Pupil and parent guide for September 2025 entry
Introduction 3
About our Scholarships 4
Art Scholarships 5
Drama Scholarships 6
Music Scholarships 7
Sports Scholarships 8
Bursaries 9
Frequently Asked Questions 10
Important Dates 11
How to Apply 12
We know that you are looking for an all-round excellent education for your child and we are impressed every day by the many accomplishments of our Exonians both in and out of the classroom. They love their stimulating and exciting lessons, supported by our excellent staff team, but they also love all that the school offers beyond the classroom experience. Our enrichment programme develops your child’s character through the arts, sports, outdoor pursuits, moral and spiritual experiences and service activities in which they engage with the wider community.
If your child is really gifted in a particular area of school life, then Exeter School could be just the place for them to stretch themselves further and develop their talents and tenacity in new and exciting ways, developing confidence and readiness for life beyond school.
Our scholarship programmes offer a series of support, stretch and challenge and enrichment activities in the arts and sports spheres of school life. We hope that you are interested in finding out more and look forward to meeting you soon.
Louise Simpson Head
We offer a range of scholarship opportunities to pupils who are talented in their chosen discipline. Scholarships are available at 11+, 13+ and 16+ for pupils who show excellence in art, drama, music, and sport.
Scholarships do not have an accompanying fee concession but are an honorary award and the scholar is recognised for their achievements. Parents can apply to have a scholarship supported by a bursary, subject to a means test. Bursaries take the form of a fee reduction (up to 100% in exceptional circumstances) to a level dependent on the parents’ financial situation.
Applicants for scholarships will be assessed against the criteria below at interview by the relevant head of department and a member of the senior leadership team. References may be required, and pupils should expect to reapply at each level.
Excellence pathway scholarships are available in art, drama, music and sport. Applicants should demonstrate:
• The potential for excellence and genuine skill
• Enthusiasm interest in their chosen area
• A willingness to work in a team
• A positive attitude to hard work and commitment
• An understanding of how their skill could benefit others
• A willingness to represent the school both in pupil events but also at open evenings/days
• A willingness to lead others with kindness and consideration
• An honest approach
Scholarship development pathway scholarships are available in art, drama, music and sport. Applicants should demonstrate:
• Signs of excellence that are significantly above the average for the school
• An authentic interest and enthusiasm in their chosen area
• Evidence of good collaboration with others
• Evidence of diligence and commitment over a period of time
• A good understanding of the positive impact of their chosen area on the community
• A willingness to represent the school at multiple events of varying natures
• An example of good leadership
• A commitment to integrity
Scholarship awards are available in art, drama, music and sport. Applicants should demonstrate:
• Consistent levels of excellence in their chosen area, significantly above the school average
• A genuine passion and enthusiasm that goes beyond GCSE curriculum knowledge
• Evidence of consistently excellent collaboration with others
• Commitment and reliability even in the face of adversity
• A commitment to serving the pupils of the school and wider community through mentoring, coaching, partnership events etc
• A willingness to both represent the school at events and also to lead younger scholars
• Evidence of strong leadership and the ability to make difficult decisions (assessed via tasks at interview)
• A real commitment to leading with integrity
The scholarship programme at Exeter School is a prestigious one, designed to recognise and celebrate excellence. Consequently, our scholars are offered a range of excellent benefits:
• Seminars, workshops and trips
• Leadership opportunities
• Celebration in school assemblies
• Opportunities for involvement in
charity and partnerships work
• Collaboration time with other scholars
• Annual reports to parents
• A development programme with targets and measurable goals
• Academic rigour alongside a rich and varied co-curricular programme
• A annual scholars’ celebration evening with parents and staff
Scholars are expected to serve as role models for their peers and are held to the highest of expectations. Relevant staff meet termly to review feedback on the progress of scholars, ensuring the right pupils are in receipt of scholarships. Scholarships are reliant on good character alongside excellent skill and knowledge, and scholars should meet the performance expectations set out below. Those who fail to meet this criteria risk having their scholarships rescinded.
• Plans to continue study in the relevant subject
• Consistently good reports
• Representing the school as required, as far as is reasonable
• Commitment to participating in or running a relevant and regular club
• Consistently good behaviour towards both staff and pupils
• A reliable approach to attendance at co-curricular events and most importantly following through on what you say you will do
• A sustained level of effort throughout the year
• Being a ‘team player’ and working to collaborate with others
Art scholarships are open to pupils from any school, including Exeter Junior School and Exeter School. Art scholars should demonstrate their talent and passion for the subject through creativity, imagination, and skills. We expect holders of art scholarships to make a significant extra-curricular commitment to their artwork. Art scholars will play an active part in the department and be a creative and positive influence on their fellow pupils. Art scholars are expected to study art at GCSE and A Level. In addition, art scholars should be fully committed to their academic studies and uphold the virtues of Exeter School.
