Langley Football Academy

First-Class UK Independent School Football Academy

Langley School’s reputation is as a leading sports school, and nowhere is this more true than in our football academy.

Langley Football Academy combines first-class football coaching alongside an outstanding academic curriculum, for girls and boys. We run two programmes:

Junior LFA for ages 7-13 at Langley Prep School in Taverham (8 miles from Norwich)
Senior LFA for ages 10-18 at Langley Senior School in Loddon (11 miles from Norwich)

Led by former Premiership legend Grant Holt, it has a pedigree that is the envy of many. We have prepared a number of today’s professionals, both male and female, for life at the top. Pupils have gone on to play at top clubs including Norwich City, Ipswich Town and Leicester City to name but a few.

Our football programme offers a blend of personal and skills development, equipping players with the mental and physical resilience it takes to reach the top. We offer our players the best of both worlds: a professional academy within the setting of a leading UK independent school. This ensures our LFA members are provided with a great education, both on and off the pitch.

Unlocking Potential

The beauty of playing in Langley’s football academy is that no matter the entrance standard, players receive the individual attention they need to play at the very best level they can. The LFA operates all year round, and pupils build skills from sports other than football which help improve conditioning, ensure recovery, and transfer skills back into their game.

Our coaching team includes UEFA A and B licensed coaches, and you can see a glimpse of their work in the video below.

Great coaching is a blend of support and challenge, focusing on what happens in the mind as much as in the body, and our team is expert in all dimensions of coaching.

Click to watch the full video

Building Strong Foundations at Junior Level

Pupils can join the Junior Langley Football Academy from Y3 at our Prep School. Jordan King is the Lead Coach at Junior level and programme includes:

Coaching from UEFA A and B licensed coaches
Bespoke training that incorporates the elements embedded in the Football Association (FA) Four Corner model: technical and tactical, physical, psychological and social
Personalised strength and conditioning training.
Performance feedback and analysis
Opportunities to compete in IAPS and ISFA fixtures, football festivals, tournaments and county cup competitions

Junior Langley Football Academy gives pupils the freedom to explore their potential, discover what they are capable of and develop a lasting enjoyment of the game. Through expert coaching and positive challenges, we build strong sporting foundations alongside confidence, discipline, resilience and teamwork – skills that reach far beyond the pitch.

Discover Junior LFA

Progression to Senior Langley Football Academy

The Senior Langley Football Academy provides an individualised football development programme for students with recreational, academy and professional ambitions. Every player receives focused coaching, appropriate challenge and the support they need to develop both on and off the pitch.

The programme includes:

Individual coaching and player development tailored to each student’s ability, goals and aspirations
Technical and tactical football training
Competitive match play through school, county and ESFA fixtures
International football tours for Senior Academy players
Strength, fitness and physical development
Guidance on nutrition and healthy performance habits
Sports psychology and mental preparation
Communication, teamwork and leadership development
Opportunities to play against teams within and beyond the county
Exposure, networking and connections that can support future football pathways
Access from September 2026 to a fully refurbished gym, providing enhanced facilities for strength, conditioning and physical performance

Senior Langley Football Academy graduates have progressed into professional football, Premier League clubs, England youth teams and Hong Kong’s international team. The Academy also prioritises the development of women’s football, with players progressing to Leicester City Women Under-21s, England Under-17s and Norwich City Women.

Discover Senior LFA

Individual Development from Expert Coaches

Our coaching team is ambitious, supportive and connected to each LFA player, helping them extract their very best football performances whether at school, county or national level. They are also extremely well-networked, with Grant Holt being the current Under 14 coach at Norwich City FC, having recently scouted for West Ham.

Grant Holt – Director of Football, Langley Football Academy

Grant played for 13 clubs in his professional career, most notably Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Sheffield Wednesday, including multiple seasons in the Premier League. During that time, Grant scored a total of 157 goals, with his four years at Norwich City between 2009 – 2013 being the most successful of his 19-year career, scoring 78 times in 168 appearances for the Canaries. Grant holds the LMA Diploma in Football Management, is a UEFA A Licensed Coach and holds the Talent ID Level 1, 2 and 3.

