Scholarships

The many benefits of chess are well established. As a sport, a science and art with 1500 years of history, it is not only tremendous fun to play but has been proven to develop problem-solving and risk-assessment skills and concentration among much else.

Our Chess scholars are applying to join a school where chess is a mainstream sporting and social activity. House Chess attracts up to 150 players while the Year 7 chess club alone in 2023 had over 90 members. We also enjoy success at National Level.

Our group and individual coaching is led by International Master Richard Pert (whose children attend the school). Richard Pert and Head of Chess Robin Slade offer coaching and support to our students when they attend individual tournaments like the London Junior Chess Championships as well as team events.

Along with representing Brentwood School in our varied physical and online competitions, our scholars play a key role in promoting chess at events like Open Day and encouraging and coaching their fellow students in their chess.

Led by the scholars, students of all ages share their chess skills and games within our chess clubs and coaching sessions, gaining valuable experience in planning and presenting learning material to a group.

Brentwood School is proud of its record of promoting junior chess within Essex, running events in partnership with the English Chess Federation, Essex Junior Chess Association and She Plays To Win.

All those interested in applying for a Chess Scholarship will be required to complete the Chess Scholarship application form before the deadline.

The ideal candidates will be strong chess players themselves but also can actively promote chess and encourage their fellow students to take part in our various clubs and competitions.

All registered players will be invited to play in the online Chess Scholarship Tournament. From this, a shortlist of 4 to 8 candidates will emerge. Candidates will only be invited to the next stage if they perform very well in the Entrance Examination.

The successful shortlisted candidates will come into Brentwood School for a morning’s chess which will include an in-person tournament. This will decide the final scholarship winners. Group chess work will also be part of the scholarship assessment process.

Any enquiries about Chess scholarships can be made to the Admissions Team.

At Brentwood, we are proud to have a thriving Dance Department offering not only academic study of Dance but also a wide array of co-curricular Dance opportunities for all ages and abilities.

Dance is taught throughout the Senior School and at every level, students have the opportunity to perform in Informal Showcases, Dance Shows and Musicals. Dance Academy classes are also available for all age groups.

During Years 7 and 8, students enjoy an average of one lesson per fortnight, which rises to three a fortnight in Year 9. Students participate in a wide variety of dance activities in solo, paired and group settings. In addition to intensive dance training, this programme provides students with a robust learning environment and cross-disciplinary education, enabling students to develop socially whilst promoting creativity, fitness and wellbeing.

As they move further up the School they will also train in a broad range of contemporary dance practices and gain an insight into dance histories and contexts. Recently, Brentwood students have been accepted by prestigious Dance institutions such as the English National Ballet, Doreen Birds College, Tring Park School for Performing Arts and Performers College.

Each year the Performing Arts Department stages a Lower School Performing Arts Showcase and the Dance Department choreographs productions at Sixth Form, Middle School and Junior School levels, affording every child a chance to participate as they proceed through the School. Recent productions have, as always, been very varied and have included Les Miserables, Chicago, FAME, Sister Act, West Side Story and Peter Pan.

At Brentwood, we are extremely fortunate to have three dance spaces ideally suited to a range of productions, including three fully-equipped dance studios, extensive classroom rehearsal space, IT facilities, and a proscenium arch stage in the Memorial Hall and the Wessex Auditorium.

All those interested in applying for a Dance Scholarship will be required to complete the Dance Scholarship application form before the deadline.

Once you have filled in the Dance Scholarship application form, please also upload a supporting video to your Admissions profile. You can do this in the ‘files’ section. Your submission should include evidence of an individual solo performance. Please ensure you label the video “Dance – Student First Name – Student Last Name”.

Following receipt of the application form and video submission, applicants will be shortlisted to come in for an assessment day, which will include a dance class and a solo performance of their choice.

Any enquiries should be made to the Director of Pupil Wellbeing and Head of Dance, Mrs Michelle Carabache, who will be pleased to speak to parents to answer questions about our Dance facilities.