Key benefits and expectations include:
• Recognition and celebration of scholar’s abilities
• Membership of YAC (the Young Artists’ Collective)
• Invitations to artists’ talks, trips and workshops
• Opportunities to exhibit your own work
• Mentoring from older participants of the scholarship programme
• A midyear progress review
Key benefits and expectations include:
• Key benefits and expectations include:
• Invitations to artists’ talks, workshops and trips
• Opportunities to exhibit your work
• Chances to work collaboratively with other scholars
• Mentoring younger art scholars and reviewing their progress
• Helping to lead a lunch time club
• Serving as a positive role model to others
• Requirement to study art at GCSE
Key benefits and expectations include:
• Invitations to artists’ talks, workshops and trips
• Opportunities to exhibit your work
• Chances to work collaboratively with other scholars
• Mentoring younger art scholars and reviewing their progress
• Requirement to study art at A Level
Candidates who wish to be considered for a scholarship will initially be asked to submit a portfolio of recent work for assessment by the head of art. The portfolio should include at least three pieces and reflect the breadth and depth of their personal interest and may include paintings, prints, drawings, and mixed media work. Portfolios will be returned. Successful candidates will be invited to attend a scholarship interview day consisting of a collaborative sculpture activity and an individual response to this in your preferred medium. There will be a short interview with a member of Exeter School's leadership team for shortlisted applicants. For external candidates, a satisfactory performance in the academic entrance assessments is a condition of an art scholarship.
Drama scholarships are open to pupils from any school, including Exeter Junior School and Exeter School. Holders of the scholarship will participate fully in the co-curricular theatre programme and be excellent ambassadors for the drama department. Scholars will be involved in all major productions during their time at the school. This involvement may be as a performer, director, technician, or stage manager, and may include duties such as staffing front of house and working backstage. In any of these roles, holders of a drama scholarship will demonstrate reliability, commitment, teamwork, and a high level of skill. Drama scholars are expected to study drama at GCSE and A Level.
Key benefits and expectations include:
• Recognition and celebration of scholar’s abilities
• Attendance at drama club and lower school play involvement
• Priority invitations to theatre trips
• Workshop opportunities
• Priority for LAMDA tuition
• Mentoring programme
Key benefits and expectations include:
• Leadership responsibility for house drama
• Role model for younger pupils
• Priority LAMDA lessons (free of charge in Upper Fifth, year 11)
• Theatre trips
• National Youth Theatre auditions
• Workshops
• Scholar collaboration
• Requirement to study drama at GCSE
Key benefits and expectations include:
• Leading roles in the senior play
• Role model for younger pupils
• Free LAMDA tuition
• Theatre trips and workshops
• Mentoring for university applications
• Requirement to study at drama at A Level
Selection is by audition speeches, a workshop and interview. All candidates will be expected to talk about a theatrical production they have seen in the last year and acting candidates should prepare a short piece to perform, of approximately two minutes’ duration, from a play of their own choice. Design candidates should produce a logbook including sketches of set, costumes, or lighting from a play of their own choice. There will be a short interview with a member of Exeter School's leadership team for shortlisted applicants. For external candidates, a satisfactory performance in the academic entrance assessments is a condition of a drama scholarship.
Music scholarships are open to pupils from any school, including Exeter Junior School and Exeter School. Music at Exeter School has an outstanding reputation and offers specialist classrooms, 18 practice rooms, and a concert hall. There is a rich annual programme of contemporary and classical concerts, at school and throughout the region, enabling pupils of all ages to experience the thrill of live performance of both established works and their own compositions.
Class teaching, instrumental teaching, ensembles, and groups are tailor-made to pupils’ interests and nearly 500 private music lessons are taken by pupils each week, taught by 27 visiting teachers.
Music scholars form the core of most ensembles and have a very important role within the department. They demonstrate a genuine interest and passion for music. They might be instrumentalists, vocalists, or both. Most importantly, they are prepared to throw themselves wholeheartedly into the musical life of the school.
