11 Plus Exams Forum

Could someone shed light please as to what are they looking for?

We have one tomorrow, and were told about it today!

We had a home visit for bursary application last year with the MGS. The burser only stayed for about 15 minutes and we had a chat about our financial suitation and that was all. They simply wanted to make sure the bursary goes to the right family.

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Here is my last year’s thread.

We have a home visit tomorrow too! Might even be the same school!

Wang, I just wondered if you went for MGS in the end and if you did get the state offer too? Did the final bursary come out at 100%? I looked at your thread from last year, which was very interesting, but the end result wasn't quite clear.

I think any home visit is the sign of a large bursary being likely. They don't tend to visit for the smaller ones. Well done to OPs son who is has done well.

MGS will be keen to make it all clear BEFORE the state offers come out, because of course they want to make sure you accept them, rather than the state option. Very clever boys are their A* and Oxbridge likelies, so they don't want to lose them to the free alternative.

Choco wrote:Wang, I just wondered if you went for MGS in the end and if you did get the state offer too? Did the final bursary come out at 100%? I looked at your thread from last year, which was very interesting, but the end result wasn't quite clear.

I think any home visit is the sign of a large bursary being likely. They don't tend to visit for the smaller ones. Well done to OPs son who is has done well.

MGS will be keen to make it all clear BEFORE the state offers come out, because of course they want to make sure you accept them, rather than the state option. Very clever boys are their A* and Oxbridge likelies, so they don't want to lose them to the free alternative.

Hi Choco,

Yes, my ds is at the MGS now. We have got the 100% bursary in the end (financial circumstance will be reviewed every year though). We declined the offer from AGSB, it was a tough decision as they are both great schools. My ds enjoys his new school very much. The only downside is the travel, 1hour and 15 minutes each way, but so far he is coping ok.

hbsseal wrote:Could someone shed light please as to what are they looking for?

We have one tomorrow, and were told about it today!

How did it go hbsseal?

Sorry for the delayed response.

Thank you for the response wangxiaosara.

Yes, it went well- thank you MCLC. How was yours? I realise from your other posts that we seem to have applied for all the same schools (Sutton Grammars and Dulwich indies).

Hoping it all works out for you. I remember when we were doing this a few years ago and the home visit was a huge worry. The report that came back implied that it was acceptable for me to cycle 12 miles to work AND back every day (rather than pay the £1,600 rail fare) and a few other things that I found at odds with being able to have a life and a home. DD took the decision out of my hands and was insistent she went to the local grammar and so the decision to downsize to be able to afford the fees was taken out of our hands and yes we were lucky to have equity in our house and have that sort of decision to make.

Yes we we fortunately had some amazing state options and DD is enjoying grammar at the moment. We now put a small bit away each year in case she wants to go to an indie sixth form that excels at IB. She is even now talking of the IB (which was the post sixteen study of the school of my choice) and we had hoped she might go to from aged 11, but are delighted that she is thriving and loving her current school which doesn't incur any fees other than the amount which we choose to give each month.

I guess you have had your interview now but for the benefit of anyone querying this in future years, it's nothing to worry about. They are just checking to see how you live and to go over the figures. Like PWF, we found some of the bursars stricter than others. Dulwich was generous (and flexible if they really want your son). Westminster was a lot stricter and expected us to cut our expenses to the bone which would have been miserable really (no money for days out/holidays etc). All the bursars were sympathetic and friendly. We also chose a SS Grammar and happy so far. We too will re-assess for 6th form as I think bursaries are available then too (obviously depending on how ds does at GCSE and whether he'll want to move). I think if you get offered 100% then grab it with both hands but just check the conditions as some put a lot of pressure on the child to 'perform' behaviourally etc.