Scholarships and Bursaries

Rishworth School provides an excellent, balanced education for its pupils and seeks positively to offer to as many potential pupils as possible the opportunity of studying at the School. The scholarship and bursary schemes support these aims by encouraging applications from gifted pupils and from pupils who would otherwise be unable to afford to attend the School without financial support. Details of the schemes are set out below.  All Scholarships and Bursaries are of course subject to the availability of funds.

Recipients of our scholarships and bursaries are expected to behave in an exemplary manner and to act as role models for other pupils. The conditions and obligations that attach to these awards are also set out below.

Scholarships

First Form - Year 7

Wheelwright Scholarships are awarded for academic excellence and based upon performance in the Entrance Examination. Funds have been set aside potentially to allow a number of full free-place awards each consisting of a 50% Wheelwright Scholarship and a means-tested 50% Bursary. Any bursary support provided would be after application to the Bursar and dependent on a demonstration of financial need (see bursary section below).

In addition, we can offer scholarships for excellence by assessment in Music, Sport and Drama, subject to satisfactory academic performance.

All scholarships are open to all pupils applying for entry to Rishworth into Year 7 (11+ age).

Past papers for the academic scholarships are available from the Admissions Officer at the School.

Sixth Form

Scholarships are available for the Lower Sixth.  These are based on academic performance. They will be valid for the full two years of Advanced Level study in the Sixth Form.

In addition, we can offer scholarships for excellence by assessment in Music, Sport and Drama, subject to satisfactory academic performance.

Bursaries

A Bursary may be awarded to support a course of study following a demonstration of financial need and at the specific recommendation of the Headmaster. Such awards are reviewable on an annual basis at which stage the award may be renewed, changed or removed in accordance with each new demonstration of financial circumstances. In addition, bursary awards sometimes can be awarded for short periods of time to help support parents with sudden demonstrable financial problems.

All bursary awards are offered at the discretion of the School and are subject to available funds, demonstrable financial need, academic and personal reports assessed by the Headmaster and any other significant factors that the School feels might be applicable to the particular pupil.

To ensure, as far as is possible, meaningful and consistent means testing, applications for Wheelwright Bursaries can only be accepted from persons domiciled in the UK and subject to UK income tax.

How to apply

Year 7 Scholarships                    

Complete forms for the Entrance/Scholarship Assessment

Sixth Form Scholarships   

Internal Candidates:     no action to be taken - they are awarded on performance
External Candidates:    application should be made to the Headmaster during GCSE years

Bursaries                                  

Make an appointment to speak to the Bursar.


The Fielding Scholarship

This is awarded occasionally to male pupils wishing to board that have lived within the ancient parish of Halifax for the previous six years at the date of application. The Fielding Scholarship award is made at the discretion of the School. The level of any award will be based on demonstrable financial need and having regard to available funds.

Old Rishworthians also have a limited fund to help sons and daughters of Old Rishworthians where there are financial problems – please contact the Bursar in the first instance.

Conditions and obligations

1. Obligations of the pupil:    A pupil who is the subject of an Award is required to work hard, to contribute positively to the life of the School, to be a credit to the School and to set a good example to other pupils.    These are the Purposes of the Award.
2. Obligations of the Parents:  The parents are expected to support and encourage the pupil to achieve the purposes of the Award and to uphold the aims and good name of the School.    The parents are also required to pay the balance of the account by the first day of term.
3. Withdrawal of the Award:  The Award may be withdrawn summarily (a) by written notification sent to a parent if in the opinion of the Governors and/or Headmaster acting in good faith the pupil or a parent has in one significant instance (or more) failed  to comply with the obligations set out at paragraphs 1 and 2 above or (b) if  the pupil has over a period of time fallen below the required standards of conduct and progress and, in the opinion of the Governors and/or Headmaster, there has been no significant improvement following consultation with a parent and/or the pupil and a written warning.   Withdrawal of the Award shall take effect from the start of the following term.  Further, the Award may be withdrawn by written notice if the balance of the account remains unpaid twenty-eight days after a written reminder has been sent to the parents.
4. Repayment events:   Parents shall be required forthwith upon written notice to repay all or part of the benefits they have received under the Award in any of the following circumstances.                                                                                    

   a)	up to three terms’ benefits (if received) if the pupil has engaged in   serious misconduct or has been expelled or removed for reasons of misconduct by the requirement of the Head acting in good faith.
   b)	up to three terms’ benefits (if received) in a case of the pupil being withdrawn for any reason during a school term without a term’s written notice having been given.

5. Fees in lieu of Notice:  For the avoidance of doubt, the benefits payable under an Award do not apply to any term for which the School has required payment of fees in lieu of notice.
6. Standard Terms and Conditions:  These Conditions of Award take precedence over any of the School’s standard terms and conditions which are inconsistent with them but in all other respects the standard terms and conditions are amended from time to time shall apply and these Conditions of Award shall be interpreted in accordance with them.

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