Scholarship

[maman2012]

Hi there
Does anyone know how to Apply for scholarship for my daughter who' s in year 5.
What are the criteria and the chances to get it?
Many thanks

[Midlifecrisisarefun]

I missed DS1 out..he had scholarship at prep level, bursary at senior!

[Midlifecrisisarefun]

I've not read all posts, cooking tea! But, DS2 and DD both got bursaries for senior indie schools, both 'failed' the 11+ for state grammar!
DD was given a free place and left at 16 with 8 A to C grades. I personally believe it increased her grades on what she would have had at comp. DSs both had places at nearly full fee remission less than the child benefit
All my DC had places based on 'potential' and 'would benefit but parents cannot afford the fees'
OP Ring the school you are thinking of and have a chat..

[sona03]

Thanks bico and meditrina :-)

[meditrina]

Bursaries are entirely at the discretion of the school. Some may make 100% awards, including curriculum trips and a uniform allowance, but awards of that scale are rare as hen's teeth.

Sme schools prefer to use their available funds to support say 3 pupils at 30% each; others may find that all their funds for a particular year are taken up by new support to existing pupils.

You need to talk to the bursars of the schools you are interested in. Ask what the highest level of award they have actually given out in recent years.

[bico]

sona it totally depends on the school. Some may cover full fees plus uniform costs and cover costs of trips too. You need to contact the bursar of the school you are interested in and see what's available.

[sona03]

Hi my daughter is in year 5 and has got a level 6c in maths and level 6 in English . I would like to know the bursary does it cover the whole fees as I am unemployed

[Copthallresident]

middleclass why do you think that is? Fewer parents able to afford fees and prepared to do everything in their power to prepare DCs ? That is why I really approved of DDs school's outreach programme, going out to find the most deserving pupils. Expats are still touting around the boarding schools though, scholarships if not bursaries still seem to be negotiable .

[middleclassonbursary]

Obviously meant it say not rocket scientists.

[middleclassonbursary]

"the situation with the London day schools which the OP faces is very different to the situation with Boarding Schools where you can indeed tout your bright / talented child around and play them off against each other for the best deal, even the most prestigious schools will do a deal,"
I tend to mostly agree with copthall although IME very generous bursaries (65% + for boarding) into anywhere boarding or day London or out ion the sticks are becoming increasingly difficult to find however talented you DC's are. Even those with large bursary pots who had ambitions of "giving the best possible education to talented boys, irrespective of their family?s financial circumstances" are struggling to achieve this. The reality is that most genuinely nice children who are hard workers but who are rocket scientists, county tennis players, or grade 8 on some impossible instrument are ultimately and sadly unlikely to get a substantial bursary into anywhere.

[hardboiled]

Copthallresident, you are 100% right when it comes to London.

OP, how about Twyford?

[musu]

When I posted I was referring to scholarships available in non-selective day schools. The post about Wellington College was simply to show that even though some schools may try to give the impression of being highly selective, the truth maybe very different in reality (as is the case with WC).

[HabbaDabba]

Whatever

[Copthallresident]

No I deliberately set out to ensure that if people make glib statements that they understand the implications.....

[HabbaDabba]

Do you deliberately set out to look for things to be offended by?

[Copthallresident]

No It was directed at bursary pupils versus scholarship pupils as if they were not worthy of as much respect. Cheap shot.

Also misleading in OPs case as it is entirely untrue in the schools she could apply to

[HabbaDabba]

Copthall - read the post. The 'joke' wasn't directed at her comments.

[Copthallresident]

musu habba the situation with the London day schools which the OP faces is very different to the situation with Boarding Schools where you can indeed tout your bright / talented child around and play them off against each other for the best deal, even the most prestigious schools will do a deal, and especially the ones that are less in demand and not especially selective. However in London the pupils who are on bursaries at the indies are very bright and often talented too, and the competition for bursaries is far more intense than for ordinary places. DDs' school even goes around the local primaries to identify the very brightest and provide mentoring and enrichment activities to enable them to succeed in the entrance exam so that the opportunities don 't just go to those whose parents have spent years helping them prepare (though exams at places like Godolphin and Latymer are very much aimed at identifying ability rather than just acquired knowledge) There are generally far more than 1or 2 scholars but once again competition is very intense because of the status not the modest reduction in fees. DD may be bright enough to get in top 2% of grammar school entrants that are offered places and score in excess of the 97th percentile but it wasn't good enough to be in the top 10% of those who succeeded in her indie entrance exam and get one of the 10 scholarships. I know a few bursary pupils who are all very talented and clever and are very high achievers in spite of the odds being stacked against them in terms of their home environment . OP perhaps does not appreciate this, which is why your "joke" habba seems in very poor taste and not terribly helpful.

[maman2012]

Thank you x

[SanityClause]

At DD2's school, she would need to be approx grade 5 in two instruments to get a music scholarship.

She would need to be playing tennis at county level to get a sports scholarship.

There are no art or drama scholarships at 11+ at the school.

The music and sports scholarships are 10%. Academic can vary at the Head's discretion. The saving in tuition is barely likely to cover music lessons or coaching fees.

Is the head of the tutor college trying to get you to have more lessons? Perhaps you could do some tests with her at home, to see for yourself what standard she is.

[HabbaDabba]

maman - go to elevenplusexams.co.uk.

It does exactly what it says on the tin. The forums are divided into regions so you stand a greater chance of connecting with someone who is familiar with the school and/or a tutor.

[Lonecatwithkitten]

Sorry no science and music.

[maman2012]

Really hope we end up getting Elena Wilkinson and not Acton High school:(
Would you know by any chance of a tutor for English subject for my other child in year 9? Thank you

[Lonecatwithkitten]

I have a few friends who teach in the secondary schools in Ealing - they are wonderful educators so choose wisely and she should do well.

[maman2012]

Thank you all for your messages, really appreciate your advice and input.
I guess we will sit the Exams due in Sept and wait & see.
My daughter plays piano grade 2, some Tennis and loves Art & Drama.
My plan B would be a secondary state school in Ealing and plenty of home tuition to get her through GCSE.
Thank you all and wish her luck:)

[SanityClause]

It's not fair to say if a child doesn't pass the 11+ that they wouldn't get an academic scholarship.

Some 11+ tests are used to rank candidates. The people who get one point lower than those who squeeze in, are just unlucky really.

DD1 is at a superselective like that. She was offered a scholarship at her old school. One of her best friends was offered the same scholarship, but did not get into the grammar.

But most scholarships are tiny, as people have said up thread. You need to ask about bursaries. And bursaries usually have to be applied for each year, so you need to be on the ball to have all your financial information ready.

Different schools calculate bursaries differently. For example, at DS's school, they would take assets into account. That is, if you live in an expensive house, they would expect you to sell it or release equity in it, rather than grant you a bursary. I know that others don't do this, and take only income into consideration.

(I know this because I know someone who plays this bursary game every year, and has had to do so since her husband died when her children were in junior school. She has had to tout her children round to the various schools, comparing offers of scholarships and bursaries to work out what the best deal is. It may not be something you fancy doing. I wouldn't like it, but if DH died, I would obviously have to consider what was best for my children, just as she has had to.)