Activate International
British Summer Schools
Learning English Through Sport and Leadership
ABOUT ACTIVATE INTERNATIONAL
WHAT WE OFFER
OUR PROGRAMMES
Sport Specific
with English
Our sport-specific summer programmes are designed for young people who want more than just a holiday…they want to grow, train, and achieve. Led by expert coaches, including current and former professionals, each course provides high-level, structured coaching that supports real development and progression in the chosen sport or activity.
What makes our programmes truly unique is their inclusive, integrated environment. All courses are open to both international and UK-based students, creating a diverse and dynamic atmosphere where young people train side by side, learn from one another, and form lasting connections. While international students combine sport with English language learning, UK students engage in a full day of sport sessions, giving everyone the opportunity to share experiences and develop together.
Newcastle United Foundation International Soccer School with English
(7 or 14 day programme options available)
- 15 hours of classroom based English tuition per week
- 15 hours of football coaching per week
- Full board
- 2 off-site excursions during the 14 day programme including a visit to Newcastle United stadium, St. James’ Park, and a street soccer game against local english children
Our football residential camp, delivered by the expert coaches of the Newcastle United Foundation, provides a high-performance training experience designed to elevate your game.
Our Elite Football Camps are structured to provide both skill-focused and game-focused sessions that help athletes progress in key areas:
- Advanced Skills Training: Get a comprehensive breakdown of the key technical areas of football – passing, shooting, dribbling, ball control, and defensive positioning.
- Tactical Training: Learn how to read the game, execute advanced tactics, and implement different formations in match situations.
- Physical Conditioning: Improve your speed, agility, and endurance through tailored fitness programmes specific to football.
- Mental Toughness: Develop focus, resilience, and leadership skills to handle the pressures of high-level competition.
English with Football Goalkeeping led by AB1GK
(7 or 14 day programme options available)
- 15 hours of classroom based English tuition per week
- 15 hours of football goalkeeper coaching
- Full board
- 2 off-site excursions during the 14 day programme including a visit to a professional football club
Our Performance Goalkeeping residential camp, delivered by the expert coaches of the AB1GK, provides a high-performance training experience designed to elevate your goalkeeping game.
- Daily Sessions: Enjoy afternoon focused training sessions each day, blending group exercises and individual skill work to ensure 3 hours of high-quality coaching daily.
- Specialist Workshops: Participants will benefit from unique sessions, including a mental performance workshop to build focus and confidence on the pitch, a visit from Asmir Begovic (or one of his professional goalkeeping colleagues) and an off-site visit to a professional football facility.
- Recovery and Facilities: Top-class facilities at our venue ensure a performance-level training environment, including a dedicated recovery session in the pool to help participants recharge.
- Tailored Training: Coaching groups are carefully arranged by age and ability, ensuring every goalkeeper receives personalised coaching and guidance to support their development.
English with Athletics
(7 day programme)
- 15 hours of classroom based English tuition per week
- 15 hours of athletics coaching
- Full board
- 1 off-site excursion
Led by UK Athletics qualified staff our athletics course is broken down into 3 areas; Running, Jumping and Throwing.
Students will have the opportunity to focus on the different areas of athletics each day, we offer coaching in long and triple jump, javelin and shot putt, along with sprints, hurdles and middle distance running.
We have access to a strength and conditioning gymnasium where students can learn how to build strength, increase flexibility and learn exercises to increase speed through resistance band work.
English with Basketball
(7 or 14 day programme options available)
- 15 hours of classroom based English tuition per week
- 15 hours of basketball coaching
- Full board
- 2 off-site excursions during the 14 day programme
At the beginning of each week, all students are assessed and placed in basketball class groups according to ability.
Led by qualified basketball coaches, group ratios are 1:10 players.
Our basketball programme focuses on basic skills such as dribbling and shooting, team work and tactical sessions Every day features small sided games, shooting practice and a tactical challenge such as a full court press.
Course features also include workshops on fitness, including strength and conditioning sessions, nutrition and mental preparation.
Students can customise their summer experience by choosing two different sport programmes across their 14 day stay. This means they can spend one week focusing on one sport, and the second week exploring another…perfect for those who want to broaden their skills, try something new, or keep their schedule varied and exciting.
Multi Sport
Our Multi Sport programme offers young people the chance to explore a wide range of sports in a fun, inclusive, and supportive environment. Alongside daily TEFL lessons, international students enjoy a rotating schedule of sports featuring English favourites such as;
- Cricket
- Rounders
- Hockey
- Netball
- Rugby (non-contact)
- Tennis
- Basketball
- Athletics
- Football
Designed to build confidence, coordination, and teamwork.
English with Multi Sport
(7 or 14 day programme options available)
- 15 hours of classroom based English tuition per week
- 15 hours of multi sport tuition
- Full board
- 1 off-site excursion per week
Not sure which sport to focus on? Why not try them all!
Our flexible approach allows you to experience a variety of different English sports in addition to an introduction to strength and conditioning. You’ll take part in quality coaching sessions aimed to improve your all-round game.
Sport Specific
sport only
International students also have the option to join our sport-only programmes; participating in the full-day training schedule alongside UK-based children. This version excludes TEFL lessons and is ideal for students who want to focus entirely on developing their skills within a high-performance coaching environment, while still enjoying full integration with English-speaking peers.
Performance Athletics
- 30 hours of jumps, throws, sprints and middle distance running delivered by UK Athletics qualified staff
- Students attending our Performance Athletics camp will train alongside English children on Performance Running
- Daily strength and conditioning sessions
- Recovery sessions in the swimming pool
Our Performance Athletics camp programme, delivered by expert coaches, provides an immersive and high-performance training experience designed to develop athletes.
The programme is broken down into ability and age group related sessions.
