Kingsdale music scholarship

[Goposie]

Dc got a half music scholarship. I have read the letter and info several times but am none the wiser as to what this actually means. I think it means that if she was in the top 15 per cent of the lottery she would be offered a place. And if not get some kind of priority on the wait list?

[Stylinson]

Hello
My DD has got a half scholarship for sport. The letter is so confusing!!! I don’t understand it at all.

[Goposie]

Yes. It refers to what happens if you have a full one and are in top 15 per cent but not really anything about a half except that 50 per cent of those offered a half scholarship accepted a place by 1 September. So does that mean there is a 50 per cent chance of being offered a place.

I would ring the school but they will be closed for half term and the deadline is right after. And given that the letter has come from the school I am not hopeful of getting a clearer explanation from them

[maz99]

In practical terms, what it means is that your DC will have a better chance of getting a place in the school.

Because as per the admissions policy, if they aren’t offered a place from the banding lottery your DC will also be placed on the scholarship waiting list, which is separate from the banding waiting list - so in effect they will be on 2 waiting lists.

The oversubscription criteria states that DCs on the scholarship waiting list are the 2nd option to be selected, after DCs with special circumstances (

Once in the school, your DC will be able to participate in additional lessons/sessions available for music & sports scholars.

[maz99]

DCs with special circumstances = Looked After Children

[maz99]

My DD got half sports scholarship 2 years ago.

We didn’t get a place at the school on offers day, and was provided with waiting lists positions on both waiting lists (mid 30s on both)

Within 10 days we were offered a place - I believe this was purely down to the scholarship waiting list, because there were other parents on MN at the time who were in similar positions on the banding waiting list that didn’t get offered a place.

[perfectpanda]

I'm equally confused and just posted on another thread...Also got half scholarship. Its the first I've heard of scoring coming into the whole selection system. I thought i was random ! When trying to understand it all i found a document via google somewhere on the website, explaining a scoring system for scholarships. Still none the wiser..that letter is so badly written. It puts me off the school....!

[maz99]

perfectpanda,

I don’t know why you find this confusing, obviously the school has to use some means to distinguish one child from another - which is typical in assessments?

[perfectpanda]

I'm confused because i was under the impression that you either got a scholarship or didn't, and then it was a random allocation from the scholarship list. I didnt know they were ranked by score. And i don't understand how the half schoarship fits into this - do all full scholarships go first from the list, and then the half scholarships get the leftover places? Or are there an allocated number of half scholarship.places? And i am confused because it is such an incomprehensible letter!

[maz99]

I'm confused because i was under the impression that you either got a scholarship or didn't

That is still true, but as stated clearly in the admissions policy:

A scholarship band waiting list shall be maintained, where applicable, in rank order of performance as set out in Appendix A.

I think you’ve either not read or have misinterpreted the admissions policy, because the policy states (point 2.1 - vi) random allocation is from the ability bands not scholarship.

I didnt know they were ranked by score. And i don't understand how the half schoarship fits into this

Admissions policy states ranked by performance.

As I explained previously, having a scholarship (full or half) means you get two tries for a place.

[newmum1976]

My dd got a half scholarship in sport. This means that she’s effectively on a waiting list and is very unlikely to be offered a place on 1 March, but has a 50% chance of a place by 1 September. I’m very proud of her. Only the top 4% of applicants get a full scholarship, and the next 7% get a half scholarship.

[maz99]

newmum1976, my DD got a half sports scholarship 2 years ago and didn't get a place at the beginning of March, but was offered a place in the 3rd week of March.

Basically having a scholarship means, that when places become available they will be first offered to any Looked After Children, and then to those on the scholarship waiting list - which means you are very likely to get a place.

Also, because there will be many that received full scholarships but haven't listed Kingsdale as a top choice, and instead may end up obtaining a place at a higher preferred school. This will cause the scholarship waiting list to shorten quite quickly - which is what I believe happened in my case.

[newmum1976]

Thanks Mazz99. I’ll be interested to see where my dd is on the waiting list in March. We do have some other great school options, but the sports at Kingsdale looks amazing, so my dd is keen.

[Goposie]

Maz99 thank you for explaining it! Hope your dd is having a good time at the school.

[maz99]

You’re welcome Goposie... I wish you good luck.