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Elite Player Development. Outstanding Education. Global Futures.
Claremont International Football Academy is at the heart of Claremont School, an award-winning co-educational day and boarding school in East Sussex. As one of the most established football academies in the UK, it develops talented young footballers aged 7-18 while ensuring they receive an outstanding academic education and personalised guidance for their future.
Every student athlete benefits from a structured high performance environment that supports both football development and long term academic success.
50+
Players signed by professional clubs
$3M+
Earned in US college scholarships
400+
Student athletes developed
30+
Nationalities represented
95%
Accepted into first choice UK universities
“The coaches helped me build my confidence and gave me the opportunity – this is the best environment for any ambitious student footballers.”
Kalen Brunson
QPR & Bermuda
“The coaches recognised my talent and put me forward to play professionally.”
Emily Coleman-Smith
Man City & England
“The individual development and attention to detail helped develop my game to the highest level.”
Daniel Gleiber
FSV Mainz 05 & Germany
“The coaching staff gave me the confidence I needed and facilitated dramatic improvements both in the classroom and on the pitch.”
Mothibi Penn-Kakana
Dartmouth College & Nigeria
“The high-level coaching enabled me to advance into professional football and represent my national team."
Folarin Balogun
Monaco & USA
“The staff recruited me and helped me along the my journey to success both on and off the pitch."
Teddie Levenfiche
Founder Perfect Ted & England
Declan Rice
Arsenal & England
Reanna Blades
Chelsea & Jamaica
Soham Varshneya
Bengaluru FC | India National Team U23s
Tyrique George
Chelsea & England
Claremont School is located in the historic and safe county of East Sussex, just over an hour from London by direct train.
The campus sits within beautiful countryside while remaining close to local amenities and transport links.
International students benefit from easy access to Heathrow and Gatwick airports, making travel convenient for families worldwide.
Players compete in showcase fixtures against leading professional academies, including:
These fixtures provide players with exposure to high level competition and opportunities to be identified by professional clubs.
The programme also creates pathways into high level semi-professional clubs within the English football pyramid.
While some players progress into professional football, our programme prepares every student athlete for a range of future opportunities.
Our Futures and Mentoring team supports every player in identifying and achieving the pathway that best fits their ambitions.
Daily high-level training sessions
Showcase fixtures against professional academies
Individual development plans for every player
Strength and conditioning programmes
Performance analysis and video review
Sports psychology and mental performance support
Physiotherapy and injury prevention
Our professional facilities support both daily training and competitive match preparation.
Full size floodlit 3G Astro pitch
Coming soon, as part of the Claremont Sports Park project.
Six full size grass pitches with professional drainage
Indoor sports halls
Indoor swimming pool for recovery and conditioning
Performance analysis studio
We are excited to announce the development of a new state of the art Strength and Conditioning suite and a new 3G technical pitch. These facilities will complement the recent announcement of the full size 3G pitch at Claremont Sports Park.
All of these developments will be completed and ready for September 2026 and will provide the facilities for football academy students to succeed.
Our coaching and performance staff bring extensive experience from professional football, elite academies and high performance sport, with all players benefiting from a multidisciplinary support team committed to maximising their development.
Collectively the team includes:
500+
Professional matches played across the Premier League, Football League and Women’s Super League
20+
UEFA qualified coaches including UEFA A and B Licences
40+
Roles across professional academies and clubs in England and Europe
25+
Academic experts with advanced qualifications in sport science, psychology and athlete development
Greg Thurstans
Director of Football
Matthew Rose
Director of Coaching
Trevor Bumstead
Academy Manager - Starting Sept 2026
Jake Locker
Head of Sport Science
Jay Skinner-Swain
Football Coach
Andy Corrigan
Joe Sutton
Head of Futures & Mentoring
Neale Manning
Head of Goalkeeping
Tiggy Teare
Mental Performance Lead
Will Burke
Physiotherapist
Elite Development Coach
TBC
UEFA A Licence Outfield and Goalkeeping | Former Crystal Palace Academy coach
Greg has over 20 years’ experience in coaching, teaching and education with 8 years as Director of Sport at a leading HMC independent school. One of the youngest coaches to achieve both UEFA ‘A’ outfield and Goalkeeping Licenses. Coached at Crystal Palace Academy, England Independent Schools national U16/18 teams and scouted for Brighton FC, with a vast network of contacts globally.
