A S Hornby Educational Trust Cio

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £534,093 (year ending March 2024)
• Success Rate: 10-12% estimated (10 awards from approximately 80-100+ applications)
• Decision Time: 12 weeks
• Grant Range: £500 - £15,000+
• Geographic Focus: Global South (low- and middle-income countries per OECD DAC list)

Contact Details

Website: www.hornby-trust.org.uk

Email: enquiries@hornby-trust.org.uk

Phone: 01708 759759

Address: c/o Moore Kingston Smith LLP, Orbital House, 20 Eastern Road, Romford, RM1 3PJ

Overview

The A S Hornby Educational Trust CIO (Charity 1198267) was established in 2022 as the successor to the original A.S. Hornby Educational Trust founded in 1961 by A.S. Hornby, creator of the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Funded by royalties from the dictionary, the Trust has supported over 500 English language teachers from the Global South since its inception. With annual expenditure exceeding £500,000, the Trust prioritises capacity building for English language teaching in low- and middle-income countries. Since 2018, the Trust has championed “Decentring ELT,” an initiative that promotes locally-driven, contextually-relevant teaching approaches over Western-centric methodologies. In September 2024, the Trust appointed Professor Harry Kuchah Kuchah, himself a former Hornby Scholar, as Chair, reinforcing its commitment to empowering practitioners from the communities it serves.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

1. Hornby Master's TESOL Scholarships

• Amount: £15,000+ (fully funded: tuition, living expenses, travel, visa costs)
• Partner: University of Exeter MEd TESOL Programme
• Number: Up to 10 scholarships annually
• Application: Annual cycle with fixed deadline (typically late February)

2. Teacher Association Project Awards

• Amount: Up to £500 per project
• Purpose: Small-scale projects enhancing English teaching in public education systems
• Application: Annual application cycle, typically open for 2026 projects

3. Roger Bowers Teacher Participation Grants

• Amount: Up to £500
• Purpose: Support participation of teachers from marginalised or under-represented groups in Teacher Association events
• Application: Rolling basis

4. Alumni Project Awards

• Purpose: In-country capacity-building activities, seminars, workshops for Hornby alumni
• Amount: Varies (typically £500-£1,500)
• Application: Google Form submission, 2026 applications now open

5. A.S. Hornby Dictionary Research Awards (ASHDRA)

• Purpose: Research in dictionary studies and language learning
• Application: Specific call for proposals

Priority Areas

• Capacity building for English language teachers in low- and middle-income countries
• Contextually-relevant teaching approaches developed by local practitioners
• “Decentring ELT” initiatives that challenge exclusive claims to Western “global best practice”
• Teacher association development and strengthening existing networks
• Professional development responding to local circumstances and needs
• Inclusive participation of marginalised and under-represented groups in ELT
• Collaborative, locally-driven projects that build status and capacity
• Applications from countries on the OECD DAC list (Least Developed, Low Income, Lower Middle Income, Upper Middle Income)

What They Don't Fund

• Applicants from high-income countries (not on OECD DAC list)
• Teachers with less than 3 years' full-time TESOL experience (for Master's scholarships)
• Projects promoting Western-centric or top-down approaches to ELT
• Undergraduate qualifications
• Large-scale infrastructure projects
• Individuals or organisations outside the English language teaching sector

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Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees:

• Professor Harry Kuchah Kuchah (Chair, appointed September 2024) - Associate Professor of Language, Social Justice and Education at University of Birmingham; former Hornby Scholar; Past President of IATEFL
• John Whitehead (Deputy Chair) - 25+ years with British Council in international education
• Anita Manek (Treasurer) - Senior finance professional specializing in organizational development
• Caroline Moore - Former Chair (2020-2024); 10+ years in ELT, publishing, and digital technologies
• Dr. Bhaskar Chakravarti - Former British Council Global Director of English
• Dr. Martin Wedell - Curriculum change specialist; trustee since 2019
• Dr. Neil Kemp - 20+ years' international education experience in South and Southeast Asia
• Anna Searle - Chief Executive of The Access Project; trustee since 2019
• Professor Graham Hall - Former ELT Journal editor (2013-17); 30+ years in ELT
• Professor Amol Padwad - 40-year ELT career; teacher development specialist; Hornby alumnus

Staff:

• Aida Kowalska (Operations Manager)
• Komila (Alumni Community Coordinator, Hornby Scholar 2016-2017)

The founder, A.S. Hornby (1898-1978), stated that he wanted the Trust's resources to “go back to the countries from which it comes,” establishing the organisation's enduring commitment to supporting the Global South.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Master's Scholarships:

