Barclays Girls' Football School Partnership
King Edward Aston are now an official Barclays Girls Football School Partnership.
We will be sharing football opportunities for Key Stage 3+4 girls across the year during curriculum time and after school. There are also opportunities for teacher development through the England Football CPD teacher training programmes.
Lioness Send Off Event 2026
Girls and staff from Holte and Holyhead school had the privilege of attending the Lionesses' Euro's Send Off event in June 2026. They met HRH Prince William, England Manager Sarina Weigman and the Lionesses before they headed to Switzerland. This was an mazing experience and incredibly inspiring for all the girls that attended.
A huge thanks to all the schools who contributed to the girls' football programme in 2024-25. The partnership was awarded the Outstanding Strategic Use of Programmes, Competitions or Events to Engage Young People Award at the Youth Sport Trust / Barclay's Football Awards night. This is great recognition for all the schools and their work to ensure that girls have equal access to football in the curriculum and extra-curricular activities.
To see what we have been up to, click on the picture below:
Current Opportunities for Students:
Barclays Game On – GO Lead Day - 4th February 2026 @ Alexander Stadium, 9.30 - 2pm
Aston Villa Coaching Masterclass - 14th April 2026 @ Aston Villa Dome, Brookvale, 9.30 - 11.30am
This programme empowers girls with the tools and training to become girls’ football activators to design, create and deliver football activities to their peers to engage new and different girls.
We know that girls often lack the confidence to take on leadership roles, particularly in football. We also know that girls enjoy taking part in sessions designed for them, by them. Barclays Game On - GO Lead will provide schools with three key outcomes:
- Empower girls to design, create and deliver football activities to their peers to engage new and different girls.
- Support girls to become activators, to understand what leadership is, and to articulate and apply the skills they have developed.
Refereeing Training 11th, 12th and 13th May 2026 @ KESSP, 9.30 - 12.30pm
Our referee training is part of the Game on Go Lead programme and is aimed at girls aged 11-14, introducing them to the core skills of officiating and helps grow their confidence more broadly within a leadership role. Girls will be provided with a basic knowledge of the laws of the game, develop communication skills and confidence to allow girls to support the delivery of festivals and competitions on completion of the programme.
Dates for the Diary:
Biggest Ever Football Session 2026 - 3rd March 2026 at King Edward Aston from 10 - 2pm.
The Biggest EVER Football Session 2026 is back, and this is your official invite to get involved!
Register now to be a part of it – there are prizes to be won if you are one of the first 100 schools to sign-up, so be quick!
KESSP will be offering girls in the Aston area the chance to attend our football festival on this day! Please let us know if your school would like to take part.
FA Discover My Talent Day - 20th May 2026 at King Edward Aston from 9.30 - 12pm
Come and attend our FA Discover My Talent Day with FA scouts - they are looking for girls with talent in year 7+8 to joining their talent pathway. This is a great opportunity for aspiring Lionesses!
Staff Opportunities
Barclays Game on – GO TEACH
Barclays Game On part of England Football was developed by the Youth Sport Trust (YST) in partnership with England Football.
Barclays Game On is designed to support secondary schools to engage girls in curriculum physical education through a life skills approach, using football as the vehicle.
The life skills approach supports teachers to increase girls’ self-esteem, confidence and engagement in PE through an approach that enables all young people to flourish in PE, school and life.
Through the training and resources teachers will build knowledge and confidence delivering different football related activities to engage girls. Click HERE to access Go Teach Training.
Barclays Game On – GO PLAY
New for 22/23, a brand-new resource to support schools to set up an extracurricular football offer for girls in KS3. All the activities, games and practises in the pack have been designed specifically to engage girls aged 12-14 . Sessions focus on fun, team-building, and growing girls confidence with a football and offer simple and clear content for teachers to pick up and deliver.
Click HERE to access Go Play resources.