UEFA A Licence Outfield | Former Arsenal First Team | England U21 International
Matt is a former professional footballer, progressed through Arsenal’s academy under Arsène Wenger before playing with the first team in the Premier League and enjoying a decade-long career at QPR with over 300 appearances as Captain. He has worked in football development internationally, launching Arsenal’s European academy in Greece, and helped Barnsley FC retain Championship status as first-team coach. Matt holds UEFA ‘A’ License with high-level football experience and extensive Global contacts.
Trevor is a highly experienced football professional and UEFA A licensed coach, with nearly 20 years in the professional game. He has worked with leading clubs including Arsenal and West Ham United, building extensive expertise across coaching, player development, and performance leadership. During this time, he has supported the development of top talent, including England internationals Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice. He also spent six years as Head of Football in the private Education sector, where he led programmes focused on elite development and long-term player progression.
MSc Strength & Conditioning Loughborough University | Former Leicester City coach
Jake holds an MSc in Strength and Conditioning from Loughborough University. A former strength and conditioning coach at Leicester City FC, he is working towards UKSCA and BASES accreditation. Jake specialises in applying sport science principles to optimise player performance and development.
A Liverpool fan, Jay has been involved in football coaching for over 12 years. His previous experiences in youth coaching include working for Arsenal Football Club. Jay has helped to develop a number of players and enhance their technical and tactical knowledge in the game. Beyond the Academy, Jay also manages a Sussex County U23 side, so with his hard work and experience, he knows the level required to progress to the top of the game. He has an infectious enthusiasm and drive to improve others, and with his high energy sessions, Jay is able to create a learning environment where everyone can thrive.
A Fulham fan, Andy coaches for a Premier League football club as well as for the Claremont International Football Academy. He specialises in the technical and tactical aspects of the game; planning and leading on all of our Junior Academy sessions. He currently heads our Junior Academy and is responsible for the players’ development programme and progression, with the guidance of the Academy Director.
UEFA A Licence Outfield and Advanced Youth Award | Former Arsenal, Manchester United and Brighton coach
Joe is a high-performance leader with experience at Arsenal, Manchester United, Brighton, Brentford, and Fulham. He’s worked with elite talent, including Bukayo Saka, and specialises in creating pathways to professional football, US Colleges, and UK Universities. Joe holds the UEFA A Licence, Advanced Youth Award and FA talent ID Level 4 in Leadership & Management.
UEFA A Licence Goalkeeping | Former Chelsea and West Ham Goalkeeper Coach
Neale has over 12 years of experience coaching goalkeepers at Chelsea, West Ham, and Charlton Athletic. He is currently a Goalkeeper Scout for Manchester City. Neale holds both the UEFA B Outfield and Goalkeeping Licences, underlining his expertise in goalkeeper development.
Sports Psychology Specialist
Tiggy is a sports psychology coach and counsellor specialising in resilience, confidence, and focus. She has worked across multiple sports, including elite experience with Saracens Rugby Club, and holds SEPAR accreditation with BASES. Combining one-to-one support, workshops, and counselling, Tiggy helps athletes enhance wellbeing, motivation, and performance.
Chartered Physiotherapist
Will is an MSc-qualified Chartered Physiotherapist and CEO of Wells Physiotherapy Clinic. He specialises in sports injury, rehabilitation, and return-to-play support. Will brings clinical expertise and a strong focus on athlete wellbeing.
Claremont is an outstanding independent co-educational day and boarding school, educating pupils from early years through to sixth form.
The school is recognised for its excellent pastoral care and consistently strong academic outcomes. Students benefit from:
• A supportive and values led learning environment• Excellent academic results and university preparation• Modern facilities in beautiful countryside• Dedicated pastoral care and boarding supportClaremont achieves a value added score of 0.9, meaning students on average achieve almost one grade higher per subject than national expectations.
Students enjoy a welcoming and supportive boarding environment designed to promote wellbeing and independence.
Spacious and comfortable living areas
Dedicated pastoral care staff
Social and recreational spaces
A diverse international student community
As part of International Schools Partnership - ISP, we share a purpose to grow the world’s most curious, confident minds.
120
Schools in our global learning community
116000
Students leading their learning with confidence
17000
Staff nurturing students to reach their goals
25
Countries connected through learning experiences
Claremont International Football Academy provides a unique opportunity to pursue elite football while receiving a world leading academic education. Register your interest to learn more about trials and player assessment opportunities, admissions and boarding options, and scholarship and pathway guidance.