• Key challenges facing ELT teachers in your context (400 words)
• Example of supporting colleagues' professional development (400 words)
• Why you're a suitable candidate (200 words)

Teacher Association & Other Grants:

• Application forms and guidance documents available on Trust website
• Some programmes use Google Forms for submission
• Contact Trust for specific programme requirements

Decision Timeline

Master's Scholarships (2025-26 cycle example):

• Application deadline: 26 February 2025
• Shortlist notification: By 18 April 2025 (7-8 weeks)
• Interviews: 28 April - 14 May 2025
• Final decision: By 22 May 2025 (12 weeks total)

Project Grants:

• Timelines vary by programme
• Annual cycles typically for Teacher Association and Alumni awards

Success Rates

Master's Scholarships:

• 10 awards from estimated 80-100+ applications annually
• Success rate approximately 10-12%
• Highly competitive process with shortlisting and interview stages
• Places only awarded if suitable candidates found
• Trust reserves right not to award if standards not met

Teacher Association Project Awards:

• 14 Teacher Associations funded in recent year
• 15 projects supported across 12 countries in 2020/21

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication restrictions found in public materials. However, for unsuccessful applicants, contact the Trust directly for feedback and guidance on reapplying.

Application Success Factors

What the Trust Values:

1. Locally-driven, contextually-relevant approaches - The Trust prioritises projects and applicants who understand their local context and develop solutions appropriate to their environment, not imported Western models

1. Evidence of impact potential - Demonstrate how your learning or project will enhance English teaching in your home country and benefit the wider ELT community

1. Collaborative and empowering partnerships - Show commitment to working with and developing other teachers; the Trust values “empowering partners to deliver teaching and learning approaches relevant to their own environments”

1. Addressing real challenges - Clearly articulate practical daily challenges facing teachers in your context and how the funding will help address these

1. Professional experience and engagement - Minimum 3 years' teaching experience required for scholarships; evidence of supporting colleagues' development strengthens applications

1. Academic excellence - Strong undergraduate performance (UK upper 2nd class honours equivalent or higher) essential for Master's scholarships

1. Alignment with “Decentring ELT” - Understanding that English language education should reflect diverse global perspectives, not exclusively Western expertise

Recent Funded Projects:

• Projects in D.R. Congo, Guinea-Bissau, India, Rwanda, Argentina, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Cuba, Ghana, Guinea, Honduras, Iraq, Kenya, Mali, Uganda, and Uzbekistan
• 2023-24 Master's cohort achieved 6 Distinctions and 2 Merits

Language and Approach:

• Use terms like “capacity building,” “contextually-relevant,” “locally-driven,” “collaborative,” “empowerment”
• Emphasise impact on public education systems in low-income contexts
• Demonstrate understanding of local challenges and solutions
• Show commitment to giving back to your community

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Geographic eligibility is strict - You must be from and work in an OECD DAC-listed low- or middle-income country; verify your country's status before applying

• Lead with local context and relevance - The Trust explicitly rejects “one-size-fits-all” Western approaches; demonstrate deep understanding of your local teaching environment and how your proposal responds to it

• Emphasise community impact, not individual advancement - Show how funding will benefit wider ELT communities in your country, not just personal career development; evidence of supporting other teachers strengthens applications

• Application timing matters for Master's scholarships - Two-stage process requires applying to University of Exeter first to get student number, then Hornby application; factor in extra time

• Quality over quantity in written submissions - 1,000-word covering letter must concisely address specific questions; demonstrate writing clarity and strategic thinking

• The Trust values lived experience from the Global South - With a former Hornby Scholar now as Chair and several alumni as trustees, the organisation prioritises perspectives from those with direct experience in low-income ELT contexts

• Teacher Association grants are accessible entry points - If Master's scholarship seems too competitive, Teacher Association project awards (£500) and Roger Bowers grants provide opportunities to build relationship with Trust and demonstrate impact

References

• A S Hornby Educational Trust CIO official website (www.hornby-trust.org.uk) -
• UK Charity Commission Register - Charity 1198267 (https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/5181703) -
• Financial accounts year ending 31 March 2024 - UK Charity Commission
• “About Us” page, Hornby Trust website - trustee biographies and organisational history
• “Decentring ELT” initiative page, Hornby Trust website - strategic priorities
• “MEd TESOL Scholarships” application information, Hornby Trust website
• “Teacher Association Project Awards” programme details, Hornby Trust website
• British Council partnership materials for Hornby Scholarships (various country offices)
• University of Exeter Hornby Scholarship information (www.exeter.ac.uk)