Nicky Bouckley
Director of Music
Originally from the West Midlands, Nicky enjoyed a busy and successful life as a young musician, playing in renowned ensembles such as the Midland Youth Orchestra.
In her three years at Durham University reading music, she directed her college choir of St Hild and St Bede, was a founder member of James Lancelot’s Cathedral Consort and performed as a soloist with the University Symphony Orchestra in Vaughan Williams Oboe Concerto. She then undertook a PGCE course allied to Durham School and subsequently entered the teaching profession.
Her early teaching career was spent at Solihull School, working both as an instrumental and academic classroom teacher. She also coached the choristers of Birmingham Cathedral and began working as an examiner for AQA. Over the years she examined and moderated in several different areas, but most enjoyably spent 10 years marking A Level Performance. She subsequently worked in various more senior areas for AQA including specification development, paper writing and latterly as Principal Examiner for AS Music.
In 2010 Nicky moved to the Loughborough Schools Foundation where she took up the role of Deputy Director of Music. In 2016 she added Head of Academic Music to her profile and in 2020 was appointed Foundation Director of Music. This all-encompassing role oversees four schools, with a pupil age-range from nursery to A-level and musicians from EYFS to those successfully applying for places at conservatoire and top universities.
As a regular performer, she is a key member of the award-winning Leicestershire Chorale, who have recently worked with the English Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble and next year will perform with Fretwork.
She lives in Leicester with her partner Tom and stepson George, and very much enjoys time spent in their holiday home on the Northumberland Coast.