Gaming has remained a highly popular hobby for many since its inception, and Gen-Z have perhaps grown up in the peak period for gaming, thanks to innovations in graphics, game mechanics and community. That’s why there has been a rising adoption for gaming, more specifically esports, in education, with many schools and colleges across the UK incorporating esports in the curriculum, as well as through clubs and events.
Esports provides competitive experiences that open many educational opportunities for students, and this guide is going to explain how schools and colleges can incorporate esports in education and gain the many benefits it can provide.
Why Are Young People So Interested in Gaming?
While gaming is favoured among people of all ages, popularity really saw a sharp increase with Gen-Z. This could be down to several reasons, most notably the improvement in graphics and gameplay mechanics, as well as the evolution of multiplayer which has made gaming an increasingly social pastime.
In a 2024 study Ofcom found that 60% of all children aged 3-17 are gaming, and often use the platform as a tool to communicate with their peers. Gaming has become a means to escape reality, have fun and communicate with friends and other communities.
Esports has taken this a step further, and enhances the community aspect of gaming by bringing groups together to compete in high-stakes tournaments for prizes, money and credibility. It’s also a great way to get young people socialising and working as a team.
The Educational Benefits of Esports
Esports in education not only helps to build strong relationships and communities, it also offers a range of benefits for learning and can open up different career paths beyond competing for fun, which is a big focus for students transitioning into adult life.
Improved Student Engagement
Gaming is an activity many young people find meaningful, so incorporating esports in education can improve student engagement when it is a structured programme, whether in the classroom or as part of extracurricular activities.
Some students find it challenging to fit in with certain groups, or fully embrace traditional school activities like physical sports. By creating esports teams, clubs and tournaments, these students can form friendships and identify more closely with their school. Students are more engaged when they’re passionate about the subject, and will take an interest in the different areas of esports, whether that’s playing the games, supporting other team mates, learning about the technical side of things or developing codes of conduct.
Developing Transferable Skills
Esports is all about working as a team, solving problems and communicating with each other clearly. These skills are transferable in many walks of life, and students taking part in social gaming will be able to take these skills into other lessons and beyond school life.
For example, students can develop knowledge on statistics, performance analysis and rankings, and transfer it over to maths lessons. For those that take an interest in game design, the hardware and technical aspects can integrate their new knowledge in their IT courses. Teachers can also touch upon the business aspects of esports, from sponsorships and budgeting to event management, which students can incorporate if they are studying business and intend to pursue it for higher-education.
Supporting Career Pathways
Following on from using transferable skills across different subjects, students can also discover a host of potential careers when studying esports or taking part in it as an extra-curricular activity.
Esports isn’t just about participating in gaming competitions; the industry involves event management, marketing, broadcasting, content creation and audio-visual management. This has also seen more traditional roles like web developers, accountants, HR, legal, nutrition, design, fashion and logistics all playing a larger part in the esports world.
Older generations would often scowl at the thought of a career in gaming, but a 2024 study by Tencent found that 40% of Gen-Z respondents said they are considering video game related careers, with 22% specifically drawn to esports. Gaming has opened the door for plenty of realistic career pathways, helping students reaching the end of education gain more confidence on what to do for their working life.
Building a Strong School Gaming Community
Gaming clubs, events and esports tournaments can create a welcoming community that benefits students, staff and the wider institutions. Working in teams can strengthen students’ sense of belonging while providing opportunities to lead, organise events, coach others and manage broadcasts or technical equipment.
These activities also help staff and students build positive relationships through shared goals, coaching and responsible competition. Many teachers and support staff will be of Gen-Z themselves, with the same enthusiasm and passion for gaming as the younger Generation-Alpha they’re teaching. Parents and local organisations can become involved as spectators, volunteers, sponsors or partners, helping to strengthen links with the wider community.
Gaming and esports events can also support open days and recruitment by showing that the school or college values modern digital interests. When well managed, they demonstrate teamwork, creativity, inclusion and responsible use of technology.
