British Esports and ASCL close partnership to expand student esports access

The British Esports Federation has entered into a formal partnership with the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) in a move set to provide school leaders across the UK with resources to support student esports initiatives.

The collaboration is established through a memorandum of understanding (MOU). It will grant the ASCL’s membership of over 25,000 headteachers, multi-academy trust CEOs, and other education leaders access to support and guidance from the national esports federation.

As part of the agreement, British Esports will have a presence at the ASCL Annual Conference and other regional events. The federation will also organise and promote student esports tournaments, both online and in-person, and provide digital skills development opportunities. This includes a new webinar series tailored for colleges. The initiative aims to help students access benefits such as the development of leadership, teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills, while also promoting online safety.

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Tom Dore, British Esports Vice President, commented: “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.”

He added: “Our new partnership with ASCL is about giving school leaders the tools, knowledge and confidence to understand the opportunities esports can provide – from digital skills to developing teamwork and communication. We look forward to helping ASCL members to support young people to pursue their passions in a safe, healthy way.”

Pepe Di’Iasio, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “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,” Di’Iasio concluded.

According to the official announcement on British Esports’ website, school-based esports clubs and competitions have been associated with improved student engagement, attendance, and behaviour. Furthermore, esports is noted for supporting the development of STEM and digital skills, alongside other transferable skills applicable to careers within the esports and video games industries and beyond. These include sectors such as cyber security, events, marketing, broadcasting, and content creation.