Any chance for scholarship at Winchester college?

[Thana]

My son will sit an entrance exam in 2014. His result in all subjects are good. Only French that he is not good at. So we decided to not take scholar papers. Is there any chance to receive scholarship after he pass the entrance exam?

[AuntieStella]

Unlikely, though I suppose they might reward if an award recipient drops out. If he has not sat the scholarship papers, I do not think he will be considered.

You don't have to offer French though.

[happygardening]

Dont think so out of curiosity why do you want a scholarship?

[Thana]

What we think is to seek for any possible chance to sit a scholar exam after my son pass entrance exam. As I heard from other secondary schools, they have the scholar exam every 3-4 months. The reason why we think about the scholar is not about to pay less of tuition fee. But my son's grade results are quite good at his current school, he has been in "Gifted group" at his current school. To earn scholarship can be benefit to his educational background. That's what I thought.

[LIZS]

I thought Winchester did CE admissions. What does his prep advise ? The scholarship exams can be a lot of extra work at a higher level.

[AuntieStella]

The vast majority of schools only offer scholarships at fixed points (usually on entry, though those in the school from say 11+ might be assessed alongside new 13+ joiners for an award then, ditto 16+).

The scholarship exams are deigned to give the opportunity for pupils of that age and number of years in education to show whether they have whatever extra the school looks for in its scholars.

A school might offer new awards should an award holder leave, but obviously you can't count on that happening.

I'd be wary of a school that runs a set of scholarship examinations as often as every 3 months. It would be a massive distraction from the curriculum.

[happygardening]

On a practical note there are a fixed number of boys in each year and as far as I can see a corresponding numbers of bed spaces there's I think either 13 or 14 scholars as opposed to 12 commoners per house. Scholars all live together in College so they couldn't add to their numbers every 3-4 months by holding g scholarship exams for existing pupils.
LIZ'S Win Coll writes it's own entrance exam similar to CE boys sit it in May instead of June.

[Labro]

Out of interest, do Winchester not do the entrance exam first and then scholarship papers afterwards (which is what other indies seem to do) or is it a completely different test from even the application stage? Just being nosey!

[LIZS]

ah ok . The ones I know who applied must have sat the scholarship papers similar to CAS. Other schools like Tonbridge and Cranleigh set their own scholarship papers for those candidates but use CE for rest.

[AuntieStella]

As CE is normally taken in June, there isn't really time to run a scholarship exam after that, is there? Especially as preps break up in early July.

Those that don't use ISEB CE might set a very different timetable though I suppose.

[happygardening]

Election the name for Win Colls scholarship exam is held at the beginning of May, the entrance exam for commoners (non scholars) is held in the middle of May. Win Coll write their own exams in both cases.
We were told by a very experienced teacher at my DS's prep that the entrance exam for commoners was very similar to the Harrow scholarship paper and although no actual pass mark boys are expected to make a reasonable showing. Every year a small number who were offered places at yr 6 will not do well enough and loose their places.

[Tanith]

The scholarships for schools are set before the Common Entrance. I believe the Winchester election is the last of the scholarships held before Common Entrance in June. Scholarship candidates usually don't have to sit Common Entrance as well, even if they don't achieve an award: their scholarship papers are used to assess them for entrance.
It would be unfair otherwise, with Scholarship children having to prepare for and sit two exams.

I think it's similar for those schools that use their own entrance exams rather than Common Entrance: children who sit scholarships don't have to take the extra exam, unless they did disastrously in the scholarship.
I think that sitting the Winchester Election usually results in, but does not guarantee, a place at one of the other boarding houses.

[britishsummer]

OP, not sure if you have strongly been advised by your DS's school that he should not go for Election. If not and he has just finished year 7 then poorer results in French should not be the deciding factor. Worth reading all the very good advice given by others in recent Winchester threads. Attempting Election is as much if not more about a style of thinking than attainement in covering the syllabus. It is also for those boys who would get the most out of College, you and your DS would only get an idea of that by visiting.