Private school bursary - how it’s decided?

I agree with this.

@dragondrive

You might also find it interesting that a few schools publish indications of their bursary eligibility criteria, for example:

St Paul's Girls' School: From September 2023, to qualify for a bursary, the total household income threshold is £140k (gross), meaning that parents earning a combined total above this amount are unlikely to be considered.

South Hampstead High School: If your family’s annual income is less than £49,500, you may be offered a full bursary. If your family’s assessable income and resources are below £107,500, you may be eligible for some support.

AFAIK, St Paul's School is unique in putting a bursary eligibility calculator on its website. If you put in some high numbers, you get things like In order to qualify for a bursary, the total figure for Gross Household Income should be less than £144,000 per annum and In order to qualify for a bursary, the total figure for Net Assets should be less than £1,600,000. I've no idea how accurate it is; having a play around, £75,000 income and £1,000,000 net assets returns Based on the information you have provided, you are likely to qualify for a bursary funding between 90-99% of school fees.

Have fun!

Why would anyone want to give that information, even on a supposedly anonymous forum?

Was this a London school?
Do you mind saying how much your household income is? How much equity you have in your house? Savings?

I normally start at the Charity Commission website:
https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search

Sometimes the formal names of the schools can be a little tricky, e.g., St Peter's College (otherwise known as Westminster School), or Sir Roger Cholmeley's School at Highgate, but most schools which are charities will also put their Charity number on their website.

You can also go to Companies House for some schools which are not charities.
https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/

Look for Accounts and annual returns (or Filing History for a company) and have a look at the latest.

Highgate School's 2023-24 annual report states on page 16:

107 pupils received means-tested fee remission: 97 in the Senior School (including 8 refugee pupils from Ukraine, supported by the Refugee Family Support Officer) of whom 61 received 100% fee remission, consistent with the policy to concentrate bursary awards amongst children whose parents or carers are able to pay very little or none of our fees, and; 10 in the Junior School.

This doesn't work well for all schools. You see that all the GDST schools report together so there's no information about how many bursaries were awarded specifically at, for example, South Hampstead High School. Also, schools like City of London and City of London School for Girls seem to be organized in a different manner, which makes it harder to get the information.

Ah I see, yes, if you want 13+ entry to many private schools you need to start in year 5 as they do pre tests in year 6.

So it’s not that there is a separate timetable for bursaries, but I agree that many potential bursary applicants would have no idea that the process for a year 9 place starts in year 5.

Read here, as an example, @minipie:

https://www.etoncollege.com/admissions/entry-to-eton/

This is a school where 100% bursaries are available every year to a number of pupils. But, as I’ve emphasised, as a parent you need to know what the process involves and how to slot yourself into it. Most parents who, for instance, can’t afford to move into the catchment of their local leafy state school, would never dream of approaching Eton. Or wouldn’t realise they could until it’s far too late to apply.

Financially, we’re already running things very tightly, and even with extreme budgeting, I don’t realistically think we could save much more

To be honest op I don't think private school is going to be manageable for you. In addition to ever-rising fees (which means student numbers will fall, leading to ever-reducing funding for staffing never mind bursaries) you need to also consider other costs such as uniform, sports kit, trips etc. If you're struggling to manage as it is, the long term viability of paying for private education when the costs will undoubtedly rise faster than wages seems doubtful.

how many realise they need to start the application process maybe three years in advance?

out of interest @Eucatastrophilia why would parents need to start 3 years in advance?

Most schools' accounts are publicly available. The Charities Commission publishes them for schools which are registered charities. These almost always mention the number and value of bursaries that the schools provide.

OP states that they're in London. Here are recent numbers for some prominent London schools:

Westminster School - 54 bursaries, of which 45 are 100%
St Paul's School - 138 bursaries (representing 14% of their senior school students), of which 101 are 75% or greater
King's College School - 73 bursaries (6% of their senior school students), of which 45 are 100%
Latymer Foundation - 265 bursaries (21% of their upper school students), of which 139 are 100%
St Paul's Girls School - 80 bursaries (10% of their students), of which 54 are 100%
North London Collegiate School - 70 bursaries (9% of their senior school students), of which 57 are 100%
GDST - 984 bursaries across all their schools, of which 447 are 100%

N.b., the number of bursaries is always indicated across the entire school, so perhaps 1/7 the number were available in each year of senior school. Also, there's no indication whether the bursary policies have changed since the imposition of VAT.

were you hoping for like 30% or 40% ? or a full bursary ?

