arts scholarships 11+, strings attached?

[Toooldforthat]

I have just realized some secondary schools give arts scholarships at 11+ in addition to the more obvious academic/sports/music/drama ones. Apart from being good at drawing, what are the expectations and more importantly the strings attached to such a scholarship? Are they worth the hassle?

If you check out the terms for each scholarship, then most will provide a discount of circa 10% off fees (if you are referring to independent applications - I have no idea on the state specialist side).

If your DC has a good eye, can generate a portfolio of works using different mediums including the usual pencil still life, abstract, paintwork, charcoal, collage/textural etc then this is enough to submit. Then he/she may be expected to create a piece of work on a given day. The school assesses the work itself and approach to the brief/still life looking out for creativity etc.

Some children can double up on music/art and academic scholarships...then this adds up to being worthwhile!

Very crude summary, every school application process may be different so do check first. There's a lot of work though that your DC may already have accrued or needs to do, so yes, can be a lot of work.

Re strings - just that they keep up their interest in the scholarship award normally. Some will review annually, others will commit to the full tern duration of 5/7 years.

At my children's school there are strings attached to all scholars.

General good behavior

Representing the school well

Participating in all events/contests/activities concerning the subject of their scholarship

Specific behavior relating to their scholarship

Top grades in the subject of said scholarship

For example a friend of DS's lost his sports scholarship last year because he was caught smoking for the third time (they have a 3 strike policy before a scholarship is lost). Another girl lost her Art scholarship because she decided not to take it at 6th form.

Schools give kids scholarships so they can get something out of them. Sports scholars need to compete and win, Art scholars need to have beautiful work to show off, academic scholars need to get top grades to bring up averages etc.

Things like that really, varies from school to school, you need to ask them what their conditions are.

My experience of music and sports one is read the strings very carefully.

These are some I've seen:
Music: You must attend orchestra weekly, plus the ensemble, sing in the choir, and be present at any music concerts even if not performing.
In return you get: one free private instrument fees per term to learn with one of the school's teachers.

Sports: You must attend all the sports' practices for two sports every term (teacher's choice), be available for any Saturday morning matches and any tours during holidays.
In return: 5% off fees.

I know a couple of people who have actually turned down these because they felt the amount they were getting off was not worth the amount of time and effort they needed to put in.

Dds friend faced losing hers unless she took art/dt gcse so you need to be prepared to restrict options. Interestingly drama and music are not exam dependent but rely on demonstrable commitment, minimum participation in 2 ensembles for example. Sports likewise. All have behaviour and effort commitments attached.

Art perhaps has fewer opportunities for eating in to your time (unlike the commitments in sport and music particularly, and also rehearsal schedules for drama, if in or supporting every production) though you'll probably have to do it at least to GCSE, and will be lemoned in to making sets, props and posters for every play and other event.

It's why for these ones, they really should be for DC who love what they do and actively want to do it at every opportunity. So asking what additional activities they have for scholars (because it does vary) is definitely worthwhile.

Hmmm, our niece did Arts at GCSEs and A levels and it was really time consuming producing all those beautiful pieces. Having to make the decors for plays sounds annoying actually.

DD is 7 and really likes drawing, so I would have time to prepare her for such an award, e.g. Making her joining an arts club and building a portfolio using different mediums, but if it is only 10% of fees I don't know. I need to investigate this a bit more.

Some schools have scholarships worth 0%, so I would be aware of that too. They only have bursaries.

The level of scholarships vary. As millymollymama points out, many have no cash value whatsoever (money instead going into means tested bursaries) and those which have cash value are smaller than they were - ranging from about 10-25%.

The amount of time/effort required to produce a portfolio, plus the amount of art expected when in the school, wil, have an impact on what your DC's childhood looks like (same for music practise/performance, drama reversal/performance and sports training/fixtures). Only do it if your DC loves it and wants is as a major part of life.

withend, our experience of a music scholarship is very different. DS does not have to attend concerts in which he is not playing! He is asked to play on open days and other events, and this is not a problem as he's glad for as many performing opportunities as possible. His participation in choir and ensembles has never been imposed, rather asked with kindness and he has always been able to turn something down.
In terms of what we get, it's three lessons a week, not one, plus occasional workshops for the scholars.
toooldforthat I was artistic and never had the chance of an art scholarship, but if I had been asked to paint backgrounds for the drama department, I would've been the happiest child in the world. What fun. I don't see what's annoyiong about it, to be honest

I think anybody who expects to receive funding from either schools or government in form of award, bursary or scholarship should only do so if their child is passionate about the subject.
I believe they should have to be actively involved with that subject within the school and more importantly if they are passionate they will want every opportunity anyway.

Sorry OP, forgot to add.
You shouldn't make them join the relative clubs, the child should be asking/begging to join. Otherwise you run the risk of them not being happy if they do receive the award/ scholarship etc.

I know little about 11+ art scholarships but saw the enormous amount of work the children at my DS's prep did for 13+. It seemed quite formulaic TBH, the school had a extraordinarily talented but completely off the wall young artist who would give most surrealists a run for their money (not everyone's cup of tea but his talent was undeniable) but he couldn't get an art scholarship into anywhere, whereas less talented but able to produce a tick box portfolio; perspective drawings, still life, a landscape, self portrait etc regularly got art scholarships into big name schools.
The financial rewards are often not great and many art scholars only get free art materials, some schools won't even offer means tested bursaries to art scholars. So if your hoping that winning an art scholarship will make private education affordable then if I was you and before you invest in lots of paper paints and crayons etc you need to read the websites of any schools your interested in and see what if any financial reward your DD would get for winning an art scholarship. Finally if a selective school offers an art scholarship they usually still except the child to pass their academic entrance exam.