scholarships

[kosar.irshad]

Hi everyone, I wonder if anyone can give me some advice on this matter.
Basically, my son is at a Scottish state primary at the moment. According to his school he is a bright boy and his teacher has suggested that he apply to the Independent schools. We would have to ask for a generous busary because there is no way I would be able to pay the fees.

My questions are these
Would the school expect him to sit the scholarship exam, if we are asking for a bursary i.e does he have to be of that standard?

would it work against him if he didn't sit the scholarship exams, when the school review his bursary application.

In all he is sitting for five independents which means that if he has to sit separate scholarship exams that would be ten exams over January. This seems an awful lot of exams for a slim chance of getting a generous bursary.

I'm wondeing whether he should just sit for three schools but sit the for the scholarships aswell.

Then i'm thinking what is scholarship standard? his English isn't brilliant, although he is in the top fifteen out of sixty children. He is better at his maths i.e he is being taught level F maths at the moment (most independents expect a child to be working towards or at level E).

As you can all gather ,I'm quite stressed about this and so confused any advice would be most welcome
K

[hermanmunster]

I'm sure you wil get some more knowledgeable replies but here are a few thoughts:

Most schools only offer bursaries to those who do very very well in the entrance exam ie scholarship standard though some are able to offer to more candidates

Some schools only invite the best performers to sit the scholarship exams / interviews

The kids applying for independent scholarships have often had plenty of practice at their prep schools.

Basically saying it can be a struggle getting money off the fees! .... however you say that you are aplying to 5 so there are obviously lost of schools locally and the schools will be competing to attract the same group of kids, so maybe they have to be more generous with bursaries to keep the numbers up

[kosar.irshad]

Thanks for your reply Hermanmunster. I live in Edinburgh so there are quite a few independent schools I can apply to.
There are a couple I have been to see and the Heads have said some quite promising things like, "we don't offer a sinicle bursaries, you should definitely apply". Another divulged that his predecessor had not used up all the bursary available to him for the last two years.
I am aware that fee remissions through a scholarship and bursaries come from the schools themselves but does it look cheeky on my part if I don't put him through the scholarship ordeal

[T.i.p.s.y]

As Merchiston has not past its Charity test and is being told to offer more means-tested scholarships then maybe this one would be a strong likelihood for bursaries.

[KES Parent]

Thanks for your reply Hermanmunster. I live in Edinburgh so there are quite a few independent schools I can apply to.
There are a couple I have been to see and the Heads have said some quite promising things like, "we don't offer a sinicle bursaries, you should definitely apply". Another divulged that his predecessor had not used up all the bursary available to him for the last two years.
I am aware that fee remissions through a scholarship and bursaries come from the schools themselves but does it look cheeky on my part if I don't put him through the scholarship ordeal

Academic scholarships and means tested bursaries are two quite different things. As a general rule, scholarships are normally gained by children from independent prep schools who have followed the Common Entrance 11+ or 13+ Scholarship syllabus. A child from an ordinary state school who hadn't had special coaching wouldn't stand of chance of one of these. Means tested bursaries, on the other hand, are mainly intended for bright children from homes with more modest incomes, and no special preparation beyond the usual primary school curriculum would be expected. Schools normally have a certain amount of income put aside for this, and parents who want assistance with the fees have to make a declaration of income each year and their child has to pass an entrance exam.

So, no, if the schools you are considering use Common Entrance as their normal route of admission for fee paying pupils then I would definitely not put your son through the Scholarship papers. The level of ability required for a bursary is usually much more modest than that needed for an academic scholarship in a high performing school.

[kosar.irshad]

Thanks for all your replies. I am alot calmer now. I will not sit him for the scholarships and I think i will just sit him for three schools and whatever will be will be...