Private school bursary - how it’s decided?

The time when schools tend to up their offer after a request for more, is when they are very top performers in the entrance exam AND have other bursary offers from other schools.

Unfortunately, a 25% offer (which is v good) probably means they did well and the school would like them to come (and you to pay 75%) but that they don’t want them enough (and don’t have the funds) to offer much more. You might get a small boost by asking. But it’s not likely to be much more, especially if you don’t have other strong offers which make you look more desirable.

Unfortunately, a lot of bursary applicants find what you have - they get an offer and a bursary that isn’t big enough to make it possible. I think people often feel a bit mis-led and believed an offer would make it possible for them. It might do for a very small number (or more in the well-endowed schools) but more usually apply than can get these sizeable offers. It’s disappointing because your hopes were raised, you emotionally invested (as did your child) and they passed the exam and it felt like a genuine possibility. And then the idea feels snatched away. It is horrible.

But in reality you find yourself in the position of over 90% of the population, which is that you simply can’t afford it. VAT means it’s even more the preserve of the rich as less bursary funds are available. The dream slips away. Like many you looked round and liked what you saw. Many do that and crunch some numbers and sadly take it no further. I totally get that it’s so disappointing when the literature seems to suggest that bursaries are available up to 100% if needed, when in reality v few bursary offers will be that, even if needed. The 25% offer leaves you unable to afford it in the same way you couldn’t afford it before.

Assuming you’re part of the squeezed middle class who could afford perhaps 25%…like so many in the same position financially as you, you simply can’t afford it with the level of support given. Maybe another really affluent school would have offered much more…or like you say, maybe your child simply meet the academic levels required.

Really hoping you have a decent state school offer too. As you say, your DC and yourself can be pleased with the academic recognition. Although that isn’t what you hoped for, the best thing is to do as you have and congratulate your child on this and now try to big up the state school place they have, forget the independent school (assuming you asked if they could up the offer - and they said no or could only up the offer a small amount) and move forward with what you have. Many many children do extremely well from state schools. With a supportive family and access to some extra curriculars and some extra input where needed, outcomes can be very very good. Xx

I would anticipate the change in taxation (VAT on school fees) will have increased the number of existing pupils whose families are seeking financial support for the first time mid-way through their time at a school, or who apply for their bursary to be increased. If you have a child who has been in a school since Year 3 or Year 7 and is now in Key Stage 4 approaching national exams, you would hope the school would look favourably if they had a major change in circumstances; parental death, major illness, unemployment, marital breakdown possibly linked to safeguarding (DV).

I would also hope schools are looking more carefully at lifestyle factors - expensive homes, cars, holidays, whether parents are maximising their earnings - before handing out money, much of which comes from the parents of their classmates, unless it is a public school with a generous foundation.

@SheilaFentiman all the top boarding schools can give up to 100% bursary ! It depends on how much they like and want your child

I agree that your usage is what I consider normal. However, it is not quite universal. Some schools choose to label means-tested aid "scholarships", for example:

Winning a scholarship at Colfe’s is an honour which can also offer a reduction in school fees.

We offer financial assistance in the form of merit-based and means-tested scholarships in the senior school. Awards are given at the school’s discretion, and the number varies yearly; in a typical year group, we expect around a quarter of pupils to benefit from fee assistance. Academic merit-based scholarships normally offer between 10-30% reduction in fees (this may increase up to 50% for exceptional performance in the entrance assessment), co-curricular scholarships between 10-20%. Means-tested scholarships can be worth up to 100%+ of the school fees.

The last sentence refers to what nearly all other schools call bursaries. However, as they are the ones providing the funds, they can call it whatever they like. Also, while I can't find an example off the top of my head, I've run across some third-party charities which call their means-tested grants "scholarships". Perhaps they think the word is less pejorative.

It’s not simply ‘the wrong term’ - scholarships are awarded for academic or other (music, drama, whatever) excellence. They take no account of family finances. Bursaries may be offered to any child who passes the entrance procedure, according to means tested assessment of family finances. But the metric for each school will be How much do we want this child?

In my experience a wealthy school will enable a child they really want to attend to do so. 25% suggests either that they’re not overly fussed, or they think the parents can afford to pay the rest.

Thanks for the clarification, so I used the wrong term. I'll Google it and find out the difference. But I suppose the point stands, schools will offer bursaries to a certain number of students every year, right?

Unfortunately most scholarships in England offer merely nominal financial reward, @whatwouldlilacerullodo. Large awards come via bursaries, which are means tested.

Every school does have their own criteria. Private schools have a finite bursary ‘pot’ and some of them probably prefer to give a lot of students 25% than to give 100% to a few. Bear in mind that these pots aren’t as generous as they used to be since the VAT got added on to school fees and essentially changed how private schools function and manage their finances.

To get 100%, your child would usually be brighter than most other children in their year ime.

Did your son sit the scholarship exam? Some schools offer scholarship plus bursary.

