New Bursaries policy

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Volupturaptor
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Re: New Bursaries policy

Post by Volupturaptor »

Does anyone ever know how "good" a pass their child managed to get..?
ReallyMissingHer
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Re: New Bursaries policy

Post by ReallyMissingHer »

Absolutely no idea how well my child did to get her pass. Although when she started at CH she was placed in the bottom maths set based on her CH test (she was unwell) and over the following year moved up 2 sets. That is one thing I appreciate they seem much more fluid at moving children around based on their current ability.

Also isn't part of the point of the tests to look at their future potential and whether they would respond favourably to a boarding environment?

My dds room mate for the overnighter kept turning on the lights, knocking on doors etc - she didn't get offered a place - was it on her results or on her behaviour :drinkers:
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Mrs C.
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Re: New Bursaries policy

Post by Mrs C. »

ReallyMissingHer wrote:Also isn't part of the point of the tests to look at their future potential and whether they would respond favourably to a boarding environment?

:
Most definitely yes!
Behaviour is "assessed" too
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Volupturaptor
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Re: New Bursaries policy

Post by Volupturaptor »

I asked because this is not the first time I've seen different levels of pass mentioned.
Some time ago, elsewhere on this forum I even saw a comment along the lines that brighter pupils didn't need presentations and that they should be left for pupils who wouldn't otherwise get in! :o
How on earth can any parent who is going through the application process for their child possibly know where their child falls on the brightness scale compared to all the other applicants?! :lol:
lippizaner
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Re: New Bursaries policy

Post by lippizaner »

So now with the new system of Presentations, do you think that the school will allocte the less bright and more needy children to a governor to choose a presentee from? I would imagine that before a governor with free choice of anyone who had written to him or her, would be more likely to go for the best written letter from a parent. Being able to express yourself well would be a good point in that kind of thing I should think. Now, the governor might receive letters from parents of needy but less able children, which might result in a less fluent letter that might otherwise have been discarded.
dinahcat
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Re: New Bursaries policy

Post by dinahcat »

Is there a new system of presentations? It is a bit of a closed book but it seems to operate that the presentations are allocated where they can be. There are a variety of these such as RAF, Church, OB , Guilds , West Gift and many others. They are allocated if there is a 'fit' with the child and the presentation governor which could be for example an organisation such as the RAF. I think if the child passes the first assessment there will be a trawling around to see if there is a match with a presentation by the admsissions team. It seems that if there is such a match there is a minimum academic standard that must be met and the usual standard at the residential.It isn't true, however, that the presentees are less able than the competative pupils as an extremely bright pupil can have a presentation. At least four of last years Grecians had presentations and and also have places at Oxford or Cambridge.
I don't think the presentees are included in the rank order of the competative pupils but I could be wrong. So in effect the highest scoring pupil in the entrance exams could be a presentee but would not appear in the letter which gives the rank order.Three years ago there were letters sent which stated the rank order of the child or alternatively said something vague and congratulatory. In effect it doesn't matter because if you get a place -job done. There must certainly be pupils in the school who have a presentation and a very average or low test score who may be caring for a disabled parent and who go to a terrible primary school and yet...they have potential.These pupils can go on to achieve more than the highest score in the original assessments. All these scores are soon forgotten and become yesterdays news very quickly.
lippizaner
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Re: New Bursaries policy

Post by lippizaner »

OMIGOD there's a rank order they send out? I never knew that? To the parents or what? Does a child really want to know their place? Have they always done this?
Volupturaptor
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Re: New Bursaries policy

Post by Volupturaptor »

There may have been in the past, but I have no idea where my daughter came, just that she got in.
YadaYada
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Re: New Bursaries policy

Post by YadaYada »

I don't think it is at all the case that presentations are given out on the basis of the best letter written by parents. We had a very vigorous (and uncomfortable, if I'm honest) interview with a governor. He and his wife came to our house and he interviewed me and his wife took my son into another room and 'interviewed' him. They didn't offer my DS the presentation but someone else - no reason given.

