Freeman College

Founded in the heart of Sheffield's silversmithing and cutlery industry, Freeman College opened in September 2005.

The most urban of the three Ruskin Mill Trust colleges, Freeman College operates from a range of sites across Sheffield, including the city centre Butcher and Sterling Works, city woodland and suburban farms.

It is named for Arnold Freeman, who came to the city in the 1930s to develop educational and cultural opportunities for its steel-workers and miners, and bases its curriculum around the metalwork for which they made Sheffield world-renowned.

Students follow the three-year Ruskin Mill Orientation Course, a bespoke vocational timetable designed around their particular needs, talents and aspirations. For Third-year students, this will usually incorporate work experience and/or study at local mainstream colleges, in preparation for life after college.

Residential provision is likewise tailored to individual needs and abilities, but typically evolves from a family-based model in the first year to more independent arrangements in the third.

Both educational and residential provision are supported by a wide range of specialists, from GPs and psychotherapists to gardeners and IT technicians.