OP, if you want your child to go to a private school, and you don't have the money, then you have to work for that. As PP mentioned, research the schools you want, find out which ones offer scholarships, contact them, etc etc. I'm in Europe, but I did that for my DS. It took me months of work, all the research, contracting schools, applications, tests, etc. Schools WANT the bright kids (even if they can't pay), because they are the ones who will raise the grades in the results, and that's how schools attract the kids who can pay.

Surely the point here is that those extras are not going to be offered to a family with only a 25% award?

Some schools offer 110% bursaries. To cover cost 9f fees, uniform compulsory trips and one enrichment trip too.

Bursaries at London senior schools are often very generous.

However, I believe the first line they’ve given is a fluff statement & well intended.

Not sure what you mean by this. If you mean what I put into quote marks, I wasn’t quoting a particular policy from a specific school. It was a general point.

I would imagine a lot of schools don’t publish bursary policy precisely to give themselves the flexibility. So if someone isn’t the top academic scorer but is very talented at poetry/sport/music, or gave an amazing interview and will be fab on the debate team, then that might impact. Or they may wish to prioritise applicants from particular state primaries. Or, if co ed, even out the numbers of boys and girls. Etc.

I understand what you mean. However, I believe the first line they’ve given is a fluff statement & well intended. If the top person needs 100% then that’s what they get & what they deserve…and the list goes accordingly. There wouldn’t have assessed the no#1 needing 100% and then go on to offer them 25% and so forth- that’s a 7.5k + shortfall per term.

They can however have batches of amounts they want to give out, but it will go according to the top scorers list. They won’t skip kids on that list. As in they won’t offer position 15 a small amount because position 2 needs more. They would have met their targets by knowing how many full paying stds they need & how much bursary they can afford that year.

Agree it’s not a lottery. If the bursary policy is “enable as many children as possible to attend” and the top of the academic list child would need a 100% subsidy, then four 25% bursaries might be preferred.

It’s an e.g and yes the most likely e.g. It’s definitely not a lottery system! They are going to take the child at the top of that list…..

The amount of places allocated will be dependent on their bursary fund for that year group

If I had won a ccholarship to my desired gramar school my parents would never have afforded the uniform, the bus fare and all the "extras" involved. Plus i would probably have been looked down on as a "pov".

All those extras will have to be met as well as the fees. Private school uniforms are expensive as they are an advert for the school. Plus there are often extras such as coaching in sport, music, school trips and so on. Would you be able to afford for your DC to articipate and not be left on the fringes? Yes it may be smaller classes and thus a better standard of teaching but there is the social side to consider.

Are there any relatives who can help?

That’s ok, most London ones do (the big ones) and some are more forward & will say you need to be in the top 10/20% bracket to get it.

But the websites should provide that info-if you don’t mind saying the school I can check for you & any other info I know abt said school. Another option for you is to call back and ask if there is a waitlist option and if so can you be placed on there for further assistance. More than anything they will want someone keen. Be sure to let them know that 40/50% is doable for you and you’d happily take a place if that was the case-tell them you don’t mind waiting to hear back from them (that way they don’t need to give an instant decline). There is some movement up until offer day, even w bursaries.

The impact of VAT & less donors available is also very likely to start having an impact this year and the businesses will want to keep a funding reserve.

ignore I just saw you had provided it earlier on thanks

It is highly unlikely you would get an increase from 25 to 100%. If he did not get offered the other three they either did not “pass” him or they took the view that an offer of a full fee place would be refused.

Unfortunately you have to remember that these schools are actually businesses.
They don’t offer bursaries out of the goodness of their hearts: they offer bursaries to encourage more people to consider attending.
If they can get a few pupils paying 75% that’s better than 1 paying 100%

Our school has separate scholarships and bursaries, but you can have both. A scholarship is a maximum of 20% and the bursary is usually similar but has quite a strict criteria; for example you wouldn’t get it as a new pupil as it’s there to enable existing pupils to be able to stay.

But the larger amounts will go to: those that qualify for that level & your performance on the exam! So if 50 people apply for a full bursary, 30 pass the exam, then the top 5/6 will get a full bursary and smaller amounts will be offered to the remaining in ascending order…probably up to 15/20. The remaining candidates will be offered a spot with no assistance.

Whilst some schools might do this, I don’t think you can generalise at all

You sound very bitter! It’s not needed on this thread at all! I suggest you take it to your school WhatsApp group!

Well done to your son for passing, all that work, they should be uber proud of themselves! If they keep up the work ethic, they’ll do great wherever they go.

Regarding bursaries, yes there will be a certain amount from their bursary pot available…. But the larger amounts will go to: those that qualify for that level & your performance on the exam! So if 50 people apply for a full bursary, 30 pass the exam, then the top 5/6 will get a full bursary and smaller amounts will be offered to the remaining in ascending order…probably up to 15/20. The remaining candidates will be offered a spot with no assistance.

It’s a harsh reality, that’s why people on bursaries have to do twice as much to get in. They have to beat the total number of applicants and then also beat to get to the top of the bursary candidates.