Bursary for Reception

[JammieMummy]

Hello,

Not really advice for me but more a query if anyone out there is in the know! My Niece is exceptionally bright (not just in the way that she knows a lot of things - what I would consider "coaching" by parents) but she grasps concepts very quickly etc and strangers will often mistake her for a child of 5 (she is in fact 2 years old). Her logic and reasoning are quite something. I also say this having my own daughter who is a similar age and so know which milestones a child should be hitting etc.

Anyway, does anyone know if a prep school would offer a bursary as early as reception? If so how to go about it etc? Her mother has a small low paying job which she would like to increase but is struggling and my brother was made redundant and has struggled to find work since (massively knocking his confidence). They haven't any assess at all and just about make ends meet. My husband and I would help out with uniforms, music lessons etc but couldn't afford to pay full fees for her.

I don't want this to be a private vs state argument, just looking for any good advice. Thanks.

My DD had a bursary in reception...small prep...she had attended their nursery but most preps won't mind if your niece does not.

You just need to call and ask about their bursaries..or write in to the HT and explain the situation.

They are means tested...so they'll want proof of income.

We left in the end as the school grew very small and my DD was one of only two girls in her year.

Also...check that any prep you do look at has a gifted and talented register...many do not and that's annoying.

My nephew was at the nursery of a prep school and was offered a full scholarship (100%) and to be put in the year above where he should have been on starting school. Brother and SIL decided against it in the end as they thought he should remain with the correct age group for his social and emotional maturity. The prep school refused to keep him in the right year as differentiating appropriately for him was seen as "too much work for the teacher". He now goes to his local primary, throroughly enjoys school and is thriving as they are able to differentiate for him appropriately....

Also OP....think long and hard about what might happen at secondary school time...IF your niece is bright now it in no way indicates that she will be academic enough to earn a scholarship for private secondary...and that would be hard...to go to a state secondary with none of her friends when she's 11.

My DD appeared to be extremely bright as a toddler...she spoke at ten months...long sentences by 18 months and could write poetry to a high standard by age 4.

It was for this reason that we took the bursary and hoped she could earn a scholarship by the time she was ready for secondary.

However...she's not at all academic. She is on the G&T register at her state primary because her art and literacy are far ahead...but her maths and comprehension is behind that of her peers.

We are pretty certain now she is 8 that she would not pass for a scholarship to a private secondary even with tutoring.

An raticulate and creative child doesn't always mean academic...and most preps are just that...very academic.

I wouldn't put her in a prep school in reception. Why not wait and see how she develops. Save your money for later. My ds is at a prep school btw. As much as they like you to believe that there is a good social mix of backgrounds in the school it really isn't true.

Thank you all for your replies! NC your second post certainly gave a lot to think about and we will mull things over for a while at least. It is not that they/we are heart set on her going to a prep school now or in the future, just wanted to see what the options are like so that they can be considered properly. She will be starting at the nursery of the local state school after Christmas so we shall see how she gets on there etc, but just wanted to get a feel for whether it was even worth looking into bursaries yet.

I can totally see where you are coming from NC when you say about a child being gifted but perhaps not in the right ways and I have never considered it from that point of view before.

Thank you again, a lot of food for thought!

just to add to NC's experience that exceptionally bright children aren't always academic

At 2, ds1 was using complex sentences and vocab and when he went into reception was sent off for an ed psych report so that the school could see what was going on. It turned out that he had an exceptionally high IQ - he just 'gets' most concepts very easily. However he's now 15 and he just isn't interested in academic work - homework is like torture to him and although he got a scholarship at 11, there's no way he'd be in line for a scholarship anywhere at 6th form. At the moment we're wondering if there's any point in him going to university.

It's pretty much impossible to know what kind of school is going to suit a child when they're 2 as so much can change even between now and school age, let alone secondary school. If money is tight, I suspect your brother's family would be better off starting her off at the local state school and using whatever spare cash there is to let her experience as many different things as possible.

The other thing to bear in mind is that while plenty of bright children go to independent secondaries, often with financial help, there is a much narrower pool of children in most prep schools, so even if your niece did get a large bursary she and her parents might find the experience of being the poorest family there quite tricky

We did meet some lovely people at our prep and DD is still friends with some of them...quite a feat since she left at the end of year two...and she's now entering her 2nd year at her "new" school.

She has flourished in the more artistic atmosphere of her state school...it is a very good one granted but I find that the place is more relaxed than the prep was ans since DD is a highly strung child this suits her very well.

A good way to look at it OP is perhaps to enter the state school, keep an eye on her...if by year two she seems far ahead academically then look at bursaries for year three of a prep.

This is a natural changing point for DC anyway...many move into private at year three. If she's academic, you will know by then.

OP my DS (now a teenager) was very similar to your niece but unlike those who've posted above hes not only exceptionally bright but he is also academic. He left primary many years ago because he was bored moved to a non selective prep but where they were very streamed and now attends a super selective independent. He did very well at the prep although with little effort on his part but interestingly it's now that he's in a very academic environment that he's really happy He's a more confident person he's started to shine, show a genuine interest in lots of different subjects, apply himself properly and do really well.
I suppose what I'm trying to say is that those whove posted above are making very valid comments but this may not apply to your niece.
I personally wouldnt bother with a prep at reception unless your primaries are absolutely awful start looking for yr 2/3.