APPLY NOW: Football Specialism in association with Chelsea FC
We’re thrilled to announce that applications are now open for our new Football Specialism — a high-performance programme created in association with Chelsea FC.
Launching in September 2026, the Football Specialism will offer aspiring footballers – both boys and girls – aged 11–18 (Years 7 – 13) a unique opportunity to combine top-level football coaching with first-class academic academics as well as broader holistic education. Open to UK as well as international day and boarding pupils, the programme is tailored for young athletes already playing club football and who are ready to take the next step in their academic studies and football development. The specialism includes:
- 9 weekly coaching sessions from Chelsea FC UEFA-qualified coaches
- A permanent Head of Football from Chelsea FC based at Wells Cathedral School
- A comprehensive focus on player development, performance conditioning, and long-term athletic care
- Training sessions and visits to Chelsea FC training ground in Cobham
- The opportunity to play at Kingsmeadow Stadium and to visit Stamford Bridge
- Access to career pathways in football – both on and off the pitch
- Kit Package
- And much, much more!
In a standout move, pupils will have opportunities to be coached by Chelsea FC staff on a regular basis, with visibility across professional pathways for players and future industry professionals.
This is a one-of-a-kind programme where all pupils successfully enrolled on the Football Specialism programme will continue to study towards their GCSEs or A levels, fully supported by Wells Cathedral School’s experienced award-winning academic and pastoral teams. The uniqueness of the specialism ensures pupils excel not only on the pitch, but in life – embodying the School’s and Chelsea’s ethos of educating the whole child and developing good young people. Wells Cathedral School already has hugely successful Specialisms in Music and Mathematics, and this new Football programme underscores the School’s commitment to developing exceptional talent across an aspirational range of disciplines, continuing its reputation for excellence and innovation. No other school globally offers all three of these subjects (Football, Maths and Music) at a high specialist level within a full academic, co-educational, day and boarding school context.
To begin an application, simply head to https://chelsea.wells.cathedral.school/