Ali Colman – Langley Football Academy (Senior) Head of Football

Ali joined Langley Football Academy following his 6-year career at Norwich City FC Academy as part of the Senior Management Team. In his time at the NCFC Academy, Ali was also lead coach for the foundation phase (U9, U10, U11 and U12 squads) and the point of contact for 70 players and parents. Ali holds a UEFA A Licence, which enables him to work in the professional game. Knowing first-hand the importance of professional development in a progressive industry, Ali is consistently looking for opportunities to enhance his skills and experience, having been on study visits to Manchester United FC and Bayern Munich FC.

Jordan King – Langley Football Academy (Junior) Lead Coach

Jordan was at Norwich City Community Sports Foundation (CSF) as a football development officer for 12 years prior to joining Langley Football Academy in 2022. Jordan is a UEFA B licensed coach with vast experience in the local football community working with both grassroots and the elite programme within CSF. Currently captain of Wroxham FC, one of Jordan’s key roles is linking the LFA players with local clubs in the community.

Train Beyond the School Day

A high percentage of our football school academy pupils are also boarders, both domestic and international. This provides Academy players with an immersive experience and opportunities to kick a ball around outside of the school day. Read more about our Boarding experience. If you’re interested in an international place, you’ll be glad to hear that our Admissions team will take most of the administrative burden from you. Read more about the International Admissions process.

If you’re interested in an Academy place, please contact the Admissions team today. The team will arrange an initial conversation with one of the Langley Football Academy team, and we’ll take it from there!

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langley football academy faqs

Yes – at Langley Football Academy, students follow a full academic pathway alongside their football development. Pupils study for GCSEs, A Levels, or BTEC qualifications, ensuring they leave with strong academic outcomes as well as football experience. This ‘dual pathway’ is a core part of Langley’s philosophy: combining elite sport with a rigorous education.
A school football academy (like Langley) offers a hybrid model, combining elite coaching with a broad academic curriculum, personal development, and broader career pathways. A professional club academy is primarily focused on producing professional players without the emphasis on academics.

Langley’s approach ensures students develop on and off the pitch, with pathways not only into professional football, but also university scholarships and careers in sports-related fields.
All our fees including day and boarding fees, and the costs for Langley Football Academy are outlined on our fees page.
Langley Football Academy welcomes students from ages to 10 to 18, with multiple entry points throughout their school journey.

This allows players to join early and develop their football over time, or start later once they have explored their interests and are ready to pursue their passion for football more seriously.

Lead Coach, Jordan King runs the Junior Langley Football Academy which is also open to day pupils from Y3-Y8 at our Prep School in Taverham.
Absolutely. Langley actively welcomes international students and provides boarding accommodation for children age 10-18, dedicated English Language Support (EAL), assistance with admissions and visas, immersion into British life, and a diverse, welcoming community. This makes it a fully accessible pathway for international pupils.
Langley students progress into a variety of pathways, including professional football academies and clubs such as Norwich City (Men and Women), Ipswich Town and Leicester City, university scholarships (UK and US), and careers in coaching, sports science or physiotherapy. The academy’s strong network, links and broad academic curriculum helps students explore future on and off the pitch.
Boarding offers a clear advantage for players who are serious about development. At Langley, boarders benefit from more training time and facilities access, daily immersion in a football-focused environment, in addition to living and training alongside like-minded players. All this combined can accelerate progress compared to standard day programmes.
Yes – girls can absolutely attend football boarding school. Langley offers high-level coaching and development pathways for both boys and girls, with a strong track record of developing female talent. Players from the Academy have progressed into the ISFA U18 Women’s team, while others have gone on to be part of professional teams such as the Norwich City and Leicester City’s Women teams.

A word from our Director of Football…

“My aim is simple – create first-class football progression, alongside an outstanding academic curriculum and a broad range of co-curricular activities.”

Mr Grant Holt, Langley Director of Football