Gloucester Rugby Charitable Foundation and BUSY Group launch esports alternative school

Craig Robinson, Senior Editor

Last Updated: 21/07/2026

Gloucester Rugby Charitable Foundation and The BUSY Group have announced a partnership to create an esports and gaming themed school. The school aims to give pupils who struggle to learn without the traditional classroom setting. The new school will open as an alternative provision esports school at Gloucester Rugby’s High Performance Centre in Autumn 2026.

The school is designed for young people who have become disengaged from mainstream education. It intends to offer accredited qualifications, personal development and industry-recognised esports credentials within a high-performance sporting environment.

Gloucester Rugby High creates school focused on esports and gaming learning experiences

Students from across Gloucestershire who face barriers to traditional education will be able to access the programme. The specialist school with its unique methodologies has the aim of helping them reconnect with learning and build sustainable futures.

Alongside esports-specific qualifications, students will develop transferable skills including teamwork, communication, problem-solving, numeracy and business awareness. Career progression routes into further education, apprenticeships and careers across technology, digital media and business are all viable pathways down the line.

Rhys Morris, Managing Director of BUSY Group UK and Europe, said:

“We’re seeing growing numbers of young people who are struggling to see a pathway forward. This provision is a direct response to that challenge, helping young people build sustainable futures and realise their potential.”

Peter House, Vice Chair and Trustee of Gloucester Rugby Charitable Foundation, added:

“Traditional education models do not work for every young person. Increasing numbers of students are becoming disengaged from mainstream education and require alternative routes to succeed. We believe we have a responsibility to support initiatives that give those young people the opportunities and support they deserve.”

The partnership follows more than a year of collaboration between the two organisations, built on a shared commitment to improving outcomes for young people in the county. The High Performance Centre setting is a deliberate choice, with the founders believing the culture and discipline of elite sport adds something to the learning environment that a standard classroom cannot.

It is another example of esports being used as a genuine educational tool in the UK rather than simply a leisure activity, following similar initiatives from British Esports, Staffordshire University, Digital Schoolhouse and various college programmes that have emerged over the last several years.

The school didn’t comment on the specific curriculum in the press release. However, there are interesting parallels elsewhere in gaming’s educational history worth noting. Ