Private schools in London with scholarships?

Independent Schools as an alternative to Grammar

Moderators: Section Moderators, Forum Moderators

11 Plus Platform - Online Practice Makes Perfect - Try Now
guest_dad

Private schools in London with scholarships?

Post by guest_dad »

Hello everyone,

My daughter will take the 11+ exams this year. We are considering also the private schools in London.

I have been visiting the websites of some of them. The scholarship amounts seem to be too low (max 25%). The means tested bursaries don't seem to be available when the gross income is above £40-45k.

I have read a few postings about 75-100% scholarships. I would appreciate any recommendations about good private schools that offer scholarships higher than 50% without requiring a very low income.

Many thanks.
Guest

Post by Guest »

Sorry guest-dad, I don't think there are any girls schools in London that offer more than 50 per cent scholarships - GDST schools offer up to 50 per cent. Most of the other girls schools just offer a smaller amount. Most offer some sort of bursury but that is really for people whose income is largely from state benefits.

I am also in a position where mine and husbands wages are just over £45k but no way can we afford fees of £10-12,000+ even with a scholarship. It's not that we have the money and spend it on something else - we need it just to live on. Rent, food, bills etc.
Guest

Post by Guest »

Sorry meant to say, that GDST is Girls Day School Trust, operates various schools in London. Putney High, South Hampstead, Notting Hill and Ealing High etc. All nice schools. Was just offered a place at one today - but can't afford the fees. Not awarded a scholarship, unfortunately.
Guest

Post by Guest »

I'm afraid that the brutal truth is that there is a large section of the population for whom private education is simply not an option no matter how bright the child. This is particularly true for families with more than one child; often the combined fees would be substantially more than the total family income but they will not qualify for bursaries.
One of my children has been offered a 60% academic scholarship (in the SE not London) against a published maximum of 50% but that was for exceptional performance and I'm not sure how common that is. A possibility might be to combine scholarships (eg. academic with sport or music). Some schools do allow this up to a theoretical max. of full fees but I'm not sure whether that applies to any of the schools you are interested in. Also, it is asking rather a lot of your child!
Guest23

Post by Guest23 »

Guest-dad,

Over the past 10-15 years there has been a move away from full-fee scholarships towards a token scholarship + means-tested bursary system. I don't think there are any schools that offer 100% scholarship for academic achievement, or 100% bursary if you're not on a low income, usually defined as below £30-£40K. The schools are under pressure to justify their charitable status, and they can't be seen to be subsidising people who are on above average incomes, even if they are struggling with huge mortgages etc.

Are you not near any decent state schools? Alternatively you could try and find a private school with relatively low fees (like GDST) and hope your daughter gets an academic scholarship as well.
Guest

Post by Guest »

Have you looked at St Martha's in Barnet. It offers schorships of 25-50% for sport/music/academic off termly fees of £2310 although this is reviewed on an annual basis. They also do means tested bursaries but don't know what wage limit is for this. In the 6th form they offer 5% off for every A/A* at GCSE to a max of 10GCSE's. Parents I know who use the school have been very happy with it.
Guest

Post by Guest »

I am sure it is a nice school but isn't it in Herts rather than London? Also a Roman Catholic school might not suit everyone. There are some cheaper private schools out there. Bales College in the Kensal Rise (NW10/W10) area has just expanded into taking year 7s and 8s and that is just over £6k a year. I think it is a no frills type of school but you get what you pay for to an extent......
Guest

Post by Guest »

I am sure it is a nice school but isn't it in Herts rather than London?
It sits in the London Borough of Barnet which like many outer London Boroughs also straddle another area eg Herts or Middx etc. All the state schools in the vicinity are considered London schools.
tammy
Posts: 39
Joined: Fri Feb 16, 2007 8:21 pm

Post by tammy »

forest school , snaresbrook offers upto 75% and bancroft ,woodford offer 1/3 but you also have to remember that there is always annual fee increases!!!!

So once your in the cost will slowly increase.
anotherguest

Post by anotherguest »

If you are looking for bigger awards, then Forest school in Snaresbrook are unusual, in that they do offer some scholarships of up to 100% - not just 75%! remarkable given that most private schools agree not to go above 50%.
They must be desperate.

Obviously several schools ofer bursaries that go upto 100% depending on means testing -eg City of London as just one example.
Post Reply