Sports Scholarships

[MusicMum80s]

Just curious what the level is going hays required at competitive London private day schools for a sports scholarship?

Is school sport enough or are they expecting them to play county / club sports too. Are certain sports favoured over others (swimming, athletics, netball, football, tennis etc) and is this influenced by what the school is strongest in? Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

TIA

Hi there - the school website should tell you what the minimum requirements are. Our DD has received a sports scholarship to two different schools (both boarding though). Had to be county level in at least one sport and accomplished (first team) in a couple of others. Then there are scholarship days where they are assessed and interviewed (this is obviously just our own experience). The competition was pretty fierce. But amounts given were small so they gave out a few!! Different schools would favour different sports I guess depending on what they focus on. Happy to advise further if I can.

I would check how much the scholarship is. DD's was only10%. Her friend combined his scholarship with a bursary due to proven low parental income and got one of only 2 fully funded places. He scored very highly in the entrance exam as well.

I would be exceptionally surprised if a child got a sports scholarship off the back of just school sport. I don't live in London, but a friends child who got one for football was training with Arsenal acedemy 7 times a week from age 6. I think often people who only do school sport, however good the standard is, are unaware that's there a whole other level out there

The school my DS looked at wanted two sports, expected to be county level in one. They also prefer certain sports, so boys schools are often rugby, hockey and cricket. They only get a small discount.

Both my kids had/have sports scholarships.

There wasn't a requirement to be county level but most tended to be. Quite a lot was on the reference from school and county coaches. One son had played county cricket, hockey and tennis (and regional tennis). The other had his awarded after the first year, and played county hockey and cricket (but also liked rugby).

The assessment day was pretty low key and everyone did everything. Fitness and athleticism drills, cricket nets, hockey drills and small sided touch rugby games. They only wanted kids who were good in either rugby, cricket or hockey, no interest in others really (although school offers a range of sports beyond those).

No discount on fees at all at our school, just sports kit, a tutor and free physio. Not really a big deal,

Thanks everyone. It’s £5k off the fees but they don’t have a level specifically indicated for sport. I think it’s pretty high though. I suspect county level as a minimum as they have children playing national level sport though not all the sports scholars are at such a high level!