Key benefits and expectations include:
• Attendance at ensembles and a choir
• Classes in aural, musicianship, sightreading and scales
• Some attendance at BSO and school concerts
• Performance in scholars’ concert and informal concerts
Key benefits and expectations include:
• Wider participation in ensembles and choirs
• Classes in aural, musicianship, sightreading, scales
• Leadership opportunities in ensembles
• Participation in partnerships programme (ESMuP)
• Some attendance at BSO and school concerts
• Performance at and hosting informal concerts (including scholars’ concert)
• Librarian role
• Requirement to study music at GCSE
Key benefits and expectations include:
• Consistent participation in ensembles and choirs
• Classes in aural, musicianship, sightreading, scales
• Leadership in ensembles
• Leadership in partnerships programme (ESMuP)
• Some attendance at BSO and school concerts
• Performance at and hosting informal concerts
• Front of house, prefect and librarian role
• Mentoring for university applications
• Studying A Level music is NOT expected.
As a guide, applicants to Year 7 (11+)
might have a grade 2 or 3 on one instrument, to Year 9 (13+), grade 4 or 5 and to Year 12 (16+), a grade 7. However, we prefer to hear from enthusiastic pupils who have potential, play musically and come highly recommended.
The scholarship audition will require applicants to:
• Play or sing two pieces of their own choice on their principal instrument or voice
• Play and/or sing at sight
• Take aural tests at a standard to match the pupil’s experience.
Supporting evidence of previous accomplishments in music, in the form of references, should be submitted with your application. There will be a short interview with a member of Exeter School's leadership team for shortlisted applicants. For external candidates, a satisfactory performance in the academic entrance assessments is a condition of a music scholarship.
Sport scholarships are open to pupils from any school, including Exeter Junior School and Exeter School. Exeter School has an enviable reputation for sport locally, in Devon, and on the national stage. A broad range of sports are offered across the whole school with regular success in inter school and national competitions. Sports scholars are expected to not only show outstanding ability and potential for improvement but also to be outstanding ambassadors for their sport and role models for the school. Applicants should be outstanding at first team level at their current school or club in at least one of the schools’ major sports of cricket, hockey, netball and rugby. Pupils who excel in the schools' other priority sports of swimming and squash will be considered but will be expected to be of 'A' team standard in one of the major sports in addition.
Key benefits and expectations include:
• Recognition of sporting abilities and potential
• Expectation for scholars to play fixtures all three terms
• Priority selection for invitational/oneto-one squads.
• Mentoring sessions
Key benefits and expectations include:
• Represent our core sports
• Demonstrates excellent progress, commitment and behaviour
• Formal targets, mentoring, expectations, additional sessions
• Athletic development, physio, mentor, seminars, reporting, targets
Key benefits and expectations include:
• Part of the first team programme
• Athletic development, physio, mentor, seminars, reporting, targets
• Enter relevant national competitions
Selection will be made through assessment in various fitness tests as well as performance in the selected sports. Supporting evidence of previous accomplishments in sport, in the form of references, should be submitted with your application. There will be a short interview with a member of Exeter School's leadership team for shortlisted applicants. For external candidates, a satisfactory performance in the academic entrance assessments is a condition of a sports scholarship.
Exeter School believes no child who deserves a place should be barred from attending because of an inability to pay the fees. We want to do more to break down social barriers and provide a nurturing and learning environment for children, regardless of their financial situation, and we want to continue to do this for as long as is necessary.
We recognise that many of our parents make personal sacrifices to secure their children’s education. Fees are set at levels which represent excellent value for money, particularly in light of the opportunities offered by the school. Families are encouraged to apply for both a scholarship and a bursary if they require financial assistance to enable their child to take advantage of the opportunities a scholarship to Exeter School can give.
Bursaries are means-tested awards based on parental circumstances and are awarded on an annual basis. They are available to internal and external candidates who meet the school’s academic entry requirement and whose parents could not afford to send their children to Exeter School without financial assistance.
Adam Dodd (2021-2023)
Bursary applications must be supported by a full, written, verified statement of financial circumstances. Parents who wish their children to be considered for a bursary should indicate this on the relevant section of the registration form. All applications for support for the year 2025/26 must be received by Friday 10 January 2025. The assessment process will include a home visit by an agent employed by the school. As a general guide, gross parental income will need to be below £60,000 per annum to be considered for a bursary but each case is considered on an individual basis so please contact the Director of Admissions and Marketing on admissions@exeterschool.org.uk for an informal conversation.
