Bursary advice please

[powderfreak]

hi

Left it late I know.

My y6 dd went last week to look at indie school.

They did some cats tests and then called us in at 5pm to speak to headmistress.

Apparently these scores were 125. Doesnt mean alot to me.

We will require huge ( approx 80%) bursary for her to attend.

Bursar has reviewed our form and docentation etc and has now said a case was being prepared for govenors to consider.

Just wondered if this was the norm. Aware iys close to easter break. Am I right to assume its now a waiting game till govenors meet?

Anyone else been in this situation outside of the normal admissions cycle and how did it pan out?

Thanks

No it is not normal.

Most schools will have already offered their places for September (usually done no later than February).

There may well still be vacancies (after the waiting list shuffle) but it's be a bit at chances of a bursary. But you might be lucky (do check the school is financially viable, though).

Idle curiosity, but what led to to approach a school so late on?

I dont think there is a waitlist. There were 16 kids in y6 when we looked around

Hadnt considered private for y7, popped into open day out of curiosity

Popped in and they had CATs ready to go?

Definitely check financial viability.

Sorry OP Do you actually mean 16 in the whole year? Or just the ones you saw? Or the ones applying?

If the first - what's your strongest argument for the viability of such a tiny (senior!) school. Assume it's a prep rather than an 11 upwards?

(It's just there was another thread recently where a school fell over itself to offer bursaries and then started diminishing the offers once people had joined. The school was failing....)

Medrina - popped in at open day

Went back thereafter for assessment

16 in y6 juniors

School goes to 18.

More joining on y7

Ok. Tell us more.

What's great about this school?

How many in yr 7?

What's its reputation?

Is it the best of its kind for 100 miles around?

Sensible people would be directing you to the accounts at Companies House. I'm more interested in the word on the street. And gut feeling. No waiting list.

Thanks for help.

We are in cumbria and am lead to believe wait lists arent the norm

Will check out companies house

Do check. It could all be fine but...

(I do know of one highly desirable looking school in Cumbria.)

Well done to your DD obviously. (Just don't want you to be here in 18 months bemoaning a suddenly closed school and your 20% "disappeared". And I have read such a tread...)

Good luck!

... Such a thread...

You need to search for the school on the Charity Commission website and look at their accounts. If the school is in Cumbria though I guess they might be right about waiting lists. How many children are in the current year 7 and the sixth form? Have you read the school's ISI report (indie school version of Ofsted report)? These might be better indicators. I don't think the school needs to be "the best of its kind for 100 miles" - if it's better than your state option, you get the bursary you need and the school is financially viable then why not? From what I can remember about CAT scores 125 comes in the "moderately high" band.

I'm assuming the school doesn't do entrance tests as such (so no mass offering in January for September) but is similar to a non selective senior school local to me where they do their own low key assessment then decide.
It can happen with the bursary. For example when my ds moved to a prep school in year 5, I applied in the July and 2 weeks later was given a 75% bursary for the September.
As others have said, check out the numbers in yr 7, check out companies house and be aware that your bursary will be reviewed each school year, particularly as you are reliant on such a large % and also make sure you know exactly what isn't included in the bursary (some schools charge for exams, meals, the list is endless!) Also check out leavers destinations, not all indies are automatically 'better' than state.

125 is good but not exceptional, was that overall or all the same . Score is out of 141 iirc. How academic is the school ? Does it tick any particular boxes for your dd . 18 seems a very small year group, socially, sports team etc .

If it was a return visit for CATS/assessment, that doesn't sound so worrying (and lots of schools have the odd vacancy when the numbers offered/accepted don't quite go to plan).

How does this school compare to your state offer (assuming you have one)?

my friend didnt get her 100% bursary at her highly academic school of choice in march, so she then applied at the only other indie in the area, this one states that although there is an entrance exam even if you dont pass it , you may still be offered a place if they like you at interview, so not super selective, anyway she has just been offered the 85% bursary (the maximum they offer) and she is due to start in september , this was all finalised this week. its one of the united churchschools and they were told they had no waiting lists and bursary money waiting!

Roz many years ago I looked into get funding for boarding for a child I worked with from Buttle, RNC and others it is possible but criteria are very tight and your child would have to be in a very vulnerable and difficult position.