All those interested in applying for a Dance Scholarship will be required to complete the Dance Scholarship application form before the deadline. Membership in a significant Dance programme is required eg ENB, RAD, Summer programmes at Laban, Performers, Birds, Masters, etc.

Once you have filled in the Dance Scholarship application form, please also upload a supporting video to your Admissions profile. You can do this in the ‘files’ section. Your submission should include evidence of solo and group performances. Please ensure you label the video “Dance – Student First Name – Student Last Name”.

Following receipt of the application form and video submission, applicants will be shortlisted to come in for an assessment day, which will include an interview and a live solo performance.

Any enquiries should be made to the Director of Pupil Wellbeing and Head of Dance, Mrs Michelle Carabache, who will be pleased to speak to parents to answer questions about our Dance facilities.

Drama is taught throughout the Senior School and at every level, students have the opportunity to be a part of at least two shows we stage a year which includes plays, showcases and musicals. LAMDA classes are also available for all age groups and are taught throughout the School week.

During Years 7 and 8, students enjoy a lesson a week, which rises to three a fortnight in Year 9. Students participate in a wide variety of activities in solo, paired and group settings. They are encouraged to grow in confidence, work effectively as part of a group and acquire a range of fundamental theatrical skills. We visit the theatre four to five times a term, with all age groups.

Many of our Year 9 students elect to continue this subject at GCSE Level with record numbers taking this route and our results are consistently impressive. Those who opt for this popular course will devise their own drama performance, develop a portfolio about it, perform a section from a scripted play and sit a written exam on a text they have studied as well as a piece of live theatre they have seen.

Our Sixth Form A Level and IB Diploma students also gain outstanding results and often choose to continue studying the subject (singly or in combination with another subject such as English) at university level. Recently, a number of our students have been accepted by prestigious Drama schools such as Central School of Speech and Drama and LAMDA as well as Cambridge University to read History and we have a number of Oxbridge candidates currently heavily involved with the subject.

Each year the Drama Department stages five major productions at Sixth Form, Middle School and Junior School levels, affording every child a chance to participate as they proceed through the School. Recent productions have, as always, been very varied and have included Guys and Dolls, Sister Act, Les Miserables, Jungle Book and The Wolves of Willoughby Chase. Our Year 10 also perform as part of the Coram Shakespeare Schools Festival.

We feel that we are the leading Arts School in the region and this is evidenced by not only the quality of our output but by the quantity of students who contribute to our extensive programme.

All those interested in applying for a Drama Scholarship will be required to complete the Drama Scholarship application form on our Admissions portal before the deadline.

Once you have filled in the Drama Scholarship application form, please also upload a supporting video of ONE of the monologues listed to your Admissions profile. You can do this in the ‘files’ section. Costumes and props are not compulsory but may help with characterisation. We are looking for children with an outstanding aptitude for solo performance and, later, collaborative creativity. Vocal and physical skills will be nuanced and advanced.

Please ensure you label the video “Drama – Student First Name – Student Last Name”.

Following receipt of the application form and video submission, successful applicants will be shortlisted to come in for a second-round audition in person.

Any enquiries should be made to the Head of Drama, Mrs Sophie Hermosa, who will be pleased to speak to parents to answer questions about our Drama facilities.

All those interested in applying for a Drama Scholarship will be required to complete the Drama Scholarship application form before the deadline.

Once you have filled in the Drama Scholarship application form, please also upload a supporting video of 60-90 seconds to your Admissions profile. You can do this in the ‘files’ section. The video audition must be a performance from a published, professional play and delivered with the whole body in the frame. Costumes and props are not compulsory but may help with characterisation. We are looking for children with an outstanding aptitude for solo performance and, later, collaborative creativity. Vocal and physical skills will be nuanced and advanced.

Please ensure you label the video “Drama – Student First Name – Student Last Name”.

Following receipt of the application form and video submission, successful applicants will be shortlisted to come in for a second-round audition.

A successful scholar should be an experienced performer who has a wealth of performing in multiple settings. Although being at such a standard is advised, it is not the defining aspect of the application process. Rather, we are looking for young performers with potential, a love for theatre, and therefore, the capacity to contribute to and further the successes of our already thriving department.