My journey to Exeter School started in 2021. I left state school with average grades and was very fortunate to join the sixth form at Exeter School thanks to the bursary programme. The range of opportunities available to me was absolutely incredible: I became a senior prefect, ran the History Society, joined the MedSoc, set up a University Challenge club, took up badminton.
I was also able to go abroad the first time, to Ireland with my History Class. It was incredible to see the site of the 1916 Easter Rising in person instead of a textbook - and I finally have a passport! These were opportunities previously unavailable to me, and I absolutely loved taking part in them. Despite taking humanities-based A-levels, with help
from the MedSoc and extensive one-toone career support, I ended up getting a place to study medicine at the University of Manchester, where I am now. I hope to one day specialise in anaesthesiology or geriatrics.
I am also the first in my family to attend university. My mum, who is a cleaner at my primary school, loves to brag to my former teachers about how far I've come. It makes me very proud to say that I went to Exeter School.
I owe where I am now, and where I will be in the future, to my experience at Exeter School and I would like to personally thank all the donors that have made my dream possible via the bursary scheme.
How do pupils apply for a scholarship?
Pupils and their parents should complete the application form which can be found on our website (www.exeterschool. org.uk/admissions/scholarships) by Wednesday 20 November 2024.
External candidates will also need to register with Exeter School (www. exeterschool.org.uk/admissions) and sit the entrance assessments on 11 January 2025. An offer of a scholarship is dependent on being successful in the academic entrance assessments.
Can international pupils apply for a scholarship?
We encourage and welcome scholarship applications from international pupils. Special arrangements are made if the pupil is unable to attend the assessments due to travel issues.
What is the financial value of the scholarship?
Scholarships at Exeter School do not give any fee remission. The value is in the broad range of opportunities that being an Exeter School scholar offers a young person. Potential scholars who require financial assistance with school fees are strongly encouraged to apply for a bursary.
If I am unsuccessful in gaining a scholarship can I still apply for a bursary?
Yes, the two schemes operate independently from each other.
Can you give me an indication of when I am likely to receive the scholarships outcome?
The outcome will be emailed to you, usually less than one month after the end of the scholarship assessment process.
Do previous awards continue into sixth form?
Scholarships are reviewed annually and scholars will be invited to reapply for their scholarship when they reach the next section of the school.
Can a pupil apply for more than one scholarship?
At Exeter School pupils can only apply for one scholarship.
I am already an Exeter School pupil, can I apply?
Yes, you are strongly encouraged to apply.
Saturday 5 October
Whole school open morning
Thursday 7 November Sixth Form open evening
Wednesday 20 November Closing date for scholarship applications
Tuesday 19 November Sixth form taster day
Monday 25 November 13+ sport scholarship assessment day
Tuesday 26 November 11+ sport scholarship assessment day
Wednesday 27 November 16+ sport scholarship assessment day
Wednesday 27 November Music scholarship assessment
Thursday 28 November Music scholarship assessment
Thursday 28 November Whole school open morning
Saturday 30 November 11+ assessment preparation morning
Saturday 30 November Sixth form interview day
Monday 2 December Music scholarship assessment
Monday 2 December Art scholarship assessment
Monday 2 December Drama scholarship assessment
Thursday 5 December 13+ taster day
Friday 10 January
Friday 24 Januar
Thursday 8 May
Tuesday 17 June
Closing date for bursary applications
Saturday 11 January Senior school assessment day
Whole school open morning
Summer open evening
Whole school open morning
Scholarship assessment takes place in the academic year before the scholarship begins. Scholarships should be applied for using the application form accompanied by supporting evidence of previous accomplishments in your chosen discipline, in the form of references. These references, written by your school, coach, or music/drama teacher, should be submitted with your application. If you are a current Exeter Junior School pupil there is no need to provide a reference from your schoolteacher or school coach.
For external candidates, before being assessed for a scholarship parents should register their child at www.exeterschool. org.uk/admissions. Once the registration is received and registration fee paid, a reference from the pupils’ current school will be requested.
Scholarship application forms are available at www.exeterschool.org.uk/ admissions/scholarships
The closing date for scholarship entry in 2025 is Wednesday 20 November 2024. Supporting evidence, including any references requested, should be included with the completed scholarship application. Applications will not be accepted after this date.
Please contact the admissions team if you have any questions: 01392 307080 or admissions@exeterschool.org.uk
The Head has the right to withdraw a scholarship at any time if behaviour, commitment, and academic progress are not being maintained.
