11+ Scholarships
A Guide for St Helen’s Parents & Pupils
Contents
Page
Introduction to Scholarships
4
How to apply?
5
Academic Scholarship
6
Music Scholarship
8
Sports Scholarship
12
Art Scholarship
16
Drama Scholarship
20
Chess Scholarship
24
Next Steps
28
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11+ Scholarship Guide for current St Helen’s pupils
How to apply?
September 2027 Entry
Applications must be submitted via our 11+ Scholarship Application
St Helen’s is pleased to be able to offer a comprehensive programme
scholarships you wish to apply for and to provide the required
of Scholarships across a number of disciplines. The majority are applied for and offered at 11+ although further opportunities are available in future years, particularly at 16+ at Sixth Form entry. This guide is designed to help you understand what we look for in a Scholar and the application requirements for each scholarship category. We hope it will support you in making an informed decision about whether a scholarship application is right for your daughter and provide all the information you need to complete the process. To become and remain a St Helen’s Scholar requires a high level of commitment in school both within the curriculum and through participation in co-curricular activities. As a school we make a commitment in return to enrich, support, nurture and inspire our Scholars. Before a Scholarship is accepted, a formal agreement is signed to ensure that expectations are clear and understood by all parties. Scholarships are subject to ongoing review. We expect all Scholars to demonstrate consistently high levels of commitment, achievement and ambition throughout their time at the School.
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Form. Within the form, you will be asked to indicate which
information and supporting evidence outlined in this guide. Each scholarship has its own application requirements. A link to the application form will be emailed to you by the Admissions Team. Please do not worry if you have not previously indicated an interest in applying for a Scholarship, as the form is sent to all our Year 6 families. There is no limit to the number of scholarships for which a candidate may apply. However, we recommend that applicants carefully consider the areas in which their talents and achievements are strongest, as scholarship recipients are expected to make a lasting contribution to the School. The completed application form, together with all required supporting evidence, must be submitted by 12.00pm (midday) on Friday 20 November 2026. Unfortunately, late applications cannot be
accepted. If you have any questions at this stage, we encourage you to contact admissions@sthelens.london.
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Academic Scholarship Senior School Academic scholarships are worth up to a maximum of 40% off tuition fees. Scholarship awards are made based on academic ability and are not related to family financial circumstances. In addition to fee remission, our academic scholars will be part of an esteemed group of particularly intellectually curious and ambitious students, and they will have opportunities to socialise and collaborate with fellow scholars, through events such as the Scholars’ Breakfast. They will also participate in enriching experiences that will develop important skills such as public speaking and independent project work. All Year 6 pupils are considered for an academic scholarship, and shortlisting is based on our internal data and assessments from throughout Years 5-6. There is no separate scholarship application process, and pupils do not need to sit the 11+ examination in order to be considered. Shortlisted pupils will be invited to attend an Academic Scholarship interview in January. Further details of the interview process will be provided to shortlisted applicants in December; however, no specific preparation is required. Final scholarship decisions will be communicated on Senior School Offers Day, as part of the transfer to Senior School letters, which are sent on 12 February 2027.
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Music Scholarship At Year 7 entry a Music Scholarship offers up to a 30% reduction on tuition fees per annum. A number of Music Exhibitions (free tuition on one instrument) may also be awarded. In addition to the fee remission, our Music Scholar programme aims to reward those most able performers with experiences and opportunities that stretch their ability further, for example: all award holders will attend a masterclass series invitations to trips and events, including outreach opportunities inclusion in the annual Award Holders’ Concert leadership opportunities (leading or co-leading extra-curricular groups) personal guidance and development from a member of the Music Department Students applying for a Music Scholarship should: have a passion for music-making in all its forms: We welcome and encourage applications from pupils who play a variety of instruments, including the voice. We do not require candidates to have taken graded exams, with the exception of pianists, who are typically performing at Grade 6 or above be able to demonstrate high ability and potential in musical performance display evidence of a solid commitment to extra-curricular music at school or externally
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Music Scholarship Application Process Please indicate on the 11+ Scholarship Application Form sent by the Admissions Team that you would like your daughter to be considered for a Music Scholarship. Within the form you will be required to submit the following supporting evidence: A summary, in no more than 250 words, outlining your daughter’s interest and suitability for a Music Scholarship. This should include details of most recent exams taken (where relevant), the dates and type of exam (practical or performance), as well as the grades and awards achieved One video recording, up to 2 minutes long, which showcases a performance on the first instrument or voice. The performance can be from any repertoire and in any style, with or without accompaniment. The video file’s label must include your daughter’s full name. When recording, please avoid using very high-quality camera settings to keep file sizes small (max 500MB upload) Reference from an external 1:1 music teacher, where applicable (optional) In addition to the above a reference will be obtained from the Head of Music at St Helen’s Prep School on your daughter’s behalf We regret that due to the volume of applications received, if all the specified requirements outlined are not met, we will be unable to consider your daughter’s application.
