Badminton School Scholarship and Awards Booklet 2022

Thank you for researching our scholarships and awards – they are a highlight of School life: a real opportunity to be curious and confident!

Personal development is central to our concept of scholarship but equally the responsibility to contribute and develop our community through intellectual, creative or sporting endeavours is highly valued by us. Our approach for scholarships and awards is also designed to align beneficiaries more closely with the School’s aim:

“To provide an education which nurtures intellectual curiosity and which is challenging and fun, balancing academic excellence with fulfilment of individual potential in the arts, sport and extra-curricular activities”. The programme for Scholars and Award Holders gives them access to our High Flyers events, where they are expected to play a leading role.

In addition, other opportunities suited to their award are made available and monitoring takes places through a specialist associated with their award or the School’s Scholars’ Coordinator.

All of this takes learning beyond the taught curriculum and pushes it, intentionally, out of the comfort zone. The opportunities are designed to make things challenging but ultimately inspiring.

ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIP

Badminton’s Academic Scholarship is aimed at academically strong pupils who show a genuine commitment to the academic side of School life and who are prepared to be an academic role model to other pupils. They relish study, demonstrate evidence of intellectual curiosity and a desire to research topics outside of the mainstream curriculum. Academic Scholars play a full role in the academic life of the School and demonstrate high ability across the subject range. In School, not only do they excel academically, but they also display exemplary work practices and are prepared to act as academic leaders.

“I decided to apply for an academic scholarship because it aligned with my talents and was such a well-respected accolade. For me, the interview and examination process was a vital and new experience. It was my first time being interviewed; being in that high-stress social situation helped massively in developing confidence and self-worth.

Having an academic scholarship in Badminton ensures I keep up a high level of work in my studies. I feel more confident in my exams, and schoolwork in general, because I carry a scholarship that recognises my academic achievements.

Being awarded this scholarship helped me flourish in Senior School life, with the High Flyers programme, clubs and opportunities.

Moving up the School, my scholarship will support me beyond school life in university applications and beyond.”

Christina, Year 10

ART SCHOLARSHIP

Art Scholars at Badminton are a diverse and talented group of pupils with a real passion for their craft. They relish the opportunity to be experimental and to take risks in order to maximise their creative output. Art Scholars excel in a wide variety of areas and these can include, for example, drawing, painting, fashion design, 3D dimensional work or photography. A key part of being an Art Scholar is the expectation of making a significant contribution to the life of the Art Department and a willingness to achieve maximum artistic impact around School and at School exhibitions.

“I applied for an art scholarship in year 11, as I felt it perfectly complemented my passion for art. This scholarship has provided me with countless opportunities and resources to stretch myself and find my own voice in art. I am thankful for the amazing art facilities at Badminton for allowing me to freely express myself in new media I wouldn’t have otherwise been able to easily explore at home, such as pottery, enamel jewellery, and intaglio printing.

I have also learned the importance of art in a community. When my friends and I founded ‘Illustration club’, I used it as a way to get to know the younger artists at School through our shared love for drawing and illustration. It was through the scholarship that I discovered my own personal style with the support of the Art and History of Art teachers, as well as the artists in my year group that I have had the pleasure of befriending through painting together.

The art teachers guiding me through my scholarship have constantly kept me excited through numerous events and opportunities. As a representative of Badminton, I have entered competitions such as the Royal Academy Young Artists Summer Show and attended the Mary Fedden blue plaque unveiling. I was also very grateful to have been able to meet professional artists through workshops by Ian Murphy, Zoë Power, and Chrisie Nimenko, who ran a wonderful two-day workshop on figure painting with a live model. The Badminton Art Department has also embraced art of various cultures, encouraging me to study art from my home country, Thailand, for my GCSE personal project, and hosting the most interesting talk on African textiles by Mary Ekpene.”

MUSIC SCHOLARSHIP

A Badminton Music Scholar once said that “Music is the soul of Badminton. It is like an undercurrent that runs through us all here” and how true that is!

Our Music Scholars exude talent, passion and expertise in a huge range of instruments and voice and are committed to promoting music as the lifeblood of the School. Scholars are expected to play a significant role in musical events throughout the year in a variety of ways, such as performing, conducting or helping in the running of a music event.

They are passionate about the importance of music and work to ensure that it plays a key role in the life of the School.

“I have been a Badmintonian since Year 5 and received a music scholarship when I joined the Senior School. As a Music Scholar I am wholly and unfailingly supported by the Music Department as well as by the wider school community. For me, the Tippet Music Block is a haven; it is where I spend my time when not in lessons, playing violin in a practice room that overlooks the lawns, my favourite apple trees and the Sixth Form Centre. Although the practice room is a place of contemplative solitude, at Badminton music is highly valued and celebrated by musicians and non-musicians alike. This community spirit manifests itself in regular informal Lunchtime Concerts in the Recital Room which are attended by enthusiastic audiences of pupils and staff from all departments.