Drama scholar students will be expected to prioritise Drama above other co-curricular commitments. Being a Drama scholar is a truly wonderful educational experience and requires dedication, passion and hard work.

Any enquiries should be made to the Head of Drama, Mrs Sophie Hermosa, who will be pleased to speak to parents to answer questions about our Drama facilities.

Brentwood School is proud to be recognised as one of the leading music specialist schools in the independent sector, with a reputation for musical excellence, inclusivity and enjoyment. At the very heart of the Music Department is the ethos that music is for every child and the feeling that we are a family who work hard, help each other and revel in achieving the impossible.

The Music Department holds an annual performance schedule of over 60 concerts, recitals, chapel services, musicals and international tours and we are very proud of the diversity and breadth of opportunity awarded to our musicians. Each week there are over 40 rehearsals for our choirs, orchestras, bands and chamber ensembles, all catered to different musical abilities and all with opportunities to perform in regular concerts.

We also specialise in student-led music-making and many ensembles and choirs are led, rehearsed and conducted by students within the School, which provides the perfect opportunity for demonstrating leadership, resilience and musical development.

Every year we are pleased to see musicians leaving Brentwood School to attend the top universities and conservatoires in the world to read music and follow in the footsteps of many of our past students, who are already successful professional musicians.

Brentwood School is truly dedicated to providing a first-class musical education as can be seen in three major developments.

Firstly, we became an official Steinway School, taking delivery of 11 new Steinway pianos and beginning a formal partnership with the makers of the finest pianos in the world. These pianos allow our students to perform on the very best instruments, as well as a range of other opportunities for masterclasses and performance.

Secondly, we launched a fully-funded endangered instrument scheme, to allow more students the opportunity to trial and experiment with new and exciting instruments.

Finally, we have become a partnership school with the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, one of the finest musical institutions in the world, which will be supporting our work and giving our musicians another pathway to success.

All those interested in applying for a Music Scholarship will be required to complete the application form by the closing date. On this form, we will expect to see evidence of attainment of around a Grade 4 standard (for 11+) and Grade 8 standard (for 16+)  in the main instrument offered, with attached references from instrumental teachers. A performance on a second instrument or voice is not essential but will be gratefully received, if applicable. We will also be interested to read about other instruments played (or singing/theory exams taken).

To avoid disappointment, candidates who do not meet these criteria are advised not to apply.

All those interested in applying for a Music Scholarship will be required to complete the Music Scholarship application form on our Admissions portal before the deadline.

Once you have filled in the Music Scholarship application form, please also upload a supporting video to your Admissions profile. You can do this in the ‘files’ section. Your submission should show the applicant performing. The video should demonstrate the applicant’s performing ability on their chosen instrument/voice and should include the student in full shot. The quality of the audio or video recording will not be taken into account.

Please ensure you label the video “Music- Student First Name – Student Last Name”.

Following receipt of the application form and video submission, applicants will be shortlisted to come in for a formal interview with the music department staff, where they will be asked to perform, complete basic aural tests, and talk about musical interests and experiences.

Any enquiries should be made to the Director of Music, Mr Florian Cooper, who will be pleased to speak to parents to answer questions about our Music facilities.

All those interested in applying for a Music Scholarship will be required to complete the Music Scholarship application form on our Admissions portal before the deadline.

Once you have filled in the Music Scholarship application form, please also upload a supporting video to your Admissions profile. You can do this in the ‘files’ section. Your submission should show the applicant performing. The video should demonstrate the applicant’s performing ability on their chosen instrument/voice and should include the student in full shot. The quality of the audio or video recording will not be taken into account.

Please ensure you label the video “Music- Student First Name – Student Last Name”.

Following receipt of the application form and video submission, applicants will be shortlisted to come in for a formal interview with the music department staff, where they will be asked to perform, complete basic aural tests and talk about musical interests and experiences.

Any enquiries should be made to the Director of Music, Mr Florian Cooper, who will be pleased to speak to parents to answer questions about our Music facilities.