Assessment Day Shortlisted candidates will be invited to our Music Scholarship assessment day in January. Further details of the assessment process and arrangements for the day will be provided to shortlisted applicants in December. Candidates should expect to demonstrate their musical ability on their chosen instrument(s) as part of the assessment. 11+ Scholarships | 11
Sport Scholarship The 11+ Sport Scholarship offers up to 30% remission of tuition fees and recognises excellence in sport, alongside evidence of character, leadership potential and creativity in a pupil’s chosen sport(s). In addition to fee remission, our Sport Scholars will: be welcomed to join the Promising Athlete Programme (PAP) which offers guidance through specialist lectures, goal setting and other sporting related topics be provided with links to external sports clubs and partnerships work with a mentor from the PE Department in a group setting, where they will receive guidance, support, and advice to accelerate their development and progression Students applying for a Sport Scholarship should: have a genuine passion and talent for sport demonstrate strength in a sport that is offered at St Helen’s. Examples include, but are not limited to, netball, swimming, tennis, badminton, hockey, football, cricket, athletics, dance and gymnastics ideally, be participating in a sport at an external club and be committed to maximising their potential
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Sport Scholarship Application Process Please indicate on the 11+ Scholarship Application Form sent by the Admissions Team that you would like your daughter to be considered for a Sport Scholarship. Within the form you will be required to submit the following supporting evidence: A summary of no more than 250 words outlining your daughter’s interest and suitability for a Sport Scholarship, including details of current participation in sport, level of achievement, alongside examples of character, creativity and sporting leadership potential A reference from your child’s external sports coach or club where applicable In addition to the above a reference will be obtained from the Head of Sport at St Helen’s Prep School We regret that due to the volume of applications received, if all the specified requirements outlined are not met, we will be unable to consider your daughter’s application.
Assessment Day Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend our Sport Scholarship assessment day in January. Further details of the assessment process and arrangements for the day will be provided to shortlisted applicants in December. Candidates should expect to demonstrate their sporting ability in their preferred sport and take part in a range of activities and leadership challenges designed to assess their athletic potential, physical aptitude, character and suitability for a Sport Scholarship.
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Art Scholarship The 11+ Art Scholarship offers up to a maximum 30% reduction on tuition fees per annum and recognises excellence in a wide variety of art forms. Our Scholarship programme includes: an enriched learning environment that enables artistic exploration and experimentation targeted advice and ongoing advice from experienced professionals support for all pupils wanting to pursue a career in creative industries by providing individually tailored advice and support with portfolio preparation Students applying for an Art Scholarship should: be a highly skilled, self-motivated and visually inventive learner who is confident in using art to express themselves place risk-taking and experimentation at the heart of their creative practice have a curiosity about art, artists, crafts, and the surrounding world and regularly make and view artwork outside of school be able to actively represent and promote the department within the school community and to external audiences
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Art Scholarship Application Process Please indicate on the 11+ Scholarship Application Form sent by the Admissions Team that you would like your daughter to be considered for an Art Scholarship. Within the form you will be required to submit the following supporting evidence: A statement of no more than 250 words outlining your daughter’s interest and passion for Art, and suitability for becoming an Art Scholar at St Helen’s A reference from your child’s current Art Teacher, either from her present school or an external Art club that she attends A PowerPoint portfolio* of five pieces of artwork completed between the ages 9 and 11 years that shows a variety of skills using different materials and types of art (for example, include painting, sketches, sculpture, photography). We do not recommend more than one Manga-style or cartoon character drawing in a portfolio and the candidate should choose the pieces of work themselves A reference from an external Art club that your child currently attends, where relevant (optional) In addition to the above a reference will be obtained from the Art teacher at St Helen’s Prep School on your daughter’s behalf *Please present each of the five pieces of artwork on a separate slide in the PowerPoint portfolio. You may include text to indicate scale and the material(s) used, if this is not evident. No other text should be included. Please name your PowerPoint file using the format: “Daughter’s Surname Daughter’s First Name - Current School”. We regret that due to the volume of applications received, if all the specified requirements outlined are not met, we will be unable to consider your daughter’s application.
Assessment Day Shortlisted candidates will be invited to our Art Scholarship group assessment in January. Further details of the assessment process and arrangements for the day will be provided to shortlisted applicants in December. Candidates will be required to bring their physical portfolio containing all the work submitted along with two other 11+ Scholarships | 19 unseen pieces (these could be works in progress).
Drama Scholarship At Year 7 entry, a Drama Scholarship offers up to a maximum of 30% reduction on tuition fees per annum in addition to a range of opportunities, including: an invitation to participate in the Middle School play invitation(s) to attend Drama trips the opportunity to be an ambassador for Drama to the school community. personal mentorship with a Drama specialist Students applying for a Drama Scholarship should: have a passion for the Arts and live theatrical performance convey enthusiasm for drama and theatre be an excellent communicator and enjoy working as part of a team
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Drama Scholarship Application Process Please indicate on the 11+ Scholarship Application Form sent by the Admissions Team that you would like your daughter to be considered for a Drama Scholarship. Within the form you will be required to submit the following supporting evidence: One self-tape (video recording), up to 2 minutes long of either a learnt script (taken from a published play) or a presentation of how you would technically support a theatrical production using set, lighting, sound, or costume. When recording, please avoid using very high-quality camera settings in order to keep file sizes small (max 500MB upload) A statement of no more than 250 words outlining your daughter’s interest and passion for Drama, and suitability for becoming a Drama Scholar at St Helen’s A reference from an external Drama club your daughter currently attends (optional) In addition to the above a reference will be obtained from the Head of Drama at St Helen’s Prep School We regret that due to the volume of applications received, if all the specified requirements outlined are not met, we will be unable to consider your daughter’s application.
Assessment Day Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend our group Drama Scholarship assessment in January. Further details of the assessment process and arrangements for the day will be provided to shortlisted applicants in December. Candidates should expect to be led in improvisation and devising work as part of the assessment.
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Chess Scholarship At Year 7 entry a Chess Scholarship offers up to a 30% reduction on tuition fees per annum, to recognise outstanding players. In addition to the fee remission, they will receive experiences and opportunities that stretch their ability further, such as: access to the Thursday Chess Club and coaching sessions half-termly 1:1 masterclass with a grandmaster participation in in-person tournaments entry into termly online tournaments Students applying for a Chess Scholarship should: have an English Chess Federation rating of 900 or above have a keen passion for the game and participate regularly in online tournaments ideally be a member of an external chess club
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Chess Scholarship Application Process Please indicate on the 11+ Scholarship Application Form sent by the Admissions Team that you would like your daughter to be considered for a Chess Scholarship. Within the form you will be required to submit the following supporting evidence: A summary of no more than 250 words outlining your daughter’s interest in and passion for chess, and suitability to becoming a Chess Scholar at St Helen’s A reference from the chess club your daughter attends, either at St Helen’s Prep School or externally We regret that due to the volume of applications received, if all the specified requirements outlined are not met, we will be unable to consider your daughter’s application.
Assessment Day Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend our Chess Scholarship assessment day in January. Further details of the assessment process and arrangements for the day will be provided to shortlisted applicants in December. Candidates should expect to discuss their interest in and understanding of chess, and to demonstrate their analytical and problem-solving skills as part of the assessment process.
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Next Steps Scholarship applications must be submitted no later than 12.00pm (midday) on Friday 20 November 2026. Parents will be notified by email in early December if their daughter has been shortlisted. Successful candidates will be invited to a group assessment day or interview in January 2027. The assessment dates for shortlisted candidates can be found on our Admissions page. As assessments are conducted in groups, we regret that alternative dates cannot be accommodated. Final scholarship decisions will be communicated on Senior School Offers Day as part of the transfer to Senior School letters which are sent on 12 February 2027. Please note that due to competitive nature of our scholarship programme, only a limited number of applicants will be invited to proceed to the next stage of the selection process. We receive a high volume of applications and are therefore unable to provide detailed feedback on individual applications. If you require any further information, please contact the Admissions Department, on 01923 843230 or via email at admissions@sthelens.london.
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St Helen’s School Eastbury Road Northwood Middlesex HA6 3AS admissions@sthelens.london enquiries@sthelens.london 01923 843210 www.sthelens.london
@sthelensnorthwood @sthelensnorthwood St Helen’s School London @StHelensSchoolNorthwood