Inside Arsenal Soccer Schools Summer 2017: Goals, Growth, and Global Friendships

You could feel it from the very first morning. Students walked onto the pitch wearing grins so wide you would have thought they had just won the FA Cup themselves. As it happens, Arsenal had done exactly that a few weeks earlier, and every young Gunner who came through the gates this summer carried that energy with them. Arsenal had just lifted the FA Cup at Wembley, beating Chelsea 2-1 with goals from Alexis Sanchez and Aaron Ramsey, and that trophy was still fresh in every mind. It set the tone for a brilliant summer across all four of our Arsenal Soccer Schools venues.

Across the programme, we welcomed students from more than 60 countries. Europe, the Middle East, East Asia, South America, Africa, North America. The mix changes slightly every summer, but the energy is always the same: young footballers from completely different backgrounds finding common ground on the pitch and in the classroom.

Where it all happened

This summer, Arsenal Soccer Schools ran at four outstanding English boarding schools: Charterhouse School in Surrey, Clayesmore School in Dorset, Seaford College on the Sussex coast, and Oundle School near Cambridge. Each campus brings something slightly different, whether that is the rolling grounds at Charterhouse, the coastal setting at Seaford, or the historic architecture at Oundle. What stays consistent is the quality of the coaching, the structure of the programme, and the sense of community that builds from the very first day.

The programme welcomed boys and girls aged 9 to 17, with the exception of Charterhouse, which ran as a boys-only venue for ages 10 to 15. Across all four schools, the atmosphere was brilliant. Students settled in quickly, formed friendships across borders, and threw themselves into everything on offer.

Coaching the Arsenal way

Every student received three hours of football coaching per day, delivered by official Arsenal Soccer Schools coaches. All coaches hold a minimum UEFA B Licence, and the ratio never exceeds one coach to ten students. That matters because it means genuine individual attention, real feedback, and the kind of structured development that children simply cannot get at a generic football camp. For families searching for a genuine Arsenal football camp in the UK, this level of coaching detail is what sets the programme apart.

The sessions follow Arsenal's own coaching methodology, built around intelligent passing, movement off the ball, pressing as a unit, and building play from the back. Whether a student arrived as a confident club player or someone still developing their touch, the coaches met them where they were. That is one of the things that makes this programme work so well. A student who has been playing since the age of five and a student who only recently fell in love with the game can both improve meaningfully over the course of a week or two.

With the FA Cup win so recent, students were naturally buzzing about Arsenal's first team. They wanted to play like Ozil, press like Sanchez, and score goals like Danny Welbeck. The coaches leaned into that enthusiasm, using first-team examples to bring tactical concepts to life on the training pitch.

English through immersion

Arsenal Soccer Schools is not a football-only programme. Every student combines their three hours of coaching with three hours of English language tuition each day. The classes are delivered in small groups, tailored to each student's level, and designed to build confidence as much as grammar and vocabulary.

What we see consistently is that students improve their English far more than they expect. The classroom sessions give them structure and focus, but the real acceleration happens outside those hours, at mealtimes, during evening activities, on the football pitch, and in the boarding houses where they are living alongside students from dozens of different countries. English becomes the common language, and by the end of a two-week stay, the improvement is genuinely noticeable. Parents often tell us they are surprised by how much more confident their child sounds on the phone home.

The Emirates and beyond

Students who stayed for two weeks or more had the chance to visit the Emirates Stadium, home of Arsenal Football Club. Walking through the tunnel, sitting in the dugout, and seeing the trophy cabinet up close (including the freshly won FA Cup) is always one of the highlights of the summer. For young Arsenal fans who have only ever seen the stadium on television, it is a powerful experience.

Every student also went home with an official Arsenal Soccer Schools shirt and water bottle, along with memories that tend to stick around for a long time.

Friendships that cross borders

If there is one thing that parents comment on more than anything else, it is the friendships. When you bring together students from over 60 countries and have them live, train, eat, and socialise together for one, two, or three weeks, the bonds form fast. We see students exchanging contact details on the last day and staying in touch for months afterwards. Some families have told us their children still speak regularly with friends they made at camp, even across time zones and languages.

That international dimension is something no local football camp can replicate. It broadens horizons, builds confidence in social situations, and gives children a genuine sense of the wider world. It also makes for some fantastic football matches when you have students representing dozens of different footballing cultures on the same pitch.

What comes next

Arsene Wenger signed a new two-year contract in May, so the manager who has shaped this club for over two decades will be at the helm for another season. The new Premier League campaign is just around the corner, Alexandre Lacazette has arrived from Lyon, and there is a real sense of optimism around the club heading into 2017-18.

For Arsenal Soccer Schools, the summer of 2018 promises to be just as special. If your child loved this summer and wants to come back, or if you are considering the programme for the first time, we would encourage you to look at booking early. Our most popular venues and dates do fill up, and the earlier you secure a place, the more choice you have.

Take a look at what we offer, check the programme details and fees, and get in touch with any questions. We would love to welcome your child to an Arsenal residential camp in England next summer.

It has been a wonderful summer. To every student, parent, coach, and teacher who made it happen, thank you. See you in 2018.