An overview of the City of London School

The City of London School (CLS) is a private, independent boys' school, situated in England's capital, on the banks of the River Thames. Part of a network of schools in London and the wider area, it operates as the brother school of the City of London School for Girls and the City of London Freemen's School.

History and location

CLS was founded in 1834, its establishment resulting from a private Act of Parliament, although it can trace its true origins back much further to the 15th century. John Carpenter, the Town Clerk of London, bequeathed on his death in 1442 a parcel of land, understood by his friends to be for the purposes of establishing an educational institution. Via a convoluted series of further bequests and events, the school was eventually opened at Milk Street in 1837, although its first principal was soon replaced, due to being "temperamentally unsuitable" for the post. His place was taken by the Reverend Dr Mortimer, under whose leadership the school admitted non-conformist Christians and Jews for the first time. Since then, the school has developed and expanded, though it continues to be an all-boys school and has not become an educational home for girls. The school operates as part of a wider educational network in London and the wider area. CLS is the brother school of two other private schools. These are the City of London School for Girls, an independent girls' school situated within the city of London itself, and the City of London Freemen's School, a co-educational independent school in Surrey, situated at Ashtead Park. The school has enjoyed strong links with the publishing and journalism industries over the years, with one of its more notable alumni being G W Steevens, the pioneer war reporter, who died during the Boer War.

Learning and lifestyle

The admissions procedure to the school is complex and not easily explained. Prospective pupils must be academically able and bright, and are subject to a testing series of examinations and interviews, including a group interview where the pupils are observed being taught. Full-fee sponsorship is available to boys whose parents have a joint income of less than £30,000 per year. The school states that no sponsored places would be available to parents whose combined annual income exceeds £60,000 per annum. A recent focus of the school has been on raising funds for those pupils who are unable to afford the fees charged. A number of benefactors, notably the international bank HSBC, contribute to a third of the fees of all pupils, with almost ten per cent on full support, according to the school's own figures.