Guide
Football and English Summer Camp in England: What Parents Should Know
A football summer camp in England is one of the easiest ways to get a sports-loving child excited about learning English: they spend half the day on the pitch and the other half in class, with team-mates from other countries. This guide explains how our football and English course works and what to look at when comparing camps.
How the week is split
At Michael Owen's Red Star Football School, students have 15 hours of English lessons and 15 hours of football coaching every week. The course lasts two weeks and runs on the Oakham School campus in Rutland, with supervised evening activities every night.
Who designs and runs the coaching
The coaching programme was written by former England international Michael Owen and is overseen by ex-Liverpool captain Mark Wright. Sessions are led by qualified coaches. When you compare camps, ask who wrote the programme and who coaches on the pitch every day, not only whose name is on the brochure.
Does my child need to be a good player?
No. Players are split into three coaching levels, so beginners and experienced club players both progress. The camp is open to boys and girls of all abilities and any club allegiance.
Ages, rooms and supervision
- Groups are accepted from age 8 and individual players from 12, up to 17.
- Players live in Oakham School's boarding houses, mostly in single, twin or small-dormitory rooms.
- There is 1 group leader for every 10 students, on top of the school's own staff.
What is included
- A full-day trip to a London football stadium.
- A free kit pack: shirt, shorts and socks.
- A personalised drinks bottle.
- An individual video assessment from the coach, and a signed shirt at the end-of-course presentation.
If football is not the only sport
Other courses combine English with sport too: tennis, horse riding or adventure activities at Oakham, watersports in Bournemouth, and basketball in Canterbury. See our football and English course page for the full details.
Want to check dates or availability? Send us your child's age and preferred dates.