We use video analysis to look at the technique of all participants. Younger age groups will have a particular focus on technique; while more advanced students will also focus on strength conditioning and competition tactics.
Nutrition is a strong feature of the programme with guest speakers hosting workshops to talk about the importance this plays in training and competing.
Performance Gymnastics led by Nile Wilson Gymnastics
(7 day programme)
- 30 hours of gymnastics coaching
- Full board
Expert Coaching: The gymnastics is led by experienced coaches who bring a wealth of knowledge from competitive and recreational gymnastics. They provide technical guidance and personalised feedback to help gymnasts improve their skills, technique, and overall performance.
Workshops: In addition to hands-on training, gymnasts will take part in educational workshops on strength and conditioning, artistry and mental skills training. This will include topics such as goal setting, mental focus, imagery and motivation.
Sessions are delivered at NWG Centres in Mansfield and Rotherham, in age and ability groups to get the best out of their time with us! All travel is included from the residential setting to the NWG Centres.
Newcastle United Foundation International Soccer School
(7 or 14 day programme options available)
- 30 hours of football coaching
- Full board
- 2 off-site excursions during the 14 day programme including a visit to Newcastle United stadium, St. James’ Park, and a street soccer game against local english children
Our football residential camp, delivered by the expert coaches of the Newcastle United Foundation, provides a high-performance training experience designed to elevate your game.
Our Elite Football Camps are structured to provide both skill-focused and game-focused sessions that help athletes progress in key areas:
- Advanced Skills Training: Get a comprehensive breakdown of the key technical areas of football – passing, shooting, dribbling, ball control, and defensive positioning.
- Tactical Training: Learn how to read the game, execute advanced tactics, and implement different formations in match situations.
- Physical Conditioning: Improve your speed, agility, and endurance through tailored fitness programmes specific to football.
- Mental Toughness: Develop focus, resilience, and leadership skills to handle the pressures of high-level competition.
Performance Goalkeeping led by AB1GK
(7 or 14 day programme options available)
- 30 hours of football goalkeeper coaching
- Full board
- 2 off-site excursions during the 14 day programme including a visit to a professional football club
Our Performance Goalkeeping residential camp, delivered by the expert coaches of the AB1GK, provides a high-performance training experience designed to elevate your goalkeeping game.
- Daily Sessions: Enjoy morning and afternoon focused training sessions each day, blending group exercises and individual skill work to ensure 6 hours of high-quality coaching daily.
- Specialist Workshops: Participants will benefit from unique sessions, including a mental performance workshop to build focus and confidence on the pitch, a visit from Asmir Begovic (or one of his professional goalkeeping colleagues) and an off-site visit to a professional football facility.
- Recovery and Facilities: Top-class facilities at both of our venues ensure a performance-level training environment, including a dedicated recovery session in the pool to help participants recharge.
- Tailored Training: Coaching groups are carefully arranged by age and ability, ensuring every goalkeeper receives personalised coaching and guidance to support their development.
Career Learning
Our Career Learning programmes are immersive, week-long experiences designed for older students who want to explore future careers in dynamic industries like sport, film, or STEM motorsport. Guided by industry experts, students engage in real-world challenges, on-site workshops, and behind-the-scenes visits that bring their chosen field to life.
These programmes are fully integrated, with international and UK-based students working together in English throughout the experience. While there are no formal TEFL lessons, international students develop their language skills naturally through team collaboration, professional presentations, and daily tasks that mirror real workplace environments.
Film Industry
(7 day programme)
Make your own commercial or music video!
Led by Tess Mitchell, an award winning TV commercial producer, director Jonas McQuiggan and visual effects artist Phil Oldham from Gahba Studios, this week-long intensive course will give young people an understanding of what it takes to make a music video or TV commercial.
The course will provide students with practical experience and a wealth of industry knowledge. Led by industry experts, with an off-site visits to Arri Media to look at film equipment and the power of Virtual Reality Production, to talks from sound engineers, casting directors and key crew. The course will give students a clear insight into the industry and by the end of the week all students will create a music video on site with hands-on experience gained throughout the course.
The Career Learning course is a 1-week course and can be combined with one of our other courses for students wanting a 2-week experience.
Sports Industry
(7 day programme)
Giving young people an in-depth understanding of the sport industry and the career opportunities within it. Our course gives you an understanding of:
- Sport law
- Sport marketing
- Coaching
- Elite sports performance
- Technology in sport
- Athlete management
- Football journalism
We provide students with an off site visit to UK based University to hear from department heads about the different sports courses they offer. Following the university visit we head over to one of our football club partners for an access all areas stadium tour.
The course combines workshops delivered by guest lecturers and practical learning through work experience tasks.
The Career Learning course is a 1-week course and can be combined with one of our other courses for students wanting a 2-week experience.
STEM Motorsport Industry
We are excited to launch our Stem Motorsport Engineering course in 2026.
Bespoke Courses
We work with schools and groups to create bespoke courses that cater for longer or shorter stay in the UK. We can tailor activities to suit the needs of the children attending and schedule specific visits to different cities and landmarks around the UK.
Please contact us to find out more
OUR LOCATIONS
Oundle School
Oundle School is a co-educational independent school situated in the market town of Oundle in Northamptonshire and is the third largest boarding school in England.
Oundle School has long been associated with the very best of modern independent education, especially boarding and host fantastic sport, music and residential facilities.
Oundle is only eight miles from the A1 and five miles from the A14, making it easily accessible from all of the UK road networks.
Worksop College
Set in the heart of North Nottinghamshire’s stunning countryside, Worksop College is a co-educational independent school with a rich history dating back to the 19th century.
Worksop College has eight boarding houses, with just over 500 beds combined. Each house has its own kitchen, dining room and recreation room, along with rooms that sleep between 1 and 8 guests.
