Hampton School scholarships (at 13+)

[HamptonBoys]

DS just passed his CE exam to get into Hampton with straight A's/A*s.

We are pleased but wonder if anyone knows if this is scholarship level or whether you would be expected to get straight A*s at a school like this to reach the scholarship level?

Only reason to ask is we slightly feel the school has let us down in initially recommending fairly average (academically) schools to us, and now perhaps in this matter as well, i.e. in not wanting him to sit the scholarship paper.

A few other children got scholarships, but to less academic schools, so we don't know if the fact that he was the only child to get straight A's is relevant or not....

Obviously if this (straight A's at 13+) is normal at this level (given that the majority of GCSEs are at A* perhaps it is) then we won't feel any sort of bitterness at losing out on I guess £10k?

If it's any comfort, I highly doubt it would be anywhere near £10k. DS has an offer from KCS with an invitation to sit the scholarship exam (based on his pre-test results and his headmasters' report). In financial terms this would only mean £1500-2000 if he got one or several, so roughly 10% of the fees max. AFAIK it's similar at Hampton, although we've declined his offer from them so I haven't looked into the exact amounts offered there.

At most of the top schools the scholarship exam is mostly about the additional challenge. I know our Head is very selective about who sits it as it's a huge commitment. The curriculum is totally different (often GCSE level in many or all subjects, Ancient Greek etc depending on the secondary school) and they have to be totally confident that the pupil will at least pass. It would be awful to have to resit the CE a month later, not having studied towards it (no RS etc).

If your DS has come top of all applicants in one or several subjects he will be awarded a book prize, so it's just the glory. If his results are truly exceptional maybe they'll consider something more - but bear in mind that with a pass mark of 65% most grades will probably be A and A*.

Oops, just realised you probably meant £10k in total over the 5 years, if so that's probably correct. But he would have had to be one of the best to sit the scholarship exam which as I said is a totally different kettle of fish from the CE. Maybe his Head felt that the pressure would have been to much. Better to have done brilliantly in his CE, well done!

So the school now has sent me the 2015 grade boundaries:

For a C, B, A, A*. Lower than C is only D
Maths: 50, 63, 75, 85
English: 40, 47, 55, 66
Science: 50, 57, 70, 80
French: 55, 65, 76, 90
History: 45, 50, 65, 78
RS: 55, 65, 72, 90
Geography: 50, 60, 70, 85
Latin: 45, 51, 70, 80

Spanish: 50, 65, 70, 90
Greek: 55, 70, 85, 95

So you can get all C's with a 49% average, all B's with 58%, A's with 69% average, and then A* with 82% average.

So the 65% passing grade is like a B+ average, and DS could have got anywhere between 73% and 88% average, perhaps he got around 80% overall.

In terms of %, the raw grades for English and History are not particularly high, thought he got an A* for History, so he did get a good raw grade there. His A in English only translates to 55-65% so that would be the only subject he got less than 70% in, but then again you can't really compare with other schools because English marking must be very subjective, the same paper could get 60% one place and 75% somewhere else.

In answer to your question I think the more academic schools - say St Paul's, Westminster and KCS expect their scholars to be approaching A* across the board. It's good to get straight As but not that unusual in those schools. The scholars are the excellent all rounders.

DS got a clutch of As and sat a couple of scholarship papers but could not have achieved a scholarship because he wasn't strong across the board.

As others have said, the scholarship papers are quite different to the 'normal' papers and are hugely challenging.

Your DS has done really well. He might have got a scholarship in a less academic school but I think he sounds like Hampton will suit perfectly.

Rapid answer to your question that the prep school should be able to obtain for you is what was the place of your DS in the Hampton CE cohort.
If he is in the top few then that would probably overlap in standard with those who have attempted the scholarship.
I'm not sure about Hampton but scholarship papers usually involve more testing for thinking skills as well as advanced curriculum whilst CE is usually how well you have learnt the material IYSWIM.

I assume your Ds didn't take any CAS papers?

No he didn't sit CAS.

We know he's going to be in top set for Maths and for French but those were his strongest subjects anyway.

