Bright Futures Bursaries and Scholarships

Bright Futures Bursaries

Bright Futures Bursaries (Help with Fees) and scholarships are not the same. Bright Futures Bursaries are awarded on formal assessment of proven financial need and after a thorough form of means-testing. However, you daughter will still have to show academic ability and pass our entrance examination. Bright Futures Bursaries will be reassessed every year and if your financial situation changes, so will the amount of any bursary. At St Catherine’s, scholarships are awarded on merit and may be offered for academic excellence, or for exceptional talent in Art, Textiles, Drama, Music or Sport. Scholarships are not means-tested. At 11+ Academic and Music scholarships are available. At 16+/Sixth Form, there are Academic, Drama, Music and Sport Scholarships.

Bright Futures Bursaries/Help with Fees

The School offers a number of means-tested places to girls at age 7 (Year 3), age 11 (Year 7) and at Sixth Form. Help can be provided up to 100% of the fees. We also cover essential extras such as uniform, iPad, trips, music tuition and The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme etc. Help with fees is provided by the school and by generous individuals who choose to support girls’ education through the Bright Futures Bursary Programme.

Applicants will be asked to share information, in confidence, about their finances with the Chief Financial Officer The School have a Bursary Awards Committee that will then if we can help with fees and how much support we could give. The % of help with fees will be determined by the analysis of your finances and should help with fees be offered this process will be repeated repeated annually. Any offer of help with fees would be subject to parent/guardian attendance at an Open Morning, the candidate passing the School’s Entrance Exam and a home visit before the award is finally confirmed.

For more detailed information on help with fees, please refer to the Bursary Policy above.
If you would like to consider making an application for help with fees, please contact the Senior School Registrar - Mrs Clare Woodgates - admissions@stcatherines.info or the Prep School Registrar - Mrs Sarah Waller - prepadmissions@stcatherines.info
Our Bright Futures Bursary/Help with Fees application form is above.

Scholarships

11+ (YEAR 7)

There are four Academic Entrance Scholarships available for pupils at age 11. These are awarded on the results of the Entrance Examination. Two scholarships are for 20% of the fees payable and the other two are for 10% of the fees. These are for the first five years of Senior School and are extended through the Sixth Form at the discretion of the Headmistress and in consultation with the teaching staff.

UPPER 5 & SIXTH FORM (YEAR 11)

The following scholarships are awarded during the Autumn Term to pupils already in the School in the U5 (Year 11). Selection for the awards is based on the results of the June examinations at the end of the L5, performance throughout the L5 year and a rigorous panel interview. Full details are sent to the parents of all members of this year group at the beginning of the Autumn Term.

The available Sixth Form Scholarships are:

Margaret Kaye Scholarships
These are scholarships of 20% of the fees payable to run for three years, through U5 (Year 11) and the Sixth Form.
Sixth Form Scholarships
These are scholarships of 10% or 20% of fees. The number can be extended depending on the performance of the candidates and the recommendations of the awarding panel.
The Sixth Form Music Scholarship
There are two Music Scholarships. One, to the value of 20% of the School fees is awarded during the Summer Term of L5 or U5 to a girl who intends to study Music A Level alongside her practical music-making. The second is to the value of 10% of the School fees and is awarded to a girl who makes a significant contribution to School music-making but will not take Music A Level.
The Sixth Form Art and Textiles Scholarship
There is an Art and Textiles Scholarship to the value of 20% of the School Fees, awarded during the Autumn Term of U5 (Year 11).
The Sixth Form Drama Scholarship
There is a Drama Scholarship to the value of 20% of the School Fees, awarded during the Autumn Term of U5.
The Clare Gregory Memorial Sports Scholarship
This is awarded for sporting prowess and is for 20% of the day fees in the Sixth Form and is awarded internally at the end of the Spring Term in U5 (Year 11).
Scholarships for New Entrants to the Sixth Form
There are up to three external academic, Art/Textiles and Music scholarships of up to 20% of fees and these are awarded at the discretion of the Headmistress, to new pupils joining the School in the Sixth Form. The Art/Textiles and Music scholarships are conditional upon the applicant studying Art/Textiles or Music A Level.

For further information about any of the the Scholarships / Awards, please contact the Senior School Registrar - Mrs Clare Woodgates - admissions@stcatherines.info (NB In each case the fees referred to are the fees payable by the parent for the term in question, day or boarding.)

Please note that the full discount is given only on the first scholarship. If any future scholarships, awards, bursaries or discounts are given to the same girl, then they are applied to residual fees not full fees. No girl may hold more than 20% of fee discount in scholarships, but may hold a second award in titular form.

Music Scholarships & Awards

An 11+ Music Scholarship of 20% of the fees and tuition on one instrument, with music and exam entry fees paid, may be awarded annually upon entry to an 11+ candidate judged by the Director of Music and an adjudication panel to have strong musical talent, a readiness to join in ensemble music making and good general musicality. A second Music Scholarship of 10% of fees and tuition on one instrument can be awarded in years where the field of applicants is particularly strong. Applications should be made by November and auditions are in January. There is an expectation that the successful candidates will take Music GCSE.

DEADLINES for music scholarships and awards can be found on the application forms below:

Music Scholarships and Awards Information

Sixth Form Music Scholarships may be awarded to a pupil entering the Sixth Form – from within the School or as an external applicant - to the value of 20% of the School Fees with tuition on two instruments, music and exam entry fees paid. The successful applicant must take A Level Music. There is an additional scholarship of 10% of fees with tuition on one instrument for an applicant who does not intend to study A Level Music.

Further Music Awards which cover music tuition, exam fees and sheet music on a range of musical instruments including chapel organ and voice are available to pupils in the Senior School. Some are specifically for those wanting to take up instruments which tend not to be the popular choice of most students, but which contribute greatly to the impact and success of the School's musical ensembles. eg: euphonium, double-bass, viola, bassoon, French horn, tuba. These particularly suit musical girls who want to make a strong contribution to school music. Auditions for Awards take place at the same time as Music Scholarship auditions.

Jennifer Bate Memorial Organ Scholarship

The Jennifer Bate Memorial Organ Scholarship is offered in conjunction with Guildford Cathedral, which is awarded when there is a strong applicant to a girl who is already a good organist or shows potential. This award is typically for 20% of fees payable and includes tuition on the organ and one other instrument, with music and exam entry fees. It may also involve a Bursary / Help with Fees if appropriate. Ideally, the Jennifer Bate Memorial Organ Scholars are boarders who can take a full part in the Boarders' Evening Chapel Service each week and have access to the Chapel organ for essential regular practice.

A previous Jennifer Bate Memorial Scholar writes of her experience as follows:

"The Organ Scholarship allowed me to develop my organ playing skills over my two years in the Sixth Form. In the second year, I took a more prominent role in main services and also frequently played for Evensong at Guildford Cathedral.

During my time at St Catherine’s, I was given opportunities to hone my solo and accompanimental playing techniques as well as gaining experience of choral conducting and playing for a wide variety of services.

"I would recommend the Jennifer Bate Memorial Organ Scholarship to anyone interested in playing the organ; the scholarship not only provides you with a firm grounding in organ playing, but also allows you to have a well-rounded education at St Catherine’s, opening the door to many further opportunities."

For further information about any of the the Scholarships / Awards, please contact the Senior School Registrar - Mrs Clare Woodgates - admissions@stcatherines.info (NB In each case the fees referred to are the fees payable by the parent for the term in question, day or boarding.)

Please note that the full discount is given only on the first scholarship. If any future scholarships, awards, bursaries or discounts are given to the same girl, then they are applied to residual fees not full fees. No girl may hold more than 20% of fee discount in scholarships, but may hold a second award in titular form.

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