Freemen's Students Excel: 61% Gain Places at Sunday Times Top Universities

Recently, The Sunday Times released its annual educational resource, The Times Good University Guide 2006. This guide is designed to support Year 13 pupils and their families as they navigate the important decisions surrounding their next steps in higher education. 

This time of the year also marks a time when many A-level pupils and their families travel across the UK to gather firsthand information about various universities. While some may explore options abroad, this guide focuses specifically on institutions within the UK. 

First published in 1993, the guide has become a trusted and influential resource, offering valuable insights into university rankings, performance metrics, and helping pupils make informed choices about their academic futures. This year’s edition surprised us all because for the first time in 32 years, Oxbridge aren’t in the top there. Both Universities moved to the joined 4th place this year while and the magnificent there this year are and in which our pupils secured placed in:  

1. London School of Economics and Political Science 

2. University of St Andrews 

3. Durham University  

This year, 61% of our Year 13 2025 cohort secured places at one of the top 20 universities, as ranked by The Times. As our Headmaster Roland Martin stated: 
"Consistency is really important, and I am so pleased that once again, pupils at Freemen’s have performed so impressively at A Level, almost exactly in line with last year’s outstanding headline results." 

At Freemen’s, we are pleased to see our pupils continue to grow and succeed, both academically and personally. This year, 72% of our pupils achieved A*-A grades — a result consistent with previous years and a reflection of their and our teachers’ efforts and commitment. 

While we recognise that many schools in the area also strive for excellence, we’re encouraged that our outcomes continue to compare favourably. Click here to read more 

Above all, we remain focused on providing a supportive environment where pupils can flourish, and we are pleased that so many have progressed to their chosen universities, well prepared for the next stage of their journey. 

Below is the full list of 20 the best Universities accordingly to The Times Good University Guide 2006: 

1. London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) 

2. University of St Andrews 

3. Durham University 

4. University of Cambridge 

5. University of Oxford 

6. 6. Imperial College London 

7. 7. University of Bath 

8. 8. University of Warwick 

9. 9. University College London (UCL) 

10. 10. University of Bristol 

11. 11. University of Strathclyde 

12. 12. Loughborough University 

13. 13. University of Sheffield 

14. 14. University of Exeter 

15. Lancaster University 

16. University of Birmingham 

17. University of Southampton 

18. University of Liverpool 

19.  King’s College London (KCL) 

20.  University of York