Harrow/Eton/Radley/Winchester Entry 2028

[MrsHLQ]

Starting a thread for all those parents whose sons are currently in Year 6 and who are hoping to join one of these 4 schools in 2028

As the first stage of their assessment process, the boys are sitting ISEB exams this month

Here we can discuss anything and everything to do with the entire application and assessment process over the next 6 or so months or so. By which time we should all know if we have offers, rejections or have been waitlisted

Good luck to all the boys sitting ISEB exams!

Well, I know him and you don’t, so out of the two of us, I suspect I’m significantly better placed to make a judgment call on this.

Yes, well judging from your posts you evidently consider yourself an expert on every detail of these schools, who will get in and who won’t and who should and who shouldn’t.
Maybe you should let Eton know that this titled boy will be a poor fit.

But not significantly better placed than the entire Eton admissions team that was involved in making the decision to award the boy a place.

😃

That was funny!

My Post was quite long and detailed and is based on actual experience. Designed to help inform. As there was a question just above about what type of boy. I can only describe what I see from the cohort I know. Remember, that’s just a sample and not the whole market.

You’ve picked up on one small element of it. sorry it wasn’t about prince George!

Wow some cages are very rattled.

@38thparallel of course not he has already done his entrance exams he is going this September !

@MrsHLQ if we are comparing boys to how academic they are , what do you think of the bursary boys who get full bursaries to these 4 high flying establishments? How do you judge them ?
there is the boy who gets in by paying ,
there is the Asian boy that does Atom on loop it repeats itself and pays .
there is the boy who pays and has all his siblings there ,
there is the boy who is the Hierarchy,
and last but not least you have the bursary boys the dark horses the really natural intelligent boys that get offered 100% full fees paid for them . If you are comparing bright boys and true academics it’s the ones the top 4 boarding schools really are eager to offer 100 % to ! What are your thoughts ?

I am massively in favour of bursaries

My understanding is that Eton and Radley have very generous bursaries. Can’t comment on th other schools

I have met a number of bursary boys at Radley and they were very impressive young men

i’m sure the same is true at Eton and the other schools

Unsurprising as bursary boys are the cream of the crop because anyone can apply and it’s based on ability alone.

@MrsHLQ did you know the richest school for bursaries is Winchester , although both Radley and Eton can give very good help depending on how bright you are , it is incredibly competitive 150 plus boys just for a couple of full bursaries .

I did not know that

that’s brilliant for Winchester!

@MrsHLQ they spend 5 million each year on bursaries !

Where are you getting your data from?

https://www.thetimes.com/best-schools-league-table/guide/article/private-schools-bursaries-vat-fees-zpk0mntpn

This article puts Winchester amongst the highest, but far from top (Christs Hospital is £20m+ and Eton is £10m+)

@MrsHLQ while Tombridge is not mentioned in this thread title, they are equally massive donors compared to winco Radley and Eton.
For what is worth Radley and Eton only give 3-6 up to full bursary per year I mean new offer
while Tombridge gives a minimum of 7 new full bursaries ( with additional full fee pay at prep school for the first 2 years if awarded to a boy coming from state school)
I know wincol does offer bursary but am not sure how mush goes towards new cohorts on full bursary each year .

@blunderbuss12 Actually from Winchester college and from my headmaster who is the top feeder to all three schools .

@i am not referring to Christ Hospital they are not in the top 4 .

Eton has slashed the bursary donations now since the VAT has been added . BAL have also said Eton is the least school that uses them .

@Tobstar106 Full bursaries for highly academic DC can be a great thing, for the pupil and the school. Schools sometimes “buy in” academic strength this way, just as they might bring in elite sportspeople at sixth form. It benefits both sides.
But let’s not get carried away and treat these DC as superhuman. You're talking about one metric: academic performance.
In many ways it’s more impressive when a DC is highly academic and also perhaps an accomplished musician, plays 1st XV or 1st XI sport, excels in drama, and is a kind, interesting and charismatic character. That sort of breadth is far harder than excelling in a single academic lane. Plus no 'boy gets in by paying' alone, to these highly selective schools. Reality check, you are sounding a little naive (and smug).

@MrsDiddy yes incredibly smug 😏 and who said anything about just academics , we have Drama and sports on our side . At the end of the day all these schools are businesses they need all of you to survive and make money it’s nothing more than a business you are surely not that naive?

Er, you did.. 'if we are comparing boys to how academic they are , what do you think of the bursary boys who get full bursaries to these 4 high flying establishments?' And... 'If you are comparing bright boys and true academics'

Presumably DS's academic trait is not an inherited one.

@MrsDiddy I think you have possibly oversimplified and are outdated in your description of bursary boys versus others. At some less academic schools I am sure they will buy in a few academic “ringers”. Most of the top schools are trying to be needs blind - apply and if your dc makes it in they’ll find the cash (subject to some limits). Winchester is very generous so you likely do get a wide range of pupils, which is great for those getting support and those fee paying. I think this holds true for all/most of the “top” schools, as it should in an ideal world where they have endowments to fund bursaries. The dc with a bursary may well be exceptional in their prior schools but average for their new cohort, even if they do have the academic prowess and a grade 8 on piano.

@MrsDiddy the jealousy is laughable , how you get so involved and upset by people’s comments is beyond me . It’s not only the child these schools take it’s the parents ! Good luck 🤞

I’ll trust the published data over an anonymous anecdote thanks.

Perhaps you need to be a little bit more sensitive to the feeling of parents who sent their children to this school with the best of intentions and were let down by the lack of pastoral care and oversight. While I am not one the many parents who spoke to you and you have chosen not to believe, I would ask yourself why no other school receives such negativity.

As parents whose late son attended the school, I would suggest that you show a little kindness.to parents who have actual real life experience of a school. Many will be impacted by their decision for the rest of their lives.

@blunderbuss12 you do that !

@Themockingbirdsings at the end of the day who are you ? You are just someone behind a keyboard, how would you expect me to listen to you , would you listen to a person behind a keyboard ? Would you let them judge where you send your son ? No you wouldn’t ! I will listen to my headmaster and my son on their recommendation , my headmaster is one of the most knowledgeable heads of our leading boys prep boarding school in this country , under no circumstances would he send my son to a school if it was not a top class establishment! The more boys he gets into Eton and Winchester the better , you know if you can’t give the reason why it wasn’t good enough for your sons then I suggest you stop trying to deter parents away from an elite established school where all the parents incredibley happy .
a new sports hall, girls and something that happened in the 70s does not discourage me ! Every school has had their fair share of unsavory characters in the past !

I am parent who lost their beautiful, talented young son last year.

I don’t want engage with you any further but suggest that you consider parents feelings before posting in the future.