They do give out a decent proportion of scholarships at 13+: 9 academic scholarships, 6 all-rounder, 2 art, 3 music, which totals 1/3 of the 13+ intake of 60.

As I understand the scholarship papers are the same syllabus as the higher level, except in Latin, where they cover some more material.

Hampton you should be able to get whether he was overall first or second and so on for the Hampton CE group. Might be quite nice for him to know if he was highly placed and as I said would answer your question about his standard compared to the scholars. If he is below the top five then probably not.
If the syllabus is the same the questions would require more working out or require a higher standard of answer content.

summerends: If he is in the top few then that would probably overlap in standard with those who have attempted the scholarship.

Completely agree - but then you also have to realise that only a fraction of those who attempt the scholarship are actually awarded one. At DS' highly academic prep (a traditional Hampton "feeder"), only a handful of scholarships are gained every year - max two out of maybe 20 boys going to Hampton (5 or 6 having attempted the scholarship exam).

Any boys entered into the scholarship class will typically have had end of year exam results of at least 80-90% across the board in years 6 and 7 (after the pre-tests). All of these boys would certainly have expected A* in all subjects in standard CE exams.

We had a word with the Director of Studies today - he wasn't exactly volunteering information. We did ask the school previously for feedback but they said they don't provide any.

DontWorryBeHappyNow is that The Mall School? Hampton seems to have a lot of feeder schools, nearly 30 different schools in the 13+ intake.

My instinct previously was that he wouldn't have been consistent enough across the board, but I suppose in a way it's better to try and not get it, then not try at all.

No, not the Mall. You're right, there are a lot of feeders

I don't think it's always better to try. DS decided not to go the scholarship route despite the invitation as he doesn't want the extra work and pressure. We'll be delighted if he does as well as your DS.

Hampton grade boundaries are lower than St Pauls/KCS. I know KCS only give one A* to the top paper in each subject, and the average entry mark is 80% across the board - which would give you all Bs! SPs A boundary is estimated to be 90+ for everything but English.
Hampton mark generously, they make it very clear they don't care about CE results and see it as an end of prep school exam. The advantage of this is that the boys go in with their confidence sky high feeling that they have done very well at CE. I think Hampton have got this right.
DS's prep was a big Hampton feeder and your sons grades look very typical for the top half of the cohort. CAS is a lot of extra work and the exams are a lot harder than CE.

Hampton scholarships for this year were in the Telegraph last Thursday.

In the 11+ there were 6 all rounders, and they had a lot in for assessment over two days, 40-50 boys.

There seems to be a lot in the academic scholarships but I have no idea whether this is material or honourary?

OP I hope you are not transmitting any negativity to your DS- he has achieved brilliantly, yet you come across as disappointed. If the prep school thought he was of scholarship material they would have put him in the scholarship stream. As it is it sounds like he has outperformed himself which is fabulous. Most scholarships have very little financial benefit anyway. Please just celebrate his great scores and stop yourself from thinking there should be something "more"

Are those grade boundaries mentioned by the OP (below) only for Hampton 13+ this year or are they applicable to other schools at that age as well? I am not familiar with the Uk system and struggling to understand the concept of ever changing boundaries! Do they always depend on how the other students did? If DD gets 87% History in his final year exam, there is no way to know if it means and A or an A*, is that right?

For a C, B, A, A*. Lower than C is only D
Maths: 50, 63, 75, 85
English: 40, 47, 55, 66
Science: 50, 57, 70, 80
French: 55, 65, 76, 90
History: 45, 50, 65, 78
RS: 55, 65, 72, 90
Geography: 50, 60, 70, 85
Latin: 45, 51, 70, 80
Spanish: 50, 65, 70, 90
Greek: 55, 70, 85, 95

The boundaries are 100% down to the school. So one school could make 80% A, another 65%. And it will change from year to year.

And in a subject like History, 87% at one school might be 70% at another, because the marking is subjective.

Thanks Dough. I understand it now. It seems so strange to me though because I come from a more rigid and universal system...

Well tbh the CE is a bit meaningless because they do the filtering at 11+ pre-test anyway