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Secondary education

Harrow School

121 replies

Rache101 · 19/12/2011 00:39

Hello
My son is applying for a sixth form scholarship to Harrow school and have 3 exams and a interview, does he stand a good chance of getting in?. He does Cadets, debating, Prefect, part of a classsical society, shooting, part of the Labour Party and represents his county at Cadet football. His predicated grades haven't been released yet but I reckon he will get around 3-5 A*'s and GCSE. Do you think he stands a realistic chance or am I living in a dream world?

Thank You

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happygardening · 19/12/2011 07:23

Harrow will tell you on their website what their minimum requirement is for GCSE grades. But minimum is the operative word in most independent schools Rntry into the 6th form is very competitive with a lot of outstanding pupils coming from abroad to study A levels. Certainly doing lots of extra activities is in you son favour Harrow takes team sports seriously so being in a good football team is positive. Being part of the Labour Party will certainly be unusual and give the interviewer something different to talk about. Your DS I would have thought need to have good answers for the inevitable questions that are bound to arise from it.

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peteneras · 19/12/2011 13:04

Rache101, I note very well the title of your thread and to all intents and purposes, this is one school I simply have no time for.

But I just can't help wondering, since you're going for this school, have you also looked at similar or even better schools offering maybe even better everything than the one you're looking at? I'm sure your DS's Labour Party philosophies will be most welcomed at this school.

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bulletpoint · 19/12/2011 13:32

Would i be right in thinking if you cant get into Harrow, you'd be unlikely to get into Eton ?

I dont know about OP's son but one of the reasons people might choose harrow is because its less selective so im confused why Eton would be offered as an alternative for someone who has chosen Harrow as their main school.

I know this isnt the only reason for choosing Harrow but its Definitely a consideration.

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peteneras · 19/12/2011 14:04

"Would i be right in thinking if you cant get into Harrow, you'd be unlikely to get into Eton ?"

?Yes? and ?No? is the answer, I suppose. You don't know until you try.

You?re quite right, OP didn?t say much why her DS has applied to Harrow. We don?t know, for example, whether her DS has applied elsewhere; that?s why I asked whether she had looked at alternatives.

Many people underestimate themselves thinking that Eton is an impossible dream and therefore, didn?t even care to try. Looking at the video clip, it is quite reasonable to suggest that the boy would never have gone to Eton if his teacher/mum had not met the Eton Head in China. I thought OP?s son is rather unique in that he is involved in the Labour Party. Eton could benefit immensely with a boy like that to counter balance its traditional political view(s). Also, OP?s son has all the attributes that Eton treasure ? Cadet, Debating, Classical Society, Shooting, Football etc.

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Rache101 · 19/12/2011 15:36

peteneras- The reason why he has applied to Harrow is becuase we live in Harrow so he can still meet up with his freinds and us and the other sixth form he has applied to is just his schools sixth form; Would Harrow take all of these extra-curricular into consideration or will it just be focused on Acedemic? He is applying for a Kane Scholarship.

Thanks for all your comments

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grovel · 19/12/2011 16:47

Rache, the Kane scholarship is for boys from your borough (great!). I would think the school is looking for a boy who will cope academically (sounds like your DS will), will contribute to the life of the school and will benefit from what it offers. From your OP I'd definitely say he's got a chance - but none of us know the competition.

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Happygardenjng · 19/12/2011 17:42

I'm assuming your going to board and I believe it's only full boarding at Harrow. Full boarding does is all consuming it doesn't really enable you to carry on seeing your friends louts use if the school in term time accept maybe Sundays and exeat. I think you need to think about that and also if I was you I wouldn't mention it in the interview. I think you'll find that Harrow are looking for someone who throws themselves com

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Happygardenjng · 19/12/2011 17:51

Let me try again pressed wrong button and posted before I has a chance to read what I had written!! Full boarding is all encompassing it doesn't really enable you to carry on seeing you friends outside of school etc except on Sundays and exeats. I suspect Harrow will want a boy who throws himself completely into school life. So if I was you I would advise my DS to play down that aspect. He also needs to think about if he wants this kind of life for the next few years.
If you want more flexibility then St Paul's would be a better bet their boarders have a lot more freedom but you I suspect you would need A* 's in all subjects.

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grovel · 19/12/2011 18:08

But, happygardening, this scholarship is only for boys from the Borough of Harrow. Hard not to meet your friends in the street. Agree about your general point though. Kane scholars generally go to the same house (Moretons) so I expect the housemaster knows the ropes (unfortunately he's a musician - music not mentioned by OP!).

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Happygardening · 19/12/2011 18:20

Of course your going to meet them in the street but I suspect that there is limited free time to meet up and properly socialise with your friends outside of Sundays and exeats.

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Rache101 · 19/12/2011 18:25

is there a set number on how many Kane scholarships are allocated or are they flexible in the numbers they admit?

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Rache101 · 19/12/2011 18:40

do they all get admitted to Moretons or an they go to other house? My DS would fit in perfectly @ Duries as the House Master is a politics, economics and History teacher, All the subjects my Son is taking.

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peteneras · 19/12/2011 18:53

From what I gather, the Kane Scholarship is only for one boy in the whole of Harrow. Not to imply that your boy doesn?t stand a chance but it?s fair to say it?s highly competitive and very difficult. In any case, if their Peter Beckwith Scholarships are anything to go by, then your boy may be expected to perform an annual circus to (see last two minutes of the clip) to the benefactor for receiving the scholarship.

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grovel · 19/12/2011 20:42

peteneras, you are being unkind.

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peteneras · 19/12/2011 21:38

My opening contribution above did say this is one school I simply have no time for. It seems I'm not the only one to have this feeling. The ending clip of the video tells us one of the winners of the scholarship actually rejected the offer; in other words, rejected £200,000! Ever wondered why?

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Ponders · 19/12/2011 21:40

peteneras, OP is about Harrow

whole thread is about Harrow

if you have no time for Harrow, why post? Hmm

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peteneras · 19/12/2011 21:43

Just to alert the OP there are other alternatives.

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Ponders · 19/12/2011 21:45

she probably knows that without you telling her Grin

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MollieO · 19/12/2011 21:45

I imagine it is pretty easy to reject a scholarship if you got a scholarship elsewhere (which isn't unusual).

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schmee · 19/12/2011 21:48

"if you have no time for Harrow, why post" - possibly to try to point the OP in a more positive direction out of a sense of moral obligation? That's why I'd post anyway.

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Ponders · 19/12/2011 21:50

oh good grief, you think the OP will never have heard of Eton???

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peteneras · 19/12/2011 21:51

But if she didn't, then I would have done her (and others who may be watching) a service. Xmas Grin

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Ponders · 19/12/2011 21:52

"a more positive direction"??

lovely

Harrow must be a really poor school then. I had no idea.

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Ponders · 19/12/2011 21:53

do Harrow parents slag off Eton in the same manner?

jolly poor show

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peteneras · 19/12/2011 21:57

Compared to Eton, Harrow is certainly the poorer school by far.

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