We publish our scoring sheet because a fair process should not be a secret one. Applicants, parents and teachers should be able to see how a decision is made and check that it was made properly.
Need: 40 points
Household income per person counts for up to 25 points. The number of children in school counts for up to 10. Five more points go to particular hardship, for example a parent who has died, a long illness or displacement.
Achievement and effort: 30 points
Your latest results count for up to 15 points, the aptitude test for up to 15. The test is set at your level and checks reasoning, not memory. Scores are compared within your school type, so students at schools with fewer teachers are not marked down.
We are not looking for the most polished applicant. We are looking for the one for whom fees are the only thing in the way.
The essay: 15 points
- Clear sense of what you want to do: 5 points
- Understanding of what the award would change: 5 points
- Your own voice and honesty: 5 points
Spelling and grammar carry no marks. Essays that are clearly copied score zero for this section.
The interview: 15 points
Twenty minutes with three people: a programme officer, an outside teacher or lecturer and a former scholar. They ask about your plans, how you study and what support you already have. Under 18s bring a parent or guardian, who is asked a few questions too.
Checks on the panel
Panel members see your number, not your name, until the interview. Anyone who knows an applicant must say so and leave the room for that interview. A trustee reviews every score sheet before the decision list is signed.
