Beechwood International Football Programme

A professional academy pathway within one of the South East’s leading independent schools. Elite coaching. Outstanding education. One programme.

Welcome to the beechwood international football programme

A new era of football at Beechwood begins.

The Beechwood International Football Programme marks an exciting new chapter for football at the school, designed for pupils who aspire to develop their game while continuing to benefit from a strong academic education.

Developed to bring greater structure, ambition, and consistency to our football provision, the programme combines academy-level thinking with the care, character, and individual attention that define a Beechwood education.

Led by coaches with experience across the professional game — including Chelsea FC, Celtic FC, Millwall FC, AFC Wimbledon, Fulham, Crystal Palace, and Brentford — and delivered in partnership with Next Generation Pro Football Academy, the programme provides a more structured and ambitious pathway for young players within a supportive school environment

Led by Experienced Professionals 

The Beechwood International Football Programme is led by coaches with experience across academy and professional football, including work with clubs such as Chelsea FC, Celtic FC, Millwall FC, AFC Wimbledon, Fulham, Crystal Palace and Brentford.

Dr Daniel Lee 

Dr Daniel Lee brings a rare blend of academic insight, leadership and high-level coaching experience to the programme.

A UEFA-licensed coach, he holds a PhD focused on behaviour, leadership and performance in sport, alongside a Distinction-level MSc in Sports Coaching and a First Class degree in Sports Coaching Practice.

His career spans university teaching, international programme development and sports consultancy, with a particular focus on building player pathways and long-term development models.

Dr Lee has worked with organisations including Chelsea FC, Celtic FC and Next Generation Pro Football Academy, and has coached within professional environments at Chelsea FC, Millwall, AFC Wimbledon and Fulham.

His approach centres on developing not just better players, but more confident, self-aware and resilient young people.

Lee Cole 

Lee Cole brings extensive experience from across academy, senior and player development environments.

A UEFA-licensed coach with over a decade in the game, he is currently First Team Coach at Chesham United, Programme Director with Chelsea FC and Director of Next Generation Pro Football Academy.

His coaching journey has included roles within academies and clubs such as AFC Wimbledon, Crystal Palace, Brentford and AFC Croydon Athletic, alongside senior coaching positions at Kingstonian, Whitehawk and Three Bridges.

With a strong background in both coaching and sports science, Lee brings a practical, hands-on understanding of player development at every level, helping pupils progress with confidence and clarity.

A high-performance football environment

The Beechwood International Football Programme has been created to provide a more purposeful and professionally delivered football experience for pupils.

This is not simply traditional school football. It is a structured development pathway designed to reflect the standards, expectations and support systems found within professional academy environments, while remaining fully embedded within the life of the school.

Players benefit from a programme that is ambitious in outlook, clear in structure and focused on long-term development.

In partnership with Next Generation Pro Football Academy

Beechwood is moving forward with Next Generation Pro Football Academy as its football delivery partner.

This partnership brings experienced leadership, UEFA-licensed coaching expertise and a more complete football model to the school. It also reflects our commitment to developing a programme that is credible, aspirational and aligned with the standards we want for our pupils.

The programme will be supported by experienced professionals, including Lee Cole and Dr Daniel Lee, who bring significant experience across academy, senior and international football settings.

What pupils can expect

The Beechwood International Football Programme is designed to support players in all areas of their development.

This includes:

• a full weekly training schedule
• high-quality coaching sessions
• competitive fixtures
• individual development planning
• strength and conditioning support
• performance monitoring and analysis
• access to specialist expertise
• clearer pathways and future opportunities

The aim is to create an environment in which pupils are challenged, supported and encouraged to improve with confidence.

Train like a professional

Training within the programme is designed to be purposeful, demanding and development-led.

Players will work on the technical, tactical and physical aspects of their game through a structured weekly model that supports both individual and team progress. Sessions are intended to build confidence, improve understanding and help each player maximise their potential.

Alongside coaching, pupils will also benefit from a more advanced performance environment, including elements of analysis, physical monitoring and development feedback.

Football first. Education always.

What matters most is that this programme remains unmistakably Beechwood.

Football at Beechwood does not sit apart from school life. It forms part of a wider educational experience in which pupils are known, supported and encouraged to thrive.

The programme is designed to work alongside a strong academic timetable, allowing pupils to pursue their sporting ambitions without compromising their education. Our aim is to provide the right balance of performance, pastoral support and academic progress.

Pathways and future opportunities

The Beechwood International Football Programme is designed to support players as they progress in their football journey.

For some, that may mean development within a more demanding and structured environment. For others, it may lead to future opportunities in academies, scholarships, higher education or the wider game.

What matters is that each player is given the support, challenge and encouragement to move forward with clarity and purpose.

Who the programme is for

This programme is suited to pupils who are passionate about football and motivated to improve.

It is designed for players who want:

• a more structured football environment
• high-quality coaching and development support
• a strong balance of football and education
• clear expectations and purposeful progression
• the opportunity to grow within a supportive school community

Why Beechwood

Beechwood offers a distinctive environment in which football development can sit alongside an excellent all-round education.

Our pupils benefit from:

• strong academic support
• a caring and structured school environment
• individual attention
• high expectations
• a clear sense of community
• a football programme that is ambitious, credible and growing in strength

This is a programme built not only to improve players, but to help young people develop confidence, discipline, resilience and pride in representing their school.

The data you have provided will be stored by Beechwood School (the School) for the purposes of communicating with you as you progress through our admissions process. The data we have requested is justified as the first stage in progressing your potential application and as a legitimate interest. Your data will be kept indefinitely or until such a time as you ask for it to be deleted. Your data will not be shared with anyone outside of the School except for the processing of your potential application. Communication may include letters, emails, telephone calls and newsletters. If you believe we have misused your data, you have the right to complain to the ICO.