@dragondrive good luck in your conversation with the school but remember - private school may or may not be affordable, but your son is smart, and can work hard, and did well enough to even get this offer over other applicants. So whatever happens with this school the future is bright!

Well, they do have to be accepted first, and the application process is such a long-winded palaver.

I’ve been on these threads for years and years, telling prospective public school bursary applicants that it takes knowledge of the system, organisation, optimism, determination and a clever and willing child.

Thousands and thousands of people might love the idea of a ‘Hogwarts’ style education (obviously it’s not that) but how many realise they need to start the application process maybe three years in advance?

Or that you need to aim for the grandest school you’ve ever heard of - not the nice little place with a fancy uniform down the road.

Or that there is every chance your child won’t get in so you need several back-up plans.

While it’s true that international interest in British public schools is secure, the local populace is wary and uninformed - so that keeps the number of bursary applicants probably relatively low. Though still more than schools can accommodate and support.

At the schools we know, 100pc bursaries are still common. And NOT only for the very poorest kids, and certainly not only for ‘exceptional’ kids.

Are there not loads of applicants then? How does the school choose who to give the amazing 100% bursaries to, if it isn’t on financial need or exceptional performance?

Agree 100pc. Hardly going to increase socio-economic diversity if bursaries go to those who can ‘only’ afford 75pc of fees

I agree with @Eucatastrophilia. At the schools we know, 100pc bursaries are still common. And NOT only for the very poorest kids, and certainly not only for ‘exceptional’ kids. People (probably understandably) get very chippy on bursary threads, but that’s just a fact. School and area dependent of course.

Offering a 25pc bursary directly excludes all but the well-off middle classes, so defeats the object.

If you want to argue that bursaries themselves should be stopped, fair enough. But while they still exist, people have every right to apply for them and give it a shot. People complaining that they fork out £75k per year also had the choice to use state education if it was a stretch. Or apply for a bursary. Anyone who can afford that sort of money from net income is eye-watering rich.

To the OP I would say ask the bursar if they can increase the award. Nothing to lose. But I also caution that bursaries can be reduced or removed without any particular rationale. So consider whether it’s worth the hassle!

Personally, I think 25% is a bit of a joke. If I could pay 75% of the fees I wouldn't be asking for a scholarship. Some countries have private schools charging a sliding scale, which is different. But if I apply for a scholarship on the basis I can't afford it, then I can't afford it. It's either a full scholarship or nothing. I'd consider it a no.

None at the 6 that I have been involved with either ras a parent or applicant either, except one truly exceptional boy that is now at uni with my eldest and lived in a one bedroom flat in a tower block with his unemployed mum and 3 younger siblings. That is the type of student that gets/got 100% bursaries. Not a normal family that aren't high earners and just cant afford it or would have to forego all holidays and sell their car for the duration.

@Eucatastrophilia are your examples recently i.e in this round of admissions or last years at a push? That after VAT was put on fees and anything before that is not relevant imo as the landscape for private schools and bursaries has completely changed as a result, for the reasons already mentioned on this thread.

You can't afford the school. It's as simple as that.

I went to private. Honestly, don't waste your money ! Find a decent state school and supplement with tutoring. Job done. Not one of my peers sent their own children to private. We went to a really prestigious one that is still very highly regarded.

Ha! Not perhaps in the way you mean, no.

And none of the places I know offer that kind of bursary.
I assume that these kids you know have to be exceptional?

@SheilaFentiman she is hurting me. I pay full fees and though schools always say that bursaries are paid from endowments we all know that even though there are individual "pots", if the school needs to use one to support another they will to keep things on track. If there is a shortfall money will be used from elsewhere and there increasingly will be.

I hope that bursaries are sacked off.