North London Girls Consortium - Scholarship Offers already?

[11+jamboree]

This is my first post. I have been ardently following this forum for the past few months and it has been of immense help.

My dd appeared for the 11+ exam this year and with every passing day, as d-day approaches, the tension is rising. We have been fortunate to receive interview calls from the 3 indies we applied to but that counts for nothing unless it results in an offer.

Some kids in dd's school told her about receiving admission offers with full scholarships thrown in. This surprises me given that the published date for sending offer letters for the North London girls consortium schools (Grp 1 and 2) is around 23/24 Feb. It may be that the kids are just bragging but wanted to find out.

Is it possible that schools may be offering places to some kids that have done really well in the exams? Are they allowed to? Has anyone else heard about places and scholarships being offered by indies ahead of their published offer letter dates?

[mangomum]

This is my first post. I have been ardently following this forum for the past few months and it has been of immense help.

My dd appeared for the 11+ exam this year and with every passing day, as d-day approaches, the tension is rising. We have been fortunate to receive interview calls from the 3 indies we applied to but that counts for nothing unless it results in an offer.

Some kids in dd's school told her about receiving admission offers with full scholarships thrown in. This surprises me given that the published date for sending offer letters for the North London girls consortium schools (Grp 1 and 2) is around 23/24 Feb. It may be that the kids are just bragging but wanted to find out.

Is it possible that schools may be offering places to some kids that have done really well in the exams? Are they allowed to? Has anyone else heard about places and scholarships being offered by indies ahead of their published offer letter dates?

Welcome 11+jamboree.

I think it's children bragging - my DS told me that one of the children at QEB exam (2nd round) was bragging that he already has an offer of a place at Parmiters. Having said that these schools being independent can and will do what they want. For example I am waiting on news from Westiminster. Now they said letters for interviews were being sent out yesterday. If I don't get a letter in the post today then I know for sure that my DS was not successful as I would also expect they would phone / email parents to confirm interview slots as they have left it so late.

Good luck.

The wait is horrible - I just don't know how to fill the days and hours between now and the end of Feb.....I though I was going to get a life again after the final exams but not yet.....

[PB Mum]

Quite likely to be a bit of exaggeration going on ? Is it possible that some have been called for interview, and the parents have been told 'for a scholarship', ergo, they have a place and may be offered scholarship?
A number of schools only offer interviews to potential 'scholars' with all offer (and rejection) letters going out about 10 days later...so there will be some that know they will be offered a place (+/- scholarship) before the rest.
One could ask if the children are primed to say it, but that would be a bit unkind....

[Ramana]

Not yet, we are still waiting for offer letters....

[shamal]

I believe the heads of the Junior schools/primary schools have been told if scholarships are going to be offered to any of their students, but it's supposed to be confidential. I think some schools want to get some early feedback as they don't like their scholarship offers to be refused and may offer them to other students. They are working through their lists...

[mangomum]

I believe the heads of the Junior schools/primary schools have been told if scholarships are going to be offered to any of their students, but it's supposed to be confidential. I think some schools want to get some early feedback as they don't like their scholarship offers to be refused and may offer them to other students. They are working through their lists...

Shamal - where did you get this info. from? My sons school received an email this week, the teacher said they were asking about potential SAT grades etc. I hope I am not reading into this wrong. He did say DS should get level 5 without a problem and is one of a few kids that is being considered as sitting an additional paper at level 6. Who know? The wait is very painful! I want to hibernate until 24th Feb!

[shamal]

Mangomum: I don't know about boys schools, but the head of my DD's school knows in advance of offers to her students before the parents and I know it happens at others girl's prep schools too (at least with some North London Girls Consortium schools/SPGS). The senior schools also sometimes contact the prep school heads for further information about candidates before making an offer.

[mangomum]

Shamal - thanks for clarifing. Good luck - I hope your DD gets the school she wants.

[la boume]

Shamal- heads of prep schools may know about the offers, but they are not supposed to tell parents/children before the official date.
Also, 100% scholarship for prep school kids-sounds too good to be true. Besides, it is too early anyway, as some interviews just finished this very minute.
What i heard recently from one kid-"i've got full marks in both papers"! well, clearly bragging...some kids just prone to it.

[shamal]

La boume- I never mentioned 100% scholarships for prep school kids! Academic scholarships at top schools often have nominal value, or up to 50% of fees in some cases. It is bursaries that can be awarded at up to 100% of fees, or an academic scholarship may be combined with a bursary to get to 100% of fees.

The schools know before the interview who they are considering for an academic scholarship from the exam results. The interview and the reference helps with the decision, they look for potential rather that being overly prepared. Similarly for the big group of kids who score very similar marks in the exams, how they present themselves in the interview and the reference from the school will make a difference between getting an offer or not. For music scholarships etc of course they decide after the auditions. And yes, the information is supposed to be confidential...