Summer 2018 Review: Arsenal Soccer Schools Across Four Venues

If you had walked through the gates of Worth School on the first Saturday in July, you would have seen something quite special. A 12-year-old from Tokyo practising stepovers alongside a boy from Buenos Aires, while a girl from Dubai waited to take on the winner. No translator needed. Just a football and a shared language that everyone understood. That scene, repeated in different combinations across four venues all summer, captures what the Arsenal Soccer Schools programme delivered in 2018.

It was also a summer of transition at Arsenal Football Club. After 22 years, Arsene Wenger stepped down as manager in May, bringing an end to one of the most remarkable chapters in English football history. Unai Emery arrived from Paris Saint-Germain with fresh ideas, new energy, and a determination to take the club forward. That sense of a new beginning extended to our summer programme too, with Worth School hosting its very first Arsenal Soccer Schools camp.

Worth School's debut summer

We had high hopes for Worth School when we added it to the programme, and the reality exceeded them. The campus in West Sussex proved to be everything we had expected, spacious grounds, excellent pitches, comfortable accommodation, and the kind of peaceful, green setting that parents want for their children during a residential football camp in England.

Families loved the location, and our coaching staff found the facilities ideal for running sessions. The dining hall was popular with students (always a good sign), and the evening activity spaces gave the welfare team plenty of room to organise everything from quizzes to talent shows. Worth has well and truly earned its place alongside our other three venues.

Highlights from across the country

At Clayesmore in Dorset, the summer was packed with competitive matches and technical development sessions that brought out the best in every age group. The smaller, close-knit feel of Clayesmore always produces strong team spirit, and this year was no exception. Students who arrived barely knowing anyone left with a group chat full of friends from a dozen different countries.

Oundle, set in the Northamptonshire countryside near Cambridge, delivered another outstanding summer. The school's pitches are some of the best in our programme, and the town itself gives students a taste of quintessential English life during their time off. The Emirates Stadium visits for two-week students remain one of the most talked-about experiences across the whole programme, and this year's visits were no different.

Seaford, right on the Sussex coast, offered its usual blend of great coaching and seaside charm. Training with the sound of waves in the background is something quite unique to Seaford, and it gives the camp a relaxed atmosphere that students respond to. The coastal location also makes for brilliant excursions on the weekends.

The coaching that makes the difference

What sets an Arsenal summer camp apart from a generic football holiday club is the quality and consistency of the coaching. Every session is delivered by official Arsenal Soccer Schools coaches, all qualified to UEFA B level or above, at a coaching ratio of one to ten. That means your child gets genuine attention and feedback, not just an afternoon of kicking a ball around in a large group.

This summer, the coaching team put particular emphasis on building play from the back, something that has become a defining feature of how Arsenal play under both Wenger and now Emery. Students worked on receiving the ball under pressure, playing out through midfield, and making intelligent runs off the ball. The improvement we saw over two-week periods was remarkable, with players visibly growing in confidence and ability.

Combined with three hours of English language tuition each day, students left having developed far more than just their football skills. Teachers reported excellent progress in speaking confidence and vocabulary, particularly among students who arrived with limited English and left happy to hold conversations with their new international friends.

Sixty countries on one pitch

This is something we never tire of talking about, because it is genuinely one of the best things about the programme. When boys and girls aged 9 to 17 from more than 60 countries come together, the cultural exchange is extraordinary. Students learn to communicate across language barriers, respect different backgrounds, and form friendships that often continue online long after the summer ends.

One of our coaching team's favourite moments this summer was watching a group of students from Brazil, Japan, Italy, and Saudi Arabia work together during a small-sided game, communicating through a mixture of English, hand signals, and sheer determination. By the end of the session, they were celebrating together like they had known each other for years.

Looking ahead to 2019

As the new Premier League season gets underway, there is real optimism around Arsenal. Emery's early results have been encouraging, and signings like Lucas Torreira and Matteo Guendouzi have brought energy and quality to the midfield. The Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette partnership looks like it could be something special.

We are already planning for summer 2019, and all four venues, Clayesmore, Worth, Oundle, and Seaford, will be back. With the momentum building both on and off the pitch, next summer promises to be another brilliant one.

Keep an eye on our website for dates and booking details as they are confirmed. If summer 2018 is anything to go by, places will go quickly.

Thank you to every student, parent, coach, and staff member who made this summer so special. See you in 2019.