Bringing Esports Into the Curriculum
Incorporating esports in education creates a very accessible way for students to pursue something they’re truly passionate about. The appreciation for esports has spread to parents as well, with 60% of UK parents believing that gaming or esports is a legitimate learning method (Elevating esports in education: Preparing students for their digital futures by Dell Technologies). A Gen-Z research report from Tencent also found that 33% of people feel there is a lack of clear pathways to pursue a career in esports, so integrating it into a school or college curriculum can support young people early, providing the right structure to increase the chance of developing transferable skills and finding a career path.
Students could plan and deliver live tournaments, developing skills in project management, budgeting, teamwork and event coordination. Art and design students could create tournament logos, graphics and branding, while media students could produce livestream broadcasts, including commentary, camera direction, video editing and sound production.
Computer students could configure gaming networks, maintain hardware and explore cybersecurity, troubleshooting and online safety. Meanwhile, maths and data students could analyse player performance, match statistics and team strategies using spreadsheets or visual reports.
These projects give students opportunities to apply classroom knowledge to realistic challenges while building communication, creativity, technical confidence and skills that improve their employability.
What Schools and Colleges Need to Consider
Careful consideration is required for students, teachers and parents wanting to include esports in education.
Creating Safe and Inclusive Environments
Just like other areas of education, you need to create a safe and inclusive environment. Fortunately, unlike traditional sports activities, esports is much more inclusive and can include students with a range of different abilities. In fact, according to a 2025 study by Digital Schoolhouse, 85% of teachers identified esports as one of the school’s most inclusive extracurricular activities, with participation from different groups including SEND students.
Schools and colleges should still put safeguarding procedures in place. These should cover age ratings, online communication, privacy, screen time, in-game purchases and exposure to features such as loot boxes. A clear code of conduct should also set expectations around respectful communication, fair play, acceptable language and responsible competition.
Defining Clear Objectives
Before investing in equipment or organising a competition, schools and colleges should decide what they want their esports programme to achieve. It might support curriculum-based learning, provide new extracurricular activity or give students opportunities to compete on behalf of the institution.
Schools should also consider whether participation will be casual or competitive, which students they want to engage and how success will be measured. Objectives could include improving attendance, developing teamwork, building digital skills or strengthening relationships with the wider community.
Institutions interested in structured competition can explore the British Esports Student Champs, a national programme for students aged 12 and over in UK secondary schools and further education colleges. Here at EPIC.LAN, we’ve supported the British Esports association and National Student Esports (NSE) with a custom version of our esports tournament platform.
Choosing the Right Equipment
The equipment required will depend on the chosen games, the number of participants and whether activities are casual, competitive or designed for live audiences. A typical setup may include gaming PCs and consoles, computer monitors and TVs, controllers or keyboards and mice, gaming headsets, suitable furniture and a reliable network connection. Larger events may also require screens, microphones, cameras, lighting and video production equipment.
Along with the right esports equipment, schools should consider accessibility, technical support software licences, storage, security and the capacity of their existing network before making purchases. Equipment rental can be a practical way to get started, particularly for pilot programmes or one-off tournaments.
Working With Experienced Partners
For larger tournaments or public-facing events, working with an experienced esports partner can reduce pressure on staff and help avoid technical problems. Industry specialists can advise on suitable games and formats, equipment, network requirements, tournament rules, staffing, safeguarding and contingency planning.
A partner can also manage equipment delivery, installation, match administration and technical support on the day. This allows teachers and organisers to focus on students and learning outcomes rather than troubleshooting hardware or coordinating complex event logistics.
How EPIC.LAN Can Help
EPIC.LAN can be your dedicated esports partner for your school or college. Having organised and managed gaming events and LAN parties, big and small, for over 20 years, we can help you effortlessly integrate esports in education.
We can provide leading esports consultancy, guiding you on the best practices and how to create the best format for students, as well as provide the latest and greatest hardware with gaming equipment rentals on flexible terms.
Contact us to discuss your plans and ideas to bring esports to your students, or fill out our equipment hire form if you have a tournament planned for the future.
