My Burford - Nikki Barrie Assistant Director of Sport

Nikki, our Assistant Director of Sport, reflects on her journey at Burford, highlighting her passion for developing lifelong participation in sport, expanding opportunities for girls' sport, and creating memorable experiences for students both on and off the field.

I joined Burford School in September 2019 after spending three years at my previous school, where I began my teaching career as an NQT. I was looking to take on more responsibility within a PE department, and my Head of Department encouraged me to apply. As it happened, we both moved to Burford at the same time, taking on the roles of Director of Sport and Assistant Director of Sport.

What I like most about Burford is its long-standing commitment to traditional team sports and the distinction between Games and PE. During my time here, the PE curriculum has evolved significantly, with a greater emphasis on athletic development. Our aim is to help students build strength, move well and develop the confidence to participate in sport and physical activity throughout their lives.

One of my key responsibilities as Assistant Director of Sport is leading the Burford Primary Partnership events for our feeder primary schools. I work with our Year 10 and Year 12 Sports Leaders, supporting them to plan, deliver and evaluate 17 primary sports festivals across the academic year. I also oversee the girls' PE curriculum and extracurricular sport. In recent years we have made significant developments, particularly in football and cricket, expanding opportunities and increasing participation across all year groups.

Our priority is to provide students with as many opportunities as possible to enjoy physical activity. Through a focus on Movement Fundamentals in Key Stage 3, students develop strength, movement skills and confidence that support lifelong participation in sport. Alongside traditional team games such as rugby, hockey, football, netball and cricket, students also experience athletics, badminton and gymnastics. We encourage all students to participate in extracurricular clubs and represent the school in competitive fixtures.

Without doubt, my favourite aspect of working at Burford is the support we show one another within the PE department. There is a genuine sense of camaraderie, and no two days are ever the same. We all recognise the value of extracurricular sport and often reflect on our own favourite school memories, many of which involve travelling to fixtures with friends. That shared experience motivates us to dedicate so much time to after-school clubs, fixtures and tours, ensuring today's students have the same opportunities to create lasting memories.

One thing I particularly enjoy about Burford is its traditions and unique character. Events such as Charter Day are a wonderful part of school life, but I've also loved hearing stories about horse shows on the school field and Mr Fuddles, the Shetland pony, visiting the school at Christmas wearing reindeer antlers. Few schools have such a rich history, and learning more about it has been one of the highlights of my time here.

One of my most memorable experiences was leading the Junior Sports Tour to Italy in October 2025. Watching 70 students compete against Italian opposition in hockey and rugby, with many travelling abroad for the first time, was incredibly rewarding.

Our sporting calendar is always busy, with fixtures taking place most weeks across a range of year groups. Alongside these, I have been fortunate enough to accompany the annual Ski Trip each year (thank you, Mrs Speakman!). It is always fantastic to see students thrive on international trips that staff have worked so hard to organise, whether on the Junior or Senior Sports Tours or the Ski Trip. Another highlight of the year is Sports Day, when students compete for their houses in track and field events. It also brings out plenty of friendly competition within the PE department, with three of the four House Stewards being PE staff!

This year we have continued to develop girls' football and cricket. Alongside district league fixtures, every girls' football team entered the County Cup, while the U13 and U15 teams also competed in the National Cup. Highlights included the U14 team finishing runners-up in the County Cup, the U15 team reaching the National Cup quarter-finals and the U13 team progressing to Round 5. All age groups also qualified for the 5-a-side County Finals, with the U14 and U15 teams finishing as runners-up.

We have also made exciting progress in girls' cricket. On 22 June, Burford School hosted its first-ever girls' hardball cricket match on the school pitch as part of the Knight Stokes County Cup. Our U14 and U15 teams now play regular hardball fixtures, reflecting the confidence and skills they have developed, while the U12 and U13 teams continue to play softball cricket with the aim of progressing to hardball in the future.

If I had to choose three words to describe Burford School, many people might expect me to say our values: Respect, Participate and Reach. However, thinking particularly about my colleagues in the PE department, I would choose forward-thinking, supportive and humorous.