UK Schools Level Up: Esports Guidance Arrives!

Look Sports Media – British Esports is forging a new alliance with the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) to bring esports opportunities to over 25,000 schools and colleges across the United Kingdom. This landmark partnership aims to equip educators with the knowledge and resources needed to navigate the burgeoning world of competitive gaming and harness its potential for student development.

The collaboration, formalized through a memorandum of understanding (MOU), will grant ASCL members—including headteachers, multi-academy trust CEOs, and other educational leaders—access to expert advice and support regarding esports. British Esports will also have a presence at ASCL events, further facilitating the dissemination of information and best practices.

This initiative will see the federation champion esports tournaments within schools, fostering digital skills development through webinars and other resources. British Esports emphasizes that in-school tournaments can significantly improve student engagement, attendance, and behavior, while also providing opportunities for teamwork, friendship, and representing their school on a national stage.

Beyond the competitive aspect, the partnership highlights the valuable digital skills that esports can cultivate, including cybersecurity, event planning, social media management, marketing, broadcasting, and content creation. British Esports has also developed a comprehensive "pathway" to creating an esports curriculum, offering programs ranging from Level 1 to Level 7.

Tom Dore, Vice President of British Esports, stated, "Esports forms an exciting part of many young people’s lives, and schools have a key role to play in supporting them to engage in it safely, with balance. Our new partnership with ASCL is about giving school leaders the tools, knowledge, and confidence to understand the opportunities esports can provide."

Pepe Di’Iasio, General Secretary of the ASCL, added, "We are delighted to partner with British Esports. This is an industry that has evolved rapidly in recent years and is now extremely popular among children and young people, as well as having a number of transferable skills. We are really pleased that, through this partnership, we can provide ASCL members with the tools and information required to safely provide esports opportunities for students."