any suggestions? secondary for gifted artist, great pastrol care

[mummy203]

We are applying for Christ's Hospital. He's a very talented artist, bright but only just now getting help now with SEN (that's a whole other post) and I wonder if it's too late positive effect on entrance exams etc :(

We are looking for a supportive school, great patrol care that will encourage him academically as well as his talent for Art. Preferably boarding...any suggestions. Thank you

ahh! this is why I shouldn't post at 2am sleep deprived.

*too late TO HAVE A positive effect on entrance exams
*pastoral care

Are you looking for yr 7 entrance or yr 9? Have you applied to Christ's because of it's generous bursary policy or simply because you like it and can afford the full fees?
Christ's is full boarding is this what you want/need or would you consider weekly boarding? If the latter what area do you live in, (I personally have a 1 1/2 hour one way driving rule we learnt the hard way) and will you have to pick your DS up from school for all exeats etc or could he get home on public transport sometimes?

We looked at schools for our DD who was interested in art provision. In no particular order we looked at St Edwards, Oxford, Uppingham (didn't like the school), Stowe and Bradfield (disappointing facilities). She eventually went to a girls' school. I would look for a school with good pastoral support and a track record of getting young people into art schools.

The best most original and exciting art work we ever saw on our visits to schools (many years ago) was perhaps rather surprisingly SPS after that Bryanston. Of course it's just depends on who's at the school at that moment, we know an extraordinarily talented prize winning young artist at a well known school if you went there now hopefully his work would be on display and give a great impression of the art dept but once he's left them there may not be another like him along for a few years so the art dept might not look so impressive.
I would look at access to the art dept in free time, if he has a particular interest e.g. ceramics find out if there's a teacher there who specialises in it, some schools have links with local art organisations and hold regular exhibitions etc open to all, perhaps more likely in urban schools, do they have an artist in residence, my DS's school has an art prize, bursary thing for 6th formers so they can travel abroad during the school academic year do develop their art further and of course (I)GCSE results/A level results and leavers destinations. In very academic schools only a few are likely to go onto top art schools but it's definitely worth enquiring if they send at least 1-2 a year if this is your Ds's ambition.

Thank you happygardening We would be applying year 7 and for a bursary to help. Also an art scholarship to help with fee's. When I say good at art I mean well beyond years, his teacher said any school should be happy to have him for the art potential alone but even if that was the case? I'm sure there's more to it, I would not want him to be constantly struggling to keep up academically at any school. Christ's Hospital was suggested to us by a teacher that knows our family that he would benefit from structure and environment and bursary. We are also looking at state but I feel strongly he would flourish in a structured boarding environment. I would consider relocating if the right the school was too far away.

Thank you MillyMollyMama and happygardening great advice, great questions to ask the schools thank you very much x

At a lot of schools an art scholarship will be worth nothing, or next to nothing, by the way. A bursary is means tested and different and often schools look for all round academic ability, not just art. I would explore what money is available for bursaries and scholarships and how the money is allocated. My DD1 had a 6th form academic scholarship worth - nothing!!!

Many of the well know boarding schools who may offer art scholarships with little financial value but you could then apply for a bursary don't start till yr 9. Christ's of course is the big exception I understand that you have to be a solid grammar school candidate to get a place. There's lots of threads on here about Christ's and I believe a separate website, a poster called Derekthehamster has a DC there she's always very helpful, search her name.

OP: It's always the case that in Mumsnet people say such and such scholarship will be next to nothing! Luckily I did my own research when I was looking around schools...
For example...
day schools: Emanuel in Wandsworth (impressive art department) and Trinity in Croydon have very generous art scholarships. In fact, Trinity can give up to 50% for Art alone.
boarding: Whitgift also gives up to 50% art scholarships.
All the above mentioned give very generous bursaries too.

Pastoral care: I don't know about Whitgift but Trinity was absolutely lovely. I know kids at Emanuel whith SEN who are very happy.

I guess I can only comment about the schools we looked at and others we considered. But it is better to be aware that not all are generous and some give nothing. There are exceptions, obviously, but these days scholarships tend to be of low value because of charity commission rules about giving to non wealthy people, hence the move to bursaries which are means tested. If schools are still able to give thousands and thousands of pounds away to possibly very rich parents, then I would say that is a mis use of funds!

Makemelaugh - I, like you, did a lot of research! Just out of interest, Whitgift say their Art Scholarship is between 5% and 50%. You omitted to say it could be 5% hence my comment of next to nothing! Please do not give false hope when research actually suggests that the awards are very variable. They may give a large art scholarship to relieve pressure on the bursary fund. But I would be certain that not all art scholars get 50% remission of fees!

Make are either Emmanuel (which I know is very well regarded) or Trinity (which I don't know) boarding schools? I'm pretty sure Emmanuel isn't. The OP said she was looking for a " structured boarding environment". Of course there are some out there who offer financially generous art scholarships but the vast majority of boarding schools don't but will top it up with a means tested bursary. As Milly said to stop rich kids getting large discounts and swallowing up bursary money meant for less wealthy children.

Whitgift by the way does not have a lot of boarders and wouldn't be my choice if I was looking for proper boarding especially for year 7 child I might feel differently for a 6 th former.

Milly I said up to 50% which implies that is the maximum.
I also said Emanuel and Trinity were not boarding. The OP said preferably boarding which implies there is a chance they would consider day schools... hence my proposals.
What Milly calls giving false hope I call encouragement. So many people told me schools never give the maximum they publicise and then DS got several offers to that amount and I was like what?!! So no point in giving up hope. That's all.