Art scholarships for year 9 in Sussex

[Mayhemmumma]

How would I go about choosing a school to apply for a year 9 art scholarship?

I don't know anyone who could recommend a school and school reports don't seem to focus particularly on art provisions. I'm not particularly arty myself so DD would have a better idea than me looking around but I wouldn't want to get her hopes up too much.

Does anyone have advice or suggestions- I would like somewhere my DD would be really able focus on art - she academically quite able but is talented with art (imo)

1. an art scholarship is going to be worth at best 10% of fees, do you need to combine with a bursary application? If so research those.
2. which schools are reasonably commutable from your home, start with those and go for tours with your daughter and she will get a feel for the art and you can get a feel for the school as a whole (which is equally if not more important).

You have to look at each school and see what scholarships they offer. Talk to the Bursar of the schools but bear in mind scholarships usually only cover a small % of fees ie 5-15% so you have to look at whether you could afford the remaining fees.
The school websites should have a Scholarship section so you can see what they offer.

Ok thank you that's a really good point I would need to see how much they cover. Even if we could afford some of fees, we couldn't for both children so that wouldn't be fair...

She's in year 7 right now so there is time to plan financially, I just don't want her to not have every opportunity because of money so will get researching. I would love someone to say x is a great school!

You have to choose the school that's right for your child.
We started saving for fees from Yr 2 so by the time she entered Yr 7 we had already saved up 3 years worth and are now squirrelling as much away as possible for Yrs 10+.
It isn't just the fees, it's the uniform, transport etc that you need to budget for. Plus I would imagine scholarship specific trips etc.
If basic fees are 17K then you need to budget another 2K minimum per year for buses, lunches, day trips etc plus uniform is a lot!!
Fees rise every year and there is the threat of VAT if Labour get in.

You might be a lot better off finding a really good state school and then paying for art workshops/classes in the holidays and maybe an art tutor at weekends? If you have anything like private fee amounts, you could be sending her to some amazing courses in London or Italy etc.

We did this with our DD - she's at a state comprehensive with a fantastic music department, and then does extra classes and courses out of school. Not cheap once you get to a high level but the bonus is that we can handpick who she trains with and find very specific teaching that just would not have been possible at most private schools.

She has weekly art lessons outside of her (pretty poor) school and does holiday days, she's been attending this club for six years and is showing no sign of getting bored.

If she's in Y7 now, it's mainly the big boarding schools that have Y9 entry having pre-tested in Y6.

Does she have the academics to get a place at Y9 entry school? Or are you looking for an occasional place at a non-selective indie?

Generally scholarships are at Y7 entry, Y9 entry and Y12 entry.

Which bit of Sussex are you in - I know lots of schools there, but it would really depend where you were as to which would be feasible if you are looking for day rather than boarding?

I can recommend one, but it depends where you are in Sussex. This one would work for West Sussex, otherwise you’d have to consider boarding.

Are you currently in a Prep school? If so, she should be accessing the Art Mentoring Programme asap. Most schools start these sessions in Year 7 so that they are fully prepared for the scholarships which usually take place in the Spring Term of Year 8, although there are some schools that are slightly earlier or later. It's particulary important to get going in good time for Art because it's the hardest scholarship in terms of the amount of advance preparation needed. She ought to be looking at a Portfolio of about 6-10 big, finished pieces showing a variety of media as well as her ongoing sketch books and artist research pages. She should also be doing little write ups/keeping entrance tickets/taking photos of any galleries and exhibitions she goes to so that she can talk about them at the interview.

I'm the Director of the Arts in a prep school and manage the scholarship mentoring programmes for Art, Drama, Dance, Music and Design Technology so happy to answer any other questions if you have any. But your own Head, Academic Deputy or Head of Art should be able to help you if you make an appointment to see them. They can also help direct you to the right Senior School in terms of good Art depts, suitability for your child, scholarships opening up bursary funds etc. I'm not familiar with your area.

If you're not in a Prep school, you might need to do quite a lot of the leg work yourself so start by reading the scholarship section of the school websites carefully. A lot are really helpful with the specifics of what you need.

We're in West Sussex - wouldn't want her to board. Would travel.

She's very capable academically, she's been identified as gifted and talented in English in two schools and got greater depth for her sats, but nothing else test wise to go on.

And no she's in a state secondary with virtually no art provision

So are you applying to the 13+ entry schools? There's not that much of a choice at that stage especially if you don't want to go boarding. Would you qualify for a bursary?

Near us, Queenswood offer art scholarships but I don't know if it's just at 11+ or also at 13+.

If she’s not going to board then I’d just identify all the schools within a ( max) 1 hour journey ( use good schools guide website) and research them . If they offer art scholarships then it’s usually mentioned on the admissions page. However, typically the process is apply for place, do academic assessments in autumn term of either year 6 or 7, get offered place, pay holding fee, then do scholarship assessments in year 8. These are awarded by Easter of Year 8. That said, most schools do have places for late applicants but you still can’t apply for the scholarship until you’ve been offered the place. If you also need a bursary, you need to tell them at point of application in most cases as the academic bar may be higher for the bursary places.