It is completely up to the governor what criteria they want to apply.
anniexf
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Re: New Bursaries policy

Post by anniexf »

Unbelievable, YadaYada! They missed out on a little star! Perhaps the child they chose was just a bit more "needy" in the CH sense?
YadaYada
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Re: New Bursaries policy

Post by YadaYada »

Yes, I think so. I got the impression that he thought I was highly supportive.
The point I was making was that it is up to the Governors and isn't necessarily clear cut.
Antinous1
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Re: New Bursaries policy

Post by Antinous1 »

anniexf wrote:Unbelievable, YadaYada! They missed out on a little star! Perhaps the child they chose was just a bit more "needy" in the CH sense?

Yes, but luckily the school didn't miss out on Yada's son who has clearly already more than justified their decision to give him a place - perhaps the point was that he was well able to gain a place based on academic ability (and whatever his level of need was), and the governor decided to take pity on someone who was far less likely to shine in the entrance assessment but had demonstrated to the governor that they had need of and would make good use of a place?

I think it's great that there is this other route into CH for a handful of the (perhaps) less obviously able applicants (and I'm sure we can all think of examples of friends or relatives who were unexceptional at 11 or so and then suddenly blossomed at 13 or 14 and went on to produce great results), but equally I do think that it could do with being a little better explained to prospective parents - I don't generally struggle to understand stuff but I have to admit that I didn't apply for a presentation simply because I didn't understand what it was.

The nature of life is such that every year CH misses out on children who could really have benefitted from what they have to offer and who, once at the school, would probably have been indistinguishable in performance from the vast majority of pupils there, but who haven't been able to produce the goods on the test days. Luckily for my child they do have assessment procedures that look at so much more than the results of a handful of tests taken on one day since at the schools that didn't we stood no chance of being offered a place. Long may it remain so!

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NEILL THE NOTORIOUS
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Re: New Bursaries policy

Post by NEILL THE NOTORIOUS »

This particular "Dinosaur" got in (JUST !) on a competitive Scholarship, for 3 boy Pupils (There may have been the same for Girls)
This, surely, allows for the "Bright" element ?

ALSO, and most importantly, there was a "Glass Ceiling"" in force, regarding Parent's Income.
This, surely, allows for the "Charitable" element

The difference today, has been eloquently explained by the School's Foundation's desperate need fo money, since the building of more accomodation for "Staff", a new Sporst Complex and Swimming Pool, "Grecian's East and West" and the re-furbishment of the Kitchens (Have they now a more high-falutin' name ? )

The lack of "Income" has been blamed on the "Stock Market" but as many of us are aware, these returns are variable, and the best advice for "Shares" is to "Hold Tight ! "

"Overheads" walk out of a Factory on two legs --- I was once told ---- and I would invite you to read Luke 12 VV 16 ---20

Who knows what tommorrow may bring ?
YadaYada
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Re: New Bursaries policy

Post by YadaYada »

It is a weird system and we didn't really get it either. I think most people think that money is involved in some way.

Actually DS did get a presentation - second-time around. At that time we had no idea how he would perform in the entrance exams as he was only in a small village primary of 63 pupils so it was impossible to compare his ability. The presentation was a real relief because he then knew he wouldn't be ranked.

I agree that the first governor chose someone who was more 'needy' and have no problems with that at all because that is what the system is about. Sadly, I understand that the student concerned didn't make the most of the opportunity and is no longer at CH.
DavidRawlins
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Re: New Bursaries policy

Post by DavidRawlins »

In 1946, as far as I can gather, Governors' presentations went to the prep; under 11 years of age. Those who took the Almoners' competative exam went straight into the main school, starting in the lower fourth or the third form. I know that my mother wrote many letters to Governors when I was 10, but too late.
Another result was that boys from the prep were always senior to thoe who were admitted at 11. We also started about 2-3 days after the rest of the school, except for those who were just starting in the prep.
Col A 1946-1953
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