St. Edmund’s Welcomes New Director of Sport, Peter Beard
We are delighted to welcome Peter Beard as the new Director of Sport at St. Edmund’s. Peter joined the school in September at the start of this academic year and now leads sport across the whole school.
We caught up with Peter to find out more about his background, experience, and his vision for sport at St Edmund’s moving forward.
“The position of Director of Sport at St Edmund’s immediately appealed to me because I see tremendous potential in the school’s sporting programme,” says Peter. “Sport has had a profoundly positive influence on my own life, shaping who I am and the values I hold. My passion lies in helping young people develop a lifelong, positive relationship with sport and physical activity. Seeing their progress—both as athletes and as individuals—is incredibly rewarding and continues to inspire everything I do.”
Before becoming a teacher, Peter spent eleven years working in higher education sport and the wider sports development sector, gaining extensive experience in promoting sport for all. With over 25 years of hockey coaching experience, his career has been dedicated to helping young athletes thrive both on and off the pitch.
“My passion lies in helping young athletes grow—both as players and as people,” Peter explains.
Peter has coached across every level of the hockey talent pathway, from grassroots to national representation. He currently coaches for England Hockey’s Diploma in Sporting Excellence (DiSE) programme and last year coached an England team to the School Games final at Loughborough University, narrowly missing out to Ireland in a dramatic shootout.
Previously, Peter spent six years as Director of Coaching at Havant Hockey Club, one of the largest clubs in the country. There, he expanded the coaching team from 8 to 30 and guided the Boys’ U18s to a national final. He now serves as Technical Director and Girls’ Head Coach at the South Coast Talent Academy, which supports the development of players aiming for England Age Group trials and beyond. Through his work, Peter has helped numerous young athletes progress into National League teams and England squads.
Before joining St Edmund’s, Peter was Head of Sport at The Royal School, and prior to that, Head of Hockey and Head of Swimming at Churcher’s College.
Peter brings with him a wealth of experience, enthusiasm, and a clear commitment to nurturing the next generation of athletes. We are excited to see how his leadership will further strengthen the sporting culture at St Edmund’s.
Peter is already making significant strides in developing the Sport programme at St. Edmund’s. Sport is a central part of school life, inspiring all pupils and playing an integral role in their daily experience. Every pupil participates in sport at least three times a week, in addition to matches, from Form 3 to Form 11.
We encourage pupils to explore a variety of sports until they find the ones that suit them best. They can participate for the sheer joy of playing or to compete at higher levels. As a through school for ages 2–16, we follow a cohesive, long-term sports development model that supports pupils at every stage of their journey.