Thanks LaPalma that's really helpful to know the process

My DD has a full art scholarship at an independent school but it doesn’t give us any fee discount. Instead she is in a gifted and talented stream that offers small group and 1:1 sessions with in house and visiting specialists, trips and a set of personal art materials each year.

She literally lives in the art and DT rooms and is beyond happy. It does help her progress and elevate her art but the regular school fees are extremely high. Great as it is, I wouldn’t stretch myself on school fees to send her there just for the art. In fact, I wouldn’t stretch myself if I couldn’t afford private full stop.

We also found a state school (grammar) that had a fantastic art department. The best way to gauge things is to actually visit the schools and look for yourself. Sad as it is, art isn’t really high priority at many schools.

You might also be better off waiting until 6th form and just carry on with what she’s currently doing outside school. Then look at somewhere like Hurtwood House - an independent sixth form that specialises in creative arts:

https://www.hurtwoodhouse.com/academic/creative/art/

My DD does a lot of art outside school, by herself and in her own free time. Her scholarship assessment very much focussed on this and it was evident she had a natural passion and talent for it compared to most of the other applicants. Nurture that side and waiting until 16 will be absolutely fine.

Why does it have to be art?
For a child in Y7 who is academically gifted, surely you should keep her options open. She could want to do anything in the future.
I love art but in Y7 my favourite subject was maths, and now I'm an artist 😅
Kids can't possibly know what they might do at such a young age.

OP, do you mind sharing how you have been encouraging your DD's art so far? My child is still very young but I already see that's the thing that she totally adores. What did you do to help her progress?

I'd disagree that a Y7 kid can't possibly know what they want to do.

Plenty of dancers and musicians go to vocational school at 11. For ballet you probably don't have much of a chance if you haven't started serious vocational training by Y7.

My DD is very serious about music and only applying for that for 6th form. She told us what she was going to be as an adult when she was 2... we laughed and patted her on the head... we're not laughing anymore. She has never veered from her goals.

That's not to say you can't change your mind - I did, lots and lots of times - but you can very much know what you want to do and still keep options open.

OP, somewhere like Bedes might be worth a look.

Have you seen what the art department in your local school is like?

@OhCrumbsWhereNow That's true, however OP said "I would like somewhere my DD would be really able focus on art - she academically quite able but is talented with art (imo)"

It doesn't sound much like the kid is pushing hard for it, and she is academically able in a lot of areas. I am making an assumption, but I'm wondering if it's a case of a parent liking the idea of their child being an artist, rather than the child actually being unusually determined and one-track-focussed at a young age.

I just think surely at 11 you don't want to push her only down one path when she is able in many different areas. She might well discover a passion for something else in the next few years. Let her spend a bit of time discovering herself.

There's just no need to push toward art school at 11, it's not really like dancing where you have to start so young. At 11, it's something you can simply explore and see where it leads, and take it more seriously at GCSE/ A Level (I am speaking with some professional knowledge of art).

Many artists completely switch off from their natural yearnings as soon as it becomes professional, as well. Whilst she's so young, it's best to explore it and do it because she loves it - not because she's seeing it as work.

Agree with all of this.

I have a degree from art college and having worked professionally in that world for a long time, I was very determined that any child of mine would not go down the same path but would just 'do it for fun' - lol, the wisdom of parenting before you are actually a parent.

I kind of won in that DD hasn't gone down the art path - just an equally difficult different one!

I can see that it would be a bit miserable to be at a secondary that doesn't have a decent art or music or sports department if that is what you enjoy though.

Depending on how much OP is prepared to travel though, if private is out due to costs, it might be worth looking at the other state schools in the area and whether one of them could be a better fit and it could be possible to get an in-year place.

There's just no need to push toward art school at 11, it's not really like dancing where you have to start so young. At 11, it's something you can simply explore and see where it leads, and take it more seriously at GCSE/ A Level (I am speaking with some professional knowledge of art).

But OP isn't pushing towards Art school (is that even a thing for 11 year olds?) She's hoping to use Art as a means of entry into an independent school via an Art scholarship which sometimes offer good fee remissions and often open the door to means tested bursaries.

The only expectations on Art Scholars at independent schools are to take GCSE Art (sometimes A Level is stated as an expectation but not always) and to show commitment and enthusiasm to the Art department. She's not committing to a career in Art.

Haha some saying I'm pushing some asking how I encourage her!

I'm pretty child led, she's loved art since she was tiny, all I do is buy art supplies, she has a nice desk space and lots of encouragement.

I couldn't push, it's not in my nature but I want to stop sitting back and find out if I can give her better, broader opportunities. If I was wealthy this would be simple and not quite so controversial on here.

I know she'll get great GCSEs wherever she goes - I find her school quite depressing and limited but I know she'll do great in terms of grades, she's got good friends and she enjoys sports with the school teams.

I'd just like a really good art department - and in state schools near by this is very limited, we looked at a school that didn't have an art teacher so no lessons, she currently has an hour lesson once a fortnight and parents are asked to donate for supplies.

She's bored, I want her to be doing what she loves - I'm not dictating her life's work.

If she's doing more art I genuinely believe she will be happier and learn better in all areas of the curriculum.