Warwick Schools Foundation and St Mary’s are aligned in our belief in the power of singing and choral music for young people, both within our schools and the wider community. Through the launch of the King Henry VIII Choral Programme, our aim is to enable as many talented children as possible to benefit from the unique opportunities that choral participation affords them, alongside the outstanding education that we provide in the schools of the Foundation.

King Henry VIII Choral Awards

To be eligible for the Award, students must meet the criteria below:

• Be either a current pupil at a Foundation School or be offered and accept a place at one from Year 3 upwards
• Be a current member of St. Mary’s Choir or successfully audition and accept a place in the Choir
• Fulfil all commitments required by St Mary’s Choir

King Henry Choral Scholars will play an active and important role in the musical life of their School and the wider Foundation.

 

King Henry Choral Scholars benefits and commitments 

• All King Henry Choral Scholars will automatically become members of the King Henry VIII Consort of Warwick Schools Foundation, directed by Foundation Executive Music Lead, Mr Stuart Thompson 
• Pupils in Years 3 and 4 will usually be Probationers in the Consort, joining one rehearsal a week, and will be invited to become full choristers at the discretion of the Director of Music at St Mary’s who directs the probationers. 
• Pupils in Year 5 upwards will usually be full Choristers and expected to join two rehearsals a week, one before school and one during lunchtime. 
• Members of the Consort will also be required to participate in a range of additional events across the course of the academic year, which will include services at Warwick School Chapel, at local churches and cathedrals, and a programme of concerts at external venues across the country. 
• Award holders will also benefit from a unique partnership with Armonico Concert, where each year the King Henry VIII Consort will perform alongside professional singers, soloists and instrumentalists at one of Armonico's concerts. 

The Award gives a reduction on the pupil’s school fees – usually 20% - for as long as they remain an active part of the choir.*  

 

All awards are contingent on remaining part of St Mary’s Choir. Anyone who leaves the Choir will rescind their right to the award and scholarship.

The application process

Whilst the awards for pupils not currently singing with St Mary’s formally begin from September 2026, there are limited places available for boys’ voices (treble and broken voices) for pupils currently at Warwick Junior School and Warwick School from September 2025, or who are joining or seek to join the schools in September 2025. Please register your interest and we will be in touch to arrange a vocal assessment.

Other pupils currently educated within any of the Foundation schools can express an interest for September 2026 entry to the scheme and a vocal assessment.

Applications from pupils educated outside of the Foundation should be directed to the school they are applying to noting the deadline listed on the School’s website. Candidates will sit the entrance examination or assessment as normal and will be invited for a vocal assessment. Successful candidates will be notified as part of the School’s offer process.

Vocal Assessment

Applicants will subsequently be invited into School for a vocal assessment. They should prepare a song they know well and can sing confidently. This could be a hymn, Christmas carol, nursery rhyme or anything similar. It is generally better to avoid anything more ‘popular’ or musical theatre in style.

They will be taken through some vocal exercises which will include:

• Singing back individual notes
• Repeating a short melody
• Picking out single notes from 2 or 3 note chords
• Reading some previously unseen English text.

The King Henry VIII Choral Programme is a new, exciting initiative that reflects our belief in the transformative power of choral singing. It offers young people exceptional opportunities to develop their musical talents, building their confidence and fostering a lifelong love of music as part of an outstanding, well-rounded education within the Warwick Schools Foundation. 

*For girls, this is funded entirely through Warwick Schools Foundation; for boys, its is part-funded via The Warwick Choral Trust.

Boys who pause their membership of St Mary’s Choir on the advice of the Director of Music of St Mary’s due to their voice changing, will be entitled to 50% of the Choral Scholarship. As long as they remain committed to the choir and the musical programme at the Foundation, they will continue to be eligible for the 10% additional fee reduction.

Register for a vocal assessment here.