Exeter Cathedral School launches free places scheme

Exeter Cathedral School (ECS) is delighted to announce the launch of its new Awards Scheme.

ECS, which is Exeter’s oldest school and which educates the Choristers of Exeter Cathedral, has created the Devon Award, a 100% paid-for place at the School in Year 7 and Year 8, available to Year 6 pupils currently at Devon LEA state primary schools. 

Offering a 100% remission in school fees, the Devon Award is designed for gifted pupils who could make a significant contribution to life at ECS. The Devon Award is means-tested and covers tuition fees (day or boarding), lunch, and compulsory educational trips.

The city-centre School has also launched a range of Specialist Awards for those entering the School into Year 7. The 11+ Entry Awards are for pupils, from any background, who demonstrate a high level of commitment and potential in a selected discipline: Music, Academic, Sport, Performing/Visual Arts. The Awards take the form of fee remission, and bursary top-ups are also available.

Designed to recognise and reward enthusiasm, commitment, potential, passion and talent, The Devon Award and Specialist Awards aim to enable children from a variety of backgrounds to access the excellent all-round education and bespoke provision on offer at the 260-strong Prep School.

Headmaster, James Featherstone, commented: "I am excited to be launching these 11+ Entry Awards, which I hope might give more pupils and families, irrespective of means, the opportunity to experience our first-rate education in the heart of the city. We take our learning, our music, our sport and our Arts very seriously, and it makes absolute sense as an outward-looking and forward-thinking school that we seek to broaden access to what we offer."

ECS has been educating the children of Devon since the 12th century, and its pupils move on aged 13 to a range of well-regarded state, grammar and independent schools. In 2017, a staggering 34 senior school scholarships were won by its leavers.

The closing date for formal applications for the 11+ Entry Awards is 1st March 2018. More information about the process and the School is available from the ECS Registrar (admissions@exetercs.org).