Specialist Places & Scholarships

Introduction

Wymondham College offers up to 16 priority specialist places for students applying for Year 7 (age 11+) who demonstrate a particular aptitude in Music. Up to eight places are available to Boarders and up to eight places are available to Day Students for entry in September.

These places will be allocated on the basis of performance on assessment of musical aptitude conducted by the College.

These are not scholarships, and in the case of Boarding Places (or Day Boarding Places), the full fee remains payable.

Application Process

Boarding Places

In order to be considered for a Music Specialist Boarding place, parents/carers must indicate on the Year 7 Boarding Supplementary Application Form that they would like a Music Specialist Place.

The application must be submitted by 31 October 2024.

The External Relations Department will confirm receipt of the application and correspond with details of the Assessment in writing.

Day Places

In order to be considered for a Music Priority Specialist Day Place, parents/carers must complete a Year 7 Day Music Priority Specialist Place Supplementary Application Form.

The application must be submitted by 31 October 2024..

The External Relations Department will confirm receipt of the application and correspond with details of the Assessment in writing.

Assessments

There are two Assessment dates each year and applicants must be able to attend one of these dates.

Those who apply early enough to be included in the first Assesment will receive notification of whether they have met the required benchmark before the national closing date for Year 7 Admissions on 31 October.

Those who apply after the first Assessment date has passed, or after the first Assessment date has been filled, or who are unable to attend the first Assessment date for some other reason, will be able to attend the second Assessment date. 

Both Assessment dates provide the same opportunity to gain a place at the College and there is no advantage to be gained from attending one Assessment rather than the other.

Please note: Meeting the required Assessment benchmark does not guarantee a place at the College. This is because places are allocated according to our oversubscription criteria as outlined in our current Admissions Policy. In addition, if more applicants  meet the required benchmark than there are places available, places will be allocated according to proximity.

Candidates for the Music Specialist places should have:

• A proven talent on their main instrument
• Natural performance skills
• A gift for the subject that enables them to learn quickly

Music Assessment

The Music Assessment involves a 20 minute individual assessment conducted by a member of the Music Department. The Assessment comprises the following elements:

• Performing - Candidates demonstrate their aptitude for performing instrumentally, or vocally. Candidates are asked to perform on their main instrument with suitable accompaniment. Candidates are welcome to bring their own accompanist or backing track (Tape, CD or MD) with them. Proficiency in a second instrument is not required, but candidates may perform on a second instrument if they wish. 
• General Musical Knowledge - Candidates demonstrate their aptitude for analysing their performance music. 
• Aural Tests - Candidates demonstrate their aptitude to respond to music they have heard through singing, clapping and answering questions. 
• Sight-reading - Candidates demonstrate their aptitude to interpret music notation that they have not seen before. 

Assessment Results

Applicants who take attend the first Assessment will receive notification of whether they have met the required benchmark by 31 October. Meeting the required benchmark does not guarantee a place at the College. 

In the case that there are more students who achieve the benchmark than there are places available, the oversubsciption criteria detailed in the current Admissions Policy will be used to determine which applicants are allocated the Music Specialist Priority Places.

The College cannot enter into correspondence or discussion with parents concerning the outcome of the second Assessment date and is not permitted to communicate information concerning whether or not an applicant who has taken the second Assessment has met the required standard.

This is in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Statutory Schools Admissions Code. The outcome of the Assessment will be evident when the allocation of places is communicated to parents by their Local Authority (in the case of applicants in England) or the College (for other applicants).

Guidance on Year 7 Priority Music Specialist Places Document

Introduction

We offer Academic, Music and Sport Scholarships for Boarding places only in Sixth Form. These scholarships can be worth up to the whole boarding fee. 

We expect those who are successful in gaining a Sixth Form Boarding Scholarship to be amongst the leaders in the year group in their discipline. They will have high personal standards of behaviour, appearance, organisation and commitment to their studies and an enthusiastic approach to life in the Sixth Form. They will be excellent role models for other students and ambassadors for the College and will make a significant contribution to the extra-curricular life of the College.

The Assessment day for all Scholarships will be Friday 15 November 2024.

Academic Scholar

An Academic Scholar will have a proven of academic achievement throughout their school career, which will result in at least 7 Grade 7s at GCSE. He/She will study up to 4 subjects and will stand a very good chance of gaining admission to the most selective of universities.

Music Scholar

A Music Scholar will have a proven record of performance at Grade 8 standard in His/Her first study instrument and a Grade 6 theory. Stronger candidates will be proficient on a second instrument, ideally piano if not the first study instrument. He/She will be an A Level Music Student who has obtained a high grade at GCSE Music and will make a significant contribution to the musical life of the College.

Sport Scholar

A Sport Scholar will have a proven record of representative achievements (at least County level or above) in a minimum of two different Wymondham College sports. A Wymondham College Sport Scholar will be an A Level PE/Sport Studies student who has obtained a high grade at GCSE PE. He/She will make a significant contribution to College representative sport as a performer and to the junior sports programme as a Sports Assistant.

Application Process

In order to be considered for a Sixth Form Boarding Scholarship place, parents/carers must indicate on the Application that they would like a Sixth Form Boarding Scholarship place.

The application must be submitted by the published deadline. Applicants must attend the College for assessment on the date specified by the College.

Academic Scholarships
The College seeks confirmation of a applicant’s predicted grades from his/her current school. If the predicted grades are at least those required for the award of a scholarship, the candidate will be invited to sit the Scholarship Examination at the College. The examination comprises of an examination paper covering core subjects including English, Maths and Science. Applicants are then interviewed by the Principal, a Vice Principal or another senior member of staff. The interview will cover both scholarship and boarding issues.

The examination day for Academic Scholarships will be will be Friday 15 November 2024.. The interview will take place on the same day or the following day. 

Music Scholarships
All applicants must submit a portfolio containing the applicant’s music certificates, programmes from concerts they have been involved in and any other pertinent musical information, to the Director of Music, via the External Relations Team  at admissions@wymcol.org, no later than a week prior to the Assessment date. If the information provided confirms that the applicant’s achievements are at least at the level required for a scholarship, he/she will be invited for an audition and interview with the Director of Music to assess their suitability to study A Level Music. The Assessment will consist of a short performance on one or two instruments. Applicants will also be invited for a boarding interview, with a senior member of staff.

The audition day for Music Scholarships will be Friday 15 November 2024.

Sport Scholarships
All applicants must submit a portfolio containing the applicant’s certificates of sporting achievement, press cuttings, letters from sports coaches and any other pertinent sporting information to the Director of Sport, via the External Relations Team  at admissions@wymcol.org, no later than a week prior to the Assessment date. If the information provided confirms that the applicants’s achievements are at least at the level required for a scholarship, he/she will be invited for an assessment and interview with the Director of Sport. The Assessment consists of a skills and fitness test, which is not gender specific and requires proficiency in no specific type of sport. Applicants will also be invited for a boarding interview, with a senior member of staff.

The assessment day for Sport Scholarships will be Friday 15 November 2024.

Award and Tenure of Scholarships

The award of scholarships is at the discretion of the Principal based on the evidence provided by the assessments and interviews. Scholarships will not be awarded if, in the opinion of the Principal, insufficient of the applicants have met the required standard for a scholarship.

Applicants who are unsuccessful in gaining scholarships will be considered for boarding places in the same way as those who have not applied for scholarships.
A review of a scholar’s performance, commitment and conduct may take place at any time during the tenure of the scholarship. The Principal reserves the right to withdraw a scholarship if this review is unsatisfactory.