How do schools decide how academic scholarships are awarded?

[BearBirdBaboon]

I've been wondering about how indepenent schools decide how award academic scholarships are? Do schools offer an academic scholarship to a child who outperforms the others in one subject and does relatively well in the other subjects, but nothing outstanding, e.g amazing at maths and relatively well in everything else? Or, do schools offer an academic scholarship to a child who does very well across the board, but doesn't come top in any subject?

I would be really interested to hear your thoughts and especially if you have experience in making these decisions.

Heads of private schools will adjust criteria based on how they want to shape the school and its reputation externally so I don't think it can be a science with just academic cut offs. That's what grammar schools do.

This is so succinct and accurate.

It’s particularly true of full boarding schools (traditional prep and public schools) where the school, and individual housemasters (and housemistresses no doubt) have to consider what each child will bring to the community as a whole.

I’m perhaps thinking most of the assessment of bursary, as opposed to scholarship, candidates. The children in receipt of bursaries I know of at such schools may have been far from the highest scorers in entrance exams - but they brought other qualities the school wanted.

Thinking about the scholarship exams my children sat, both for 13+. All involved several exam papers in different subjects and at least two interviews IIRC. DDs school offered up to 25% off with scholarships but 30% was the maximum if you were offered two (eg music, drama, sport), anything more was means tested bursary. DS spent 2 days at one school but had done English and maths papers separately before being invited for that assessment. At that school, you had to be offered a scholarship to be considered for bursaries. The other school had them over 3 days, scholarship places probably are about 10% of the year group - but there is no financial award associated with them at all any more. For that school they were explicit that they were interested in both outstanding academic all-rounders, and those with particularly strengths (as long as they were able enough to keep up in other areas).

When DD was being interviewed for her academic scholarship, they were very interested in her commitment to the school - what sports she would be playing, whether she would be doing dance, drama etc. It was very clear that the position of a scholar came with an expected contribution to the school.

I think it’s a combination of things. The exams, the interview, letter to Head saying why they’d like to attend the school, taster day.

I think they are looking for something out of the ordinary, a child who has potential.

Our DC was awarded an academic scholarship. They took 4 hour long exams. One I believe was some sort of IQ test. DC said it was really fun,it was sequences, coding, patterns and other things I didn’t understand!!

Behaviour on the day was also noted. It was a four month process. So not probably any one thing.

@KingscoteStaff
I think that was the same when DD1 got an academic 6th form scholarship. No money off at all! However their all round contribution to the school was considered as well as academics. Others already had academic scholarships and didn’t lose them. Bursaries were a different matter and you could get a scholarship and a bursary. Existing girls could apply for any scholarship at the ages stipulated.

Posted too soon: DD got £0 off fees as an academic 6th form scholar but others got yearly Principal’s financial awards to assist with their specialism, fee reductions for music scholars, free coaching for sports scholars, free lessons for drama scholars etc. The academic scholars were the least valued in monetary terms. DD got some book vouchers at prize giving.

It's all a bit smoke and mirrors IME!
DS1 was an academic scholar, and yes, he was probably in top 5%.
He was awarded academic scholarships at all the senior schools he applied to.
Other kids who I considered were similar standard didn't always get them.
After a few years we school mums noticed a bit of trend - it seemed that a lot of our kids who had scholarships (academic, music, sport etc) were the first sibling at the school, and we wondered if this was a ploy to lock in the family for future children as there was the allure of a small sibling discount.

These weren't massive 25% -50% off fees BTW - often just £1K-£2K discount per year.

Where you clearly have a talented child who will bolster exam results, they are a bit of a bribe in a competitive market.
At interview DS1 was asked:
"which other schools are you applying to?"
"do you have any brothers or sisters?"

@Livinghappy
This:
"Heads of private schools will adjust criteria based on how they want to shape the school and its reputation externally so I don't think it can be a science with just academic cut offs."
makes sense, but I can't quite imagine it happening with say, the music scholarship. I mean, for music, wouldn't the top musicians always be awarded the scholarships? I can't imagine a musician at grade 6, say, being awarded a scholarship, but not a musician at grade 7, but maybe it happens?

@FluffyHamster I'd never even thought it might be "easier" to get a scholarship if you're the eldest sibling, but I can totally see how this may very well be the case! 😮

@DobbyTheHouseElk Four hour long exams!!! How many four hour exams did they have to sit and how old were the children?

@BearBirdBaboon This was the 11+ scholarship application, but my DC was a very young 10 at the time.

Sorry, my fault I wasn’t clear. The exams were an hour long and there were 4 exams in the day. DC hadn’t sat any formal exams before, but thoroughly enjoyed the day!

From memory I think there were 2x one Hour long exams in the morning, then a long lunch break with some pe and swimming time. Then the remaining 2x one hour exams in the afternoon. They kept them well fed and happy. It was formal, but a gentle day.

We went into the application totally unprepared. I hadn’t done any research on scholarships at all. I think it was the best way really. We weren’t worried and didn’t pass any stress on.

All schools will have a different way. A child in the same class at primary school also applied for a scholarship at a different school and the process was different. Depends on the school.

I can't quite imagine it happening with say, the music scholarship. I mean, for music, wouldn't the top musicians always be awarded the scholarships? I can't imagine a musician at grade 6, say, being awarded a scholarship, but not a musician at grade 7

Rather depends what you mean by ‘the top musicians’ … As far as I’m aware, student musicians are judged / assessed on their potential rather than the number of exams passed. I’ve often seen this specified on school / college sites - they want students who display outstanding talent and the capacity to progress as individual artists. Whereas it’s perfectly possible to get through grade exams on conscientiousness and diligence without any spark of true musicianship.

