academic scholarships london

[rebz]

Amber, completely agree.

I am not sure if it is e case with all scholarships, but the academic scholarship at dd school (not tier 1 indie!) comes with conditions, one being that if the students academic levels drop the scholarship can be withdrawn. This may put extra stress on the scholarship pupil.

[SleepyHead]

A friend of ours had bursary funding to pay for school fees at a top London boy's school. He recalls that teachers would often single him out if he wasn't paying attention in class, mentioning publicly that he was "very lucky to be at the school" and that "he of all people should appreciate the education being offered to him"

I find this appalling and humiliating. There were also other implications when friends, (or their parents) saw his house. So sad, I wonder if this still happens today - this was 40 odd years ago.

[Kingfisher]

Definitely not. No one knows which child has bursary funding. We are not in the business of humiliating children. I know a few in DD's class who have funding but that is because the parents told me. The children don't know - not even my DD, who is quite nosy about things like that!

Rebz - this is indeed the case; scholarships do come with conditions but it is up to the school how stringently this is enforced.

Amber, i also agree with you. It is very hard for the children but we as adults have to manage expectations and outcomes. Even worse, though, are the parents who bemoan that DC did not get in and it was such a shock, then blame everything including themselves and the child. That is so damaging.

[lefol]

Scholarships do come with conditions be it academic or music . The kids are expected to maintain a good academic record and for music expected to take part in music events in and out of school . The kids do get to find out which ones are on bursaries and I think they find out from their friends not the teachers .

[Ordinaryjo]

Just to say, my daughter got a 50% scholarship to NLCS. She is by no means a genius and was one of the shyer, less confident, girls at her private junior school. She wasn't keen on NLCS for some reason (although it was at that time my first choice) and is now thriving at HBS. By the sounds of the girls mentioned upthread (Olympic-level sportswomen, novelists etc) I think she went to the right school, as she definitely wouldn't have been able to keep up! She is academic, keen on sports and music and does well enough in them, but is she some amazing super girl? No, not at all, she is just an ordinary, quite clever, schoolgirl. After school she just wants to go on her phone and mess around with her younger sister (definitely no novel writing!). Obviously no one should expect a scholarship (it was a complete surprise to us) but you don't have to be a MENSA card-holding Olympic athlete/debating champion to get one! We do appreciate how lucky she was though, and it was quite hard to turn down the scholarship. DD2 has an NLCS offer but no scholarship - will be much easier to turn down if we find out she has got into HBS tomorrow! - no idea whether she will or not - feels impossible at this time.

[Kingfisher]

The kids do get to find out which ones are on bursaries and I think they find out from their friends not the teachers .

But that is dependent on the children discussing it amongst themselves. I suppose it depends how open they are. DD's friends are all as we are - working parent/s living very modestly and running out of money before the month is over! Like everyone else, really.

[apr022013]

Hello everyone, thank you very much for the sensible advice and helpful information. Really appreciate the thoughts.

[Kingfisher]

Just to say, my daughter got a 50% scholarship to NLCS. She is by no means a genius and was one of the shyer, less confident, girls at her private junior school. She wasn't keen on NLCS for some reason (although it was at that time my first choice) and is now thriving at HBS. By the sounds of the girls mentioned upthread (Olympic-level sportswomen, novelists etc) I think she went to the right school, as she definitely wouldn't have been able to keep up! She is academic, keen on sports and music and does well enough in them, but is she some amazing super girl? No, not at all, she is just an ordinary, quite clever, schoolgirl. After school she just wants to go on her phone and mess around with her younger sister (definitely no novel writing!). Obviously no one should expect a scholarship (it was a complete surprise to us) but you don't have to be a MENSA card-holding Olympic athlete/debating champion to get one! We do appreciate how lucky she was though, and it was quite hard to turn down the scholarship. DD2 has an NLCS offer but no scholarship - will be much easier to turn down if we find out she has got into HBS tomorrow! - no idea whether she will or not - feels impossible at this time.

Good luck to your daughter, Ordinaryjo. I hope she gets what ever she wants and is happy wherever she ends up. Let us know.

It is important to choose the right school for the child. Not all children at the top schools are like this. Most are ordinary and struggling through, trying to manage the workload as best they can. It is true - my DD is Mensa; she is argumentative, much cleverer than I and the rest - but can she sort out her locker and do the right homework at the right time and hand it in without losing it along the way? No she can't and it drives me mad! Clever does not mean organised. I have gone grey trying to deal with her issues. And I am dreading Parents' Evening!

[Ordinaryjo]

Thanks Kingfisher, will let you know. Your DD sounds very bright! X

[Ordinaryjo]

DD2 got into HBS. We liked City and NLCS but have decided to send her to HBS as it's free, very near home and DD1 goes there and loves it! We are thrilled!