Applying to Eton, Harrow, and Winchester

Tonbridge also has a scholarship scheme where they test and interview in year 6 and then cover the cost of prep school for years 7 & 8 for the boys they are giving 100% funding to. I haven't posted anything else re Winchester as we didn't do the scholarship route so not sure if my experience would be relevant.

Win Coll definitely offer bursaries to non scholars this is from their website:
"Bursaries are available on entry to the School and to existing pupils in cases of financial hardship. Whilst bursaries can be available for up to 100% of fees in extreme cases, it is more likely that they are used as a ‘top-up’ either to support an Award already gained or in their own right.
Eton ditto as far as I'm aware.

My experience is that your son will need a scholarship before being awarded a bursary, OP. You probably already know this and believe he is of that calibre.

As regards holding more than one conditional place, these schools don't test at the same time - Eton (and Winchester) test earlier than Harrow so that, in theory, if you're not successful at the Eton test, you can still apply to Harrow in Year 7.

I think it depends on what percentage bursary you qualify for. If it's 50% for example, I would imagine you would have to find the deposit money yourself; if it's 100% then it may well be covered.

I should think it would get very complicated holding on to conditional places at more than one school if you are applying for a bursary as well - I'm not sure that it would work at all in fact.

There is another thread here about bursaries at Eton BTW.

I would have thought the OP would know before the requirement of paying a deposit whether her DS had a place and sufficient bursary. If they were in the enviable position of having both those from Winchester and / or Eton but wanted to keep Harrow in the mix, that would be an interesting situation. Also, do parents who are offered substantial bursaries have to pay those big deposits? Logically the deposit should be reduced pro rata according to ability to pay.

Win Coll I think asked for £500 when you were offered a place at yr 6 and I think (although I would be the first admit the memory isn't always good on these type of things and it seems like a million years ago) about £2000 once you'd passed the entrance exam. I've got in in my mind that you pay more now but again could be wrong.

To answer another of your questions, you can hold conditional places at more than one school, but there comes a point when you have to pay a deposit (I think it's about a year to 18 months before they start). We had to pay £1500, so it can add up to several thousand pounds to hold places at two or three schools!

OP - you might find that prep schools would be a bit more forthcoming with bursaries if your DS has a conditional place at one of these schools. At my DS's prep a couple of boys joined at 11 already with places, and just did the last 2 years.

It may well be worth looking again if your son gets a place.

New Foundation Scholarships

Eton offers up to four scholarships for boys who have been educated in the UK maintained (state) sector for at least years 6, 7 and 8 of their schooling up to age 13. These scholarships are aimed in particular at boys who would not be able to attend Eton without very substantial financial assistance (in certain cases, full assistance may be given), and who are not in a position to prepare easily for the King’s Scholarship. The intellectual standard expected is very high and comparable with the King's Scholarship, but the emphasis in the New Foundation Scholarship is even more fully on potential rather than knowledge.

The scholarships are awarded after examination and interview. Round I of the testing enables us to identify boys who are potentially academic high-flyers, ideally also with other talents to be developed in sport or in the arts, and with the personality to adapt successfully to the life of a boarding community. Round II involves examinations which are based on the National Curriculum with compulsory papers in English, maths and science. In addition, there will be a general academic interview, the emphasis of which can be determined to a certain degree by the candidate himself.

Or Magdalen College School in Oxford very academic and has a prep school and a senior school but no boarding. I think they offer generous bursaries.

Have you looked at Christ Hospital big on bursaries and lots come from the state sector into yr 7.

DeTamble I am guessing from one of your posts that you might have a preference for Eton, perhaps because it accommodates the whole range of different personalities and interests that your DS might develop into. I think Harrow interview at the start of year 7 whilst with Eton and Winchester, you would know whether your son had a place by the end of year 6.
Getting such a large bursary will be the major obstacle unless of course your son has outstanding potential in one or more areas or there are a special set of circumstances particular to a type of bursary.
I would be very surprised if all those three schools did not have some flexibility for state school boys at the final entrance exam once you got to the stage of a conditional offer and a bursary offer.

I'm not surprised Harrow were not generous to non scholars when my DS was at prep and that was when bursaries seemed more readily available.

Harrow told me within the last two weeks that there are very generous bursaries for scholars and little if anything for non scholars. Not sure if it is different for non scholars from state schools.

Speak to the individual admissions office and see what allowances they will make for state educated children all, well at least Eton and Win Coll are don't know much about Harrow, are trying to widen their access hence their bursary policy etc.

Its just that Harrow have some bursaries limited to boys living in certain London boroughs
www.harrowschool.org.uk/1842/admissions/scholarships-and-bursaries/john-lyon's-charity-bursaries/

Meant to say channel 4.

Bursaries are decided in the academic year before they are given. Not sure that makes sense! If you were applying for a bursary for the academic yr 2014/2015 you apply in the academic yr 2013/2024 most have a deadline for applying and I suspect all parents are notified of the size of their bursary about the same time.
London City Boys I believe takes in yr 6 and is meant to be generous with its bursaries, ditto Whitgift and of course as I've already said if your in London Colet Court/SPS are definitely ones that should be on your short list. I'm sure CC has an intake at yr 7.

Channel did this programme about boys going for the Beckwith scholarship or what ever it's called at Harrow. I thought it was a bit grim when they went for a lunch thing to meet him and thank him but the idea is good. Might still be on channel 4 or YouTube maybe.

The thread I was thinking of was about a 6th form scholarship but did have some info on Harrow more generally
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/secondary/1366185-Harrow-School?pg=2

I see you live in Uganda so your looking for boarding because otherwise Colet Court/SPS would be the obvious one to look at if you need a large bursary although completion for places into both is fierce.

Harrow do that thing where they take a boy from the state sector who are going into yr 7 I think and pay the prep school fees and then his fees through Harrow. The Beckwith scholarship?? Or something similar.

There are plenty of preps out there with places for an 8 yr old especially if you would consider boarding but bursaries unattached to scholarships of more than 50% in the prep school sector are like hens teeth. Do some boarding preps do scholarships into yr 7 or even yr 6 also if he has a provisional place at any of these although Harrow wouldn't be till year 7 you might stand a better chance of getting a bursary/scholarship into a boarding prep; looks good on their website.
Frankly I'm unconvinced anyone with a "sporty" "brash" personality would really like Win Coll sport is definitely not their number 1 priority especially team sports.