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Digital Schoolhouse

Inspiring pupils through 
​school esports

Widening participation through esports

We have a proven track record in harnessing the power of grassroots esports and competitive video games to widen participation for young people who may not engage in traditional education and learning. We do this through:


  • The UK’s leading youth Esports tournament, delivered in partnership with Nintendo, reaching schools and colleges across the UK
  • Regular engagement with the publishers and developers of globally-recognised video game franchises to showcase career opportunities
  • Promoting engagement with computing in places with complex social and economic needs.

Get the benefits of Digital Schoolhouse esports in your school

Image of characters from Splatoon 3 advertising the Splatoon 3 esports tournament with Digital Schoolhouse and Nintendo Switch


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Senior Esports (11-18)

Together with Nintendo Switch, the Digital Schoolhouse Senior tournament is run across the United Kingdom for ages 11-18 years. 


Express interest in next year's tournament by emailing dshesports@ukie.org.uk

Senior Esports FAQs

Junior Esports (8-11)

Our classroom-based junior tournament is for pupils aged 8-11 years. 


Its project-based resources are mapped to the UK primary curriculum for Computing, English, Maths, DT and PSHE.

Sign Up Here
Logo for the Primary School Esports tournament mapped to the UK Curriculum with Digital Schoolhouse and Nintendo Switch

Research based, evidence backed

Our school esports tournament has a proven impact backed by academic research:


  • Creates belonging for diverse groups, including SEND students and those previously disengaged
  • ​Develop pupils' transferable skills including leadership, teamwork, event management, media production, and digital skills.

Teenagers who have just played each other at Splatoon 3 esports on Nintendo Switch stand talking to each other in front of a large video screen


And pupils agree:


94% said taking part in Digital Schoolhouse senior esports had increased their interest in computers and computing


79% said that taking part in the tournament improved their teamwork skills


76% said it improved their communication skills.

Read the reports

​​Senior Esports FAQs

The deposits are fully refundable based on your attendance at your assigned Regional Qualifier. Please refer to the terms and conditions for full details on deposit refunds.

There is no entry fee for the tournament if you a certified Schoolhouse appointed by Digital Schoolhouse, free tournament entry is a benefit of being a certified Schoolhouse. You will however still be required to pay the £80 refundable deposit in order to participate.

Registration is open from the 28th September 2027 October until the 4th December 2027.

Due to an ever increasing interest in participation, we are unable to guarantee the loan of Nintendo Hardware. We will always try to ensure that as many locations are able to secure a loan as possible and may offer alternate formats with a reduced number of devices to achieve this.

All registrants will receive an email containing links to their esports tournament starter pack upon registration via Eventbrite. Please ensure you are checking all emails from Eventbrite thoroughly upon receipt.

This is designed to be an extra-curricular activity, so we envisage you may have one or more lunch times or after school club sessions devoted to this. 


To integrate esports into the classroom, you can use our free, curriculum-aligned esports resources that are sent on registration.

Yes, the expectation is that if you sign up to participate that you will be able to provide a team to attend the in person stages. Failure to do so can have negative consequences on the event for all participants and may result in you losing your deposit!

The regional qualifiers are scheduled to take place in various locations across the UK from January to late February 2027. Further information on the organisation of this stage of the tournament will be made available nearer the time. 

The Grand Final is scheduled to take place in April 2027. This event is planned to take place in-person. Further information on the organisation of this event will be made available nearer the time.

Please contact dshesports@ukie.org.uk for any enquiries. 

Digital Schoolhouse applications will open in January 2028. 

 

You can express your interest to join the programme now by emailing dsh@ukie.org.uk

Schools/Colleges may choose to allow the use of Switch 2 for the School Heat phase, but all knockout stages from Regionals onwards will be using the Switch 1 only. 

What else does Digital Schoolhouse do?

Free, Curriculum Mapped computing workshops

Book a workshop now

Fun, free playful computing resources

Free teaching resouces

Linking school subjects with creative careers

Creative Careers Competition

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