16+ scholarship brochure

A guide to scholarships at 16+ for entry in September 2025

SCHOLARSHIPS AT 16+

AN OVERVIEW

Scholarships at 16+ at King’s College School are awarded to pupils who demonstrate an exceptional skill in a particular area and receiving an award is a significant accolade. Awards come as a sum of money which is taken off the school fees each term.

There are five types of scholarship available at 16+: academic, art, drama, music and sport. Academic and music scholarships are assessed during the 16+ admissions process whilst art, drama and sport scholarships are assessed in the spring term once candidates have been offered a place at the school.

You will find more information about each scholarship in the following pages.

Pupils are welcome to apply for more than one scholarship. Whilst it is possible to hold an academic or art scholarship along with another award, you should note that it is not possible to hold a combination of drama, music or sport scholarships as each department will require a high level of commitment.

ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIPS

King’s awards academic scholarships to candidates who have performed exceptionally well and shown the greatest promise and potential during the 16+ tests and interviews.

Rossetti scholarships are named in honour of the artist Dante Gabriel Rossetti (OK, 1837-1841), and Fawcett scholarships are named after Henry Fawcett, eminent parliamentarian and social campaigner (OK, 1849-1852). Both scholarships recognise outstanding academic performance in our sixth form selection process. Rossetti scholarships come with a £3,000 reduction in fees per year and Fawcett scholarships give a £1,500 fee reduction per year.

Everyone who takes the 16+ entrance tests will automatically be considered for an academic scholarship. There is no need to complete a separate application form.

ART SCHOLARSHIPS

Art at King’s is renowned for its quality and diversity. Our pupils are taught by specialist teachers in the designated sixth form studio of the Reeve School. The department is equipped with two kilns for ceramics, printmaking facilities for dry-point, lino, etching and silk screen, digital cameras, and a fully equipped darkroom for traditional photography. The course builds on the core skills of drawing, painting, printmaking, and sculpture as well as mixed media and digital processes. Extensive written work, gallery visits, life drawing and presentations develop wider understanding of the world around them. Throughout the course independent learning is encouraged, so that our students become more curious, ambitious and original.

Art scholarships recognise pupils with artistic talent, creative flair as well as technical ability. Art scholarships are worth a £400 reduction in fees per year. It is expected that art scholars will study art at A level or as an option within the IB diploma.

Further information and the application form will be available in the spring term.

DRAMA SCHOLARSHIPS

King’s has a long-established and nationally recognised tradition of excellence in theatre and film. A large number of acclaimed actors, writers, designers and directors have had their appetite whetted by the school’s thriving theatre scene, including Christopher Luscombe, Ben Barnes, Khalid Abdalla and Tom Basden. The King’s drama programme sees hundreds of passionate students collaborating creatively to perform, direct, design, devise and lead an exciting array of high quality productions each year.

The school’s intention is to offer awards to drama enthusiasts of outstanding ability and potential as performers, technicians or practitioners. Scholars will be expected to contribute in depth to the theatrical life of the school. They will also mentor younger pupils, and lead by example as ambassadors for the subject. It is hoped that drama scholars will study drama at A level or as an option within the IB diploma (Literature and Performance).

Drama and drama technical scholarships are worth up to a £400 reduction in fees per year.

Further information and the application form will be available in the spring term.

MUSIC SCHOLARSHIPS

These are very exciting musical times indeed at King’s and pupils who join us in the sixth form should look forward to a whole host of musical opportunities.

We have a strong instrumental and choral tradition including three orchestras, three choirs, a big band and numerous chamber music groups. Pupils regularly perform in major concert venues in London (including St Paul’s Cathedral, Guildford Cathedral, St James’s Piccadilly, Cadogan Hall and the Royal College of Music) as well as on international tours.

Pupils will have access to our state-of-the-art facilities, including the stunning 200-seater concert hall which houses a two-manual chamber organ and a model D Steinway grand piano, rehearsal rooms, eighteen teaching rooms and a technology studio.

Music scholarships recognise instrumentalists of outstanding ability. As a general guideline, those of Grade 8 standard on their first instrument would be considered promising candidates.

Music scholarships are worth a £400 reduction in fees per year plus free tuition on two instruments. It is hoped that music scholars will study music at A level or as an option within the IB diploma.

To apply, please submit a completed music scholarship application form, along with the supporting evidence, which might include an optional short performance video, by Monday 7th October. Promising applicants will be asked to come to King’s for an audition on either Monday 25th November or Tuesday 26th November, provided they have also been selected for an academic interview.

Further information and the application form will be available from September on the 16+ entry page of our website, under ‘16+ scholarships’.

SPORT SCHOLARSHIPS

Sport is thriving at King’s! Recent successes include being U18 rugby national plate runners-up, U15 rugby national cup runners-up at Twickenham, Henley 1st V111 semi-finalists, U18 football Trinity Cup winners, U15 cricket County Cup winners, U14 LISBA league winner and U13 football ISFA Shield winners.

We believe in the power of team sports to bolster physical and mental health and to improve essential life skills such as communication and teamwork - it is a central part of life at King’s. We play competitive matches in a number of sports including our core sports of cricket, football, hockey, netball, rugby and tennis.

We have outstanding facilities: a sports centre with a six-court sports hall, strength and conditioning suites and a 25m swimming pool, a sports ground at Kingsway with cricket nets and two all-weather hockey pitches; and an on-site cricket pitch and pavilion. We also have a boat house on the Thames at Putney.

Sports scholarships are awarded to candidates of exceptional sporting talent, who also demonstrate outstanding sporting ability or potential, determination and enthusiasm. Preference will be given to those involved in the school’s core sports although a high level of ability in another of the school’s sports may be an advantage.

Sport scholarships are worth up to a £400 reduction in fees per year. Scholars will be expected to contribute fully to the sporting life of the school in all three terms.

Further information and the application form will be available in the spring term.