Overseas entrants

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lippizaner
GE (Great Erasmus)
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Joined: Mon Feb 07, 2011 11:36 am
Real Name: Fil Reid

Overseas entrants

Post by lippizaner »

Hello, we have had our ds's name down for CH for several years now, for entry in 2012. This summer, with the invitation for the initial assessment, came a quote from the new Admission's Policy saying that oversea's entrants (we are english living in France) will only be processed after all other competitive candidates. This was the very first mention I have had of this. Understandably at this late date I am feeling very let down by the school - why didn't they tell me this straight away, three years ago? I was upfront with them and told them we lived abroad, asked them if we could apply etc and NO-ONE mentioned this rather unlevel playing field.
I also note that they will only progress applications if they can get "objective third party confirmation of income". I asked them what this was, and they were vague and said if it came to it, they would let me know. I am left wondering why they think people living abroad need further financial checks than those in the UK.
If we could have moved back to the UK we would have, but we can't sell our house here, and we feel trapped. That, itself, is why we have applied for a place at CH for our son. Because we feel he has no other alternative over here, and is why we have been directing him for three years towards CH and these exams. Only to discover at the 11th hour that maybe the exam will have no point for him, as he will be put at the bottom of the list, no matter how well he does.
I am feeling very let down.
ReallyMissingHer
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Re: Overseas entrants

Post by ReallyMissingHer »

I have no idea, is it possible that the rules about oversees students being considered last is a new criteria?

Please check out bursaries at other UK boarding schools, something I was unaware of until too late that scholarships and bursaries for independent schools here in the UK are entirely different things.
TrueBlue
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Real Name: Noel Erskine
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Re: Overseas entrants

Post by TrueBlue »

An interesting conundrum for the school. It is not clear fom lippizaners post, nor need it necessarily be so, whether they are hoping for a full fee paying place, or bursary assistance. But such an application is certainly becoming more commmon, and in some cases may even be overloading some schools traditional entrance procedures.

What should CH do if, for instance, it suddenly received 500 pupil applications from an EU country for Bursary support? Is it bound by its charitable aims to UK residents? What are EU regulations on this? To some extent applications from outside the UK are governed by Tier 4 regulations and limits but not those from within the EU. Or is it that CH assumes that applications from abroad are for full fee-payers?

I suspect that, like some other schools, CH has had to start to differentiate between types of application, because of a growing number of applications from abroad. I think this is a case for some talking to the school rather than uninformed speculation here.
Volupturaptor
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Re: Overseas entrants

Post by Volupturaptor »

"If I could afford to pây for my son's education myself, I would NOT choose CH as I would feel that I was taking a place away from a needy child."

Quote from Lippizaner, taken from another thread by me.
lippizaner
GE (Great Erasmus)
Posts: 157
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Real Name: Fil Reid

Re: Overseas entrants

Post by lippizaner »

Hi, thanks for posting that Volupturaptor. Yes, we need a bursary, funded place. We do indeed live abroad, but in the EU and we are holders of British Passports.
The thing that really got to me was the fact that I have been in correspondence with the school for several years now and it was only with the letter that came with the slip to be returned saying our child would be present for the Initial Assessment that we heard the first mention of this policy.
I am inclined to think this might be a new policy, but find it rather unacceptable to have allowed a family like us to come so far down the line in the application process before informing us of this. If it is indeed a new policy, it will have been being considered for some time before being implemented.
As it was, it came AFTER we had booked a ferry at some expense and organised our stay in the Uk to centre around the Initial Assessment for our child.
As soon as the letter came I trawled the internet to see if I could find any mention of this anywhere and came up with a blank. This also inclines me to the opinion that it is a new policy that was not even available to be read until quite late on.
My son enjoyed his visit to CH on Saturday 15th, and found the exams fun. It will be a great shame if he doesn't get in (if he is clever enough that is) only because his parents have the wrong address.
Incidentally, moving back to the UK would have done us no good (if we could have done so, which we can't due to finances) as the criteria for being classed a UK resident is to have lived in the country for two years prior to entry. I think I have that bit right. At any rate, too late for us to apply.
It is not that I disapprove of the policy, it is just that it was not mentioned until literally the very last moment.
lippizaner
GE (Great Erasmus)
Posts: 157
Joined: Mon Feb 07, 2011 11:36 am
Real Name: Fil Reid

Re: Overseas entrants

Post by lippizaner »

Hi, is there anyone else out there who is an overseas entrant?
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