If a school wants music scholars who they think might go on to win scholarships and prizes at conservatoires and universities - bringing kudos to the school - they’ll surely be looking for more than the ability to pass exams.

I can't imagine a musician at grade 6, say, being awarded a scholarship, but not a musician at grade 7, but maybe it happens?

if the Grade 6 has been playing for 2 years and the Grade 7 for 8 then that would be a scenario where it could happen.

IME the schools look for potential alongside current performance for all scholarships.

Scholarships awarded based on entrance exams are mostly awarded in the basis of being top performers in those exams. However, some other things might influence it around the margins too - senior schools might have a relationship with certain Prep schools and so keep a careful eye on making sure they have awarded X amount of academic scholarships to certain schools. It might mean someone who would have just missed out on one, might get one if no-one else or not enough compared to the usual number would have got one from that school. Again, most are nominal sums. Sometimes having something else to offer too which isn’t covered by a scholarship can swing it around the margins too - being a top chess player or something like that.

Some schools also offer a few academic scholarships to existing pupils part way through. Sometimes you apply and do an exam, it usually it’s based on current performance and just given to top performers who hadn’t already got an academic scholarship on entrance. It’s surprising how some of those getting academic scholarships on entrance turn out to be pretty low performers.

6th Form academic scholarships are often carried on from previous scholarships as the scholarship is for the full time at school. New ones will typically be based on GCSE results. Many schools will have a pit if cash for this, so might give the top 20 performers a small scholarship in terms of money or issue more with lots being honorary. I guess the students can out it on their UCAS form.

Ultimately though, I don’t think it’s open, transparent and totally fair. Some of it is very much a marketing tool. Prep schools love to say X amount if kids got a scholarship of some type. Most are for very small amounts now. However people still ike the kudos and schools offer them hoping that the family will choose their school rather than one of the others they’ve applied for. Sometimes, school knowledge that they are applying to another competitor can also mean a scholarship is offered around the margins, where academic performance in exams was good but not tip-top. Vitally, most have tErms and conditions which say you shouldn’t divulge your award to others. In itself this shows how non-transparent the system is.

With music scholarships, it might not only be the current standard, and rate of progress, that is considered, but also what instruments are offered. I've seen string/piano players offered lesser awards than, eg bassoon and french horn; the latter have probably been playing their instruments less time, but might be critical to keeping the school orchestra going :)

Both of my DCs have academic scholarships and were also awarded scholarships at other schools.
My understanding is that the schools consider the top x% and then look at them as people through interviews, activities etc. I think my children were awarded scholarships because one is a very mature clear thinker and speaker, whilst the other one is an enthusiastic, curious character (but I dont think super academic) and neither would have come across as heavily tutored.

I see that others have mentioned 6th form too. Luckily my DCs' scholarships continue into 6th Form. There are additional 6th form scholarships that have to be applied for - both internal and external candidates - and you apply for 2 specific subjects.

My DC1 got 96 and 100% in the mocks for these 2 subject and received an exhibition worth a small amount whilst other pupils with lower marks got higher value scholarships despite lower marks. The difference is DC1 already had the biggest existing scholarship in their year and had not applied for another 6th form whilst other DCs had lower value or no scholarships and had indicated they were hoping to go elsewhere. The school have to use the money wisely to persuade these people to stay. DC1 was a bit miffed to have missed out but understands it's a market too.

My school was entrance by competitive examination only & the top x percent were offered a scholarship.

You sat 2 days of exams, 2 each day & it was your average score from all 4 exams that counted.

My DS has just been awarded an academic scholarship for Year 7. DH and I had an interview and DS was interviewed separately. This was the same for all applicants. He had to write a statement about why he wanted to go to the school and his current school report was shared. The entrance exam was 1 hour of maths, 1 hour of English and 1 hour of verbal reasoning. Scores were combined and academic scholarships were awarded to the top x achievers overall. The scholarships offer a 10% reduction of fees and last until the end of Year 11 assuming academic standards are maintained.

I have name changed for this as it is very outing. My DC was awarded an academic scholarship for 13+ entry on the basis of their pre-test results in Year 6 and the overnight assessment they did (top boarding school). This school normally only awards academic scholarships based on the results of scholarship exams sat in Year 8. This was for year 8 entry and I gather was rather unusual
(had never happened before). I would
take from this that nothing is cast in stone.

Sorry it was for year 9 entry at 13

At our school at 11+ the top 10% of scorers are invited for a scholarship interview. There's no separate application. This may mean that 50 or 60 children go through interview.

The school operates on a pot of money system rather than set scholarships so for some years there are loads of academic scholars but each scholarship is worth less. So in dc1's year academic scholarships are only at 10-15% but there are lots of them - say 12-15 in the year.

In dc2's year there are far fewer scholars but their awards are higher. DC2's for example is 25%. There are maybe 8 scholars in their year. The scholarship is theirs for as long as they remain at the school. They can apply separately for a sixth form scholarship for which the school advises that you are predicted a minimum of a certain number of 8/9s at gcse.

Music/art/sport is a separate application and anyone can apply although the school gives guidance. There are assessment days/auditions.

For music they look for ability, potential and musicality rather than how many grades a child has done.