Arsenal Soccer Schools Summer 2019: Our Biggest Summer Yet
The pitches are quiet again. The last students have headed home, suitcases full of muddy boots and signed Arsenal Soccer Schools shirts, and our coaching staff are already talking about what went right, what they learned, and what they want to do even better next year. Summer 2019 was, by every measure we have, our biggest and best summer yet.
Across Clayesmore, Worth, Oundle, and Seaford, we welcomed students from more than 60 countries for an Arsenal residential camp experience that combined professional football coaching, English language development, and the kind of international community that you simply cannot replicate anywhere else.
Growing demand, growing quality
Demand for places this summer was stronger than we have ever seen. More families booked earlier in the year, more students returned for their second or third summer, and we saw a noticeable increase in enquiries from countries that have not traditionally sent large numbers of students. The word is spreading, and the reason is straightforward: families talk to each other, and when a child goes home having improved their football, grown in confidence, and made friends from around the world, their parents tell other parents.
That growth brings responsibility. We do not expand just for the sake of it. Our coaching ratio stays at one coach for every ten students, every coach holds a minimum UEFA B qualification, and every session follows Arsenal's coaching methodology. The quality of the experience matters far more than the number of students on the pitch.
On the pitch: what the coaching actually looks like
The coaching philosophy behind the programme is rooted in how Arsenal play. That means building from the back, keeping possession with purpose, and moving the ball quickly through the thirds. This summer, our coaching team placed a particular emphasis on decision-making under pressure, helping students understand not just what to do with the ball, but when to do it and why.
It was brilliant to see the improvement across all age groups. Students who arrived on day one struggling to play out from the back were, by the end of their second week, doing it instinctively. Younger players developed their first touch and close control. Older students worked on tactical awareness, positional discipline, and leadership within small-sided games.
The three hours of daily coaching, combined with match play and technical challenges, gave every student the kind of structured development that most young footballers only get at professional academies. That is what makes an Arsenal football camp in the UK different from a standard holiday programme. The residential programme has been running for over 20 years now, and Arsenal themselves describe it as giving children the opportunity to "live, learn and experience football coaching the Arsenal way".
English progress that parents notice
The other half of the programme, three hours of English language tuition each day, continued to deliver results that genuinely impressed us. The classes are British Council accredited and taught in small groups, but the real progress happens outside the classroom. When students from Brazil, South Korea, France, and Turkey are sharing a dormitory, eating together, and playing football together, they have no choice but to communicate in English. That immersion accelerates learning in a way that a textbook simply cannot.
Parents consistently tell us that the difference in their child's English confidence is obvious from the moment they pick them up at the airport. A child who arrived nervous about ordering food in English is suddenly chatting away about their favourite coaching session and the friends they made from countries they had barely heard of a fortnight earlier.
Highlights from the venues
Worth School went from strength to strength in its second year, with many families specifically requesting it after hearing positive reports from 2018. The West Sussex campus is a beautiful place to spend the summer, and the facilities continue to impress.
Oundle's proximity to Cambridge made it a popular choice for families who wanted their children to experience a classic English market town alongside their football and English programme. Seaford, right on the coast, offered its usual mix of excellent coaching and seaside weekends. And Clayesmore in Dorset remained a favourite for families who value a smaller, close-knit community feel.
The Emirates Stadium visits for students staying two weeks or more were, as always, a highlight. There is nothing quite like watching a young football fan walk down the players' tunnel and imagine themselves running out in front of 60,000 supporters. Those moments stay with children for years.
The part parents talk about most
If there is one thing that defines the Arsenal Soccer Schools summer experience more than anything else, it is the friendships. Every year, we see students arrive knowing nobody and leave with a WhatsApp group full of friends from across the globe. They swap shirts, exchange social media handles, and make plans to come back together the following summer.
This year, one group of students from six different countries organised a mini tournament on the last evening of their two-week stay, complete with team names, kits made from coloured bibs, and a trophy fashioned from a water bottle and some tape. It was chaotic, hilarious, and exactly the kind of thing that makes this programme special. Football is the common language, and when boys and girls aged 9 to 17 from different cultures come together around something they all love, the results are genuinely wonderful.
The 2019-20 season and beyond
As the 2019-20 season gets underway, there is plenty to be optimistic about at Arsenal. The squad has quality, the ambition is clear, and the development pathway from academy to first team has never been stronger. For young players dreaming of following in the footsteps of their Arsenal heroes, the summer programme offers a taste of what that journey looks like.
We are already planning for summer 2020, and we cannot wait to welcome families back to our four venues across England. Whether your child is a first-timer or a returning student, there is always something new to learn, new friends to make, and new memories to create.
Dates and booking information for 2020 will be available soon on our website. In the meantime, if you have any questions about the programme, the fees, or what to expect from a residential Arsenal football camp in England, our team is happy to help.
Thank you to every student, family, coach, and member of staff who made summer 2019 our best yet. Here is to an even better 2020.
