last year in both English Language and English Literature, there have been further improvements in 2017, with 71% A* grades at Literature (91% A*/A) and 45% A* at Language (89% A*/A). Drama has also seen notable improvement on last year (28% A*).

Freemen’s has introduced a new curriculum for the Sixth Form which gives them a broader experience of learning and is about to begin a multi-million pound investment in Sixth Form learning and social spaces with the refurbishment of the Mansion House at the heart of Ashtead Park.

City of London Freemen’s School in Ashtead is once again celebrating following success in its A Level results. 

83% of all grades achieved were A* / B grades, 55% were A* or A grades, while 22% were A* grades.

“We are delighted by this year’s A Level results and they are all the remarkable given what else these students have also accomplished in the School during their time, here. When you put such impressive academic performances alongside the contributions that these same pupils have made to the sporting, musical, dramatic and social side of the School, you get a picture of genuinely well-rounded young people, which is what a Freemen’s education is about,” suggested Headmaster Roland Martin, who has just completed his first year at the School.

“It is thanks to the hard work and dedication of our students and staff, with support from parents, that these students remain ambitious about what they might achieve in and out of the classroom.

"We wish those students now leaving Freemen’s continued success as they continue their academic career and beyond.”

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Students at City of London Freemen’s School in Ashtead have achieved record GCSE results. 53% of all grades achieved were A* grades, which is the highest number ever recorded at the school. Similarly, 83% of grades achieved were A* or A grades, equalling the previous record set in 2012.

Download results by department here.

“These GCSE results are outstanding and our students, staff and parents should rightly be proud of these achievements. Nonetheless, these percentages do not show the whole picture.

"It is particularly impressive that as well as studying English Language and Mathematics at GCSE, every pupil here takes a compulsory core of five subjects, including not only English Literature, but also all three separate Sciences. Over 50% of students obtained A* grades across all three Science disciplines. It is also worth noting that in a society that seems to have become sadly more linguistically insular, students at Freemen’s continue to excel at Languages - both Modern and Ancient.

"Then, of course, they also continue to flourish outside the classroom in sport, music, drama, as well as in community activities, which cannot always be reflected in exam grades,” suggested Headmaster, Roland Martin, who has just completed his first year leading the School.

“We look forward to welcoming the students back into the Sixth Form next week where we begin an exciting original curriculum here at the School, incorporating our challenging new Free Minds programme, alongside linear A Levels.”

Individual subjects saw some record results too.  A third of students gained A* grades in both English Literature and Language, with 77% achieving A*/A grades in English Language and 86% attaining A*/A grades in English Literature; our highest results on record.  100% of students achieved A or A* in DT Product Design.  There were A* grades for 90% of candidates studying German and 80% A* or A grades for Music students.

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