Personally, I play violin in a Piano Trio with other Music Scholars as well as leading the school Symphony Orchestra. A wide array of ensembles and choirs rehearse weekly and perform internal and external concerts each term such as our annual performance at the prestigious St George’s Church each February. This year my Piano Trio performed a piece of Mendelssohn and the Symphony Orchestra played an array of repertoire from Grieg to Prokofiev.

Each Music Scholar receives personalised support from our Head of Music, be it extracurricular sessions or Oxbridge application support. If this is something that appeals to you, I would encourage you to apply for a Music Scholarship at Badminton.”

Flora, Lower Sixth

“I applied for a Sports Scholarship in Year 6 because I have loved sports since a young age, and I wanted to have the opportunity to push myself and improve. Having a Sports Scholarship has enabled me to take part in weekly fitness sessions with all of the other sports scholars as well as going to Hartpury College where we took part in incredible fitness tests that assessed our weaknesses and strengths.

Having a sports scholarship in Badminton is amazing because you are unbelievably supported, no matter the sport. The PE Department has encouraged me to take part in a variety of different clubs inside and outside of school, which have challenged me and created a great place to meet new people.

Although I have only been a Sports Scholar for a year, I have thoroughly enjoyed it. One of my favourite moments this year was meeting Jazz Carlin, who is an Olympic swimmer, at the sports dinner. Being a Sports Scholar has motivated me to try my hardest and take part in new clubs and activities.”

Chloe, Year 7

SPORT SCHOLARSHIP

Sport goes from strength to strength at Badminton and our Sport Scholars are central to the promotion of Sport at the School. Whilst our brand new Sports Centre shows our commitment to the promotion of Sport at Badminton, our Scholars act as our sporting ambassadors. Not only do they act as role models to other pupils, but they also display high levels of fitness and achievement in Sport at a competitive level, alongside exemplary conduct during training and competition. Sports Scholars display talent as all-round sportswomen or within a specialist field and can be relied upon to be at the very heart of sporting life at the School.

STEM SCHOLARSHIP

STEM Scholars at Badminton play a key role in a STEM Faculty bursting with opportunities, talent and excitement. STEM at Badminton reaches far beyond the confines of the classroom and the Faculty has close links with outside associations such as the Institute of Physics, links with local industries such as British Aerospace and Rolls Royce and it also has a strong Science Outreach programme in which pupils take Science to a wider audience. STEM Scholars play a key role in this and display evidence of high ability in their STEM subjects. Not only do we expect STEM Scholars to excel academically, but also to be committed to participating and leading on the School’s wider scientific links with organisations and industry. To be a STEM Scholar at Badminton really is to be part of a pioneering STEM programme.

“I applied for this scholarship in Year 8 because I have had an interest in Science since my time in the Junior School. Badminton has lots of extra-curricular opportunities available to explore the sciences, such as the Flying Start Challenge in Year 7, Science Outreach starting from Year 10, as well as many STEM related clubs. I have enjoyed taking part in many of these clubs and activities and look forward to what future Years have to offer.

The School provides very good resources, high-quality facilities and lab spaces enabling us to enjoy practical experiments across all the sciences. I have also benefitted from the Computer Science GCSE that the school offers which has given me many useful skills for the future. Being a scholar has motivated me to take on more extra curriculars and push myself harder in STEM subjects.”

Cara, Year 10

ADDITIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS & AWARDS

All-Rounder Scholarship

Our All-Rounder Scholarship is aimed at those pupils who are able to show that they excel in a wide range of different areas; from Sciences, Creative Arts, Music, Languages, Humanities and Sport. Their achievements can be in School or out of School, but All-Rounders are able to demonstrate success in diverse range of activities. In School, All-Rounders act as role models to other pupils and are notable not only by their accomplishments, but also by their willingness to lead and participate in events which range widely across the life of the School. In many respects, they are Badminton’s ‘ambassadors’ and will always act to support the School in the promotion of excellence in all that we do.

Sixth Form Day Girl Award

We are delighted to offer applicants from Bristol and the surrounding areas who are applying from state secondary schools into Badminton Sixth Form, as a Day Girl, the opportunity of an award. This award will be given to students whose application and entrance assessments indicate that they would benefit from the opportunities at Badminton.

Who to contact

Application forms and details of assessment pathways for all Scholarships and Awards are available from:

The Admissions Team, Badminton School, Westbury Road, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol BS9 3BA

Tel: 0117 905 5271

Email: admissions@badmintonschool.co.uk

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