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Birts Scholarships from the Montessori St. Nicholas Charity.
Each year the trustees of the charity together with the Chief Executive consider applications for scholarship awards towards the costs of training as a Montessori teacher. Between 5 and 12 Birts Scholarship Awards are made annually and can range from £1,000 to £5,000. Occasionally the board will consider making small awards for other applications such as help with equipment needs where funds allow.
The charity acts to support and extend the Montessori method of education and provides financial support to those teachers and students engaged in training as Montessori staff. The current chairperson of the Awards Committee is Mrs Gillian Nester-Smith.
The Birts Scholarships
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The Birts Scholarships are awarded annually in memory of Mrs Bridget Birts who was a student and later lecturer in English Language and Literature at the University of London. Mrs Birts carried out research into early Tudor comedy but gave up this work to become a nurse. After training at the Nightingale School at St. Thomas' Hospital she studied midwifery at Edinburgh leaving nursing when she married.
With two daughters, Mrs Birts decided to study the Montessori Method at the St. Nicholas College and was asked very quickly to contribute to evening classes and later went on to work in local primary, secondary and grammar schools. Eventually Mrs Birts concentrated on her work at St. Nicholas becoming a full time lecturer by 1978.
Mrs Birts found time to learn 7 languages and played the piano, harmonium and organ as well as singing in her college choir. Mrs Birts' husband Kenneth became member of the Board of Trustees of the Montessori St. Nicholas centre in 1983.
In 1981 Kenneth Birts passed away and Mrs Birts set up a bursary fund to provide for the training fees of a UK graduate from any discipline, who wanted to become a Montessori teacher. In 2000 the trustees joined forces with the bursary fund to create the Birts Scholarships. These were enlarged from one per annum to the current 5-10 awards each year. The awards are now open to non-graduates too. |
Past award winners of the Birts Scholarship are:
| 2001 |
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Celia Lowe |
BA (Hons) |
| 2002 |
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Helen Torr
Esther Shea |
B.Ed (Hons)
BSc (Hons) |
| 2003 |
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Jessica Ayers |
B.Ed (Hons) |
| 2004 |
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No award made |
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| 2005 |
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Sarah Emerson |
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| 2006 |
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Carolanne McAndrew |
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Rochelle George |
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Emma Sadler |
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Sukaina Dharmsi |
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Jacqueline Mullally |
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Richelle Olley |
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Jo Fuller |
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Deborah Brocklebank-Crowther |
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Sofie Day |
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Jenny Bergkvist |
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Alice Higgins |
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| 2007 |
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Sneha Raithatha |
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Alexis king |
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Aaliyah Hussain |
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Clare Dundon |
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Becka Callaghan |
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Liberty Allen |
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Award Meetings for 2007 — 2008
| Meeting Date |
Deadline for receipt of applications |
| 2008 |
| 19th of November |
5th of November |
Grants Session One. |
| 4th of June |
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Review Only. |
Awards criteriaThese are:
- Awards are available for applicants taking the MCI Certificate or Diploma Courses ONLY. Awards are not available for other courses.
- Applicants must be existing members of the Montessori Schools Association (membership is free and can be obtained via the MSA website) — membership numbers need to be quoted on the Grants Application Form.
- Awards range between £1,000 and £5,000 per individual or project and are only available to UK residents and UK citizens in possession of a full British passport. Courses must be taken at a MSN charity recognised UK teacher training college offering MCI Courses.
- Applicants must demonstrate that they have a strong commitment to Montessori education and show how the award, if received, would be used to the benefit of the Montessori movement.
- Applicants must also be supported by at least one referee who, if possible, is associated with the Montessori method — e.g. Current or past Head of a Montessori school, Montessori trainer or other similar activity. This however is not essential.
- References from employers can be additional to this - * references from staff employed at the training college where the course is to be taken are not admissible.
- Awards are made on merit and with a geographical distribution of funds all across the UK.
- All awards must be taken up within one calendar year of the award date after which the award becomes null and void and the funds can be transferred to another candidate.
- No second applications can be considered
Applications process
Applicants should contact the offices of the Montessori St Nicholas Charity to receive an application form either by:
| Telephone |
0207 493 8300 |
| Fax |
0207 493 9936 |
| E-mail |
centre@montessori.org.uk |
Completed applications together with Montessori reference and current CV should be returned by the deadline dates (see above). If you have any questions at all please contact our offices. Letter of acknowledgement of receipt of applications will not be sent out unless requested and all applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application within 10 days of the meeting date.
Payment procedure
Applicants who are successful in their applications for grants from the charity for training will be informed in writing and enclosed will be a letter to the training provider stating that a grant has been awarded. In all but the most exceptional of circumstances, grants will be paid to the training provider only and retrospectively on a termly basis on receipt of an invoice by the charity. Thus training providers can draw down the awarded fund on a termly basis confirming that the term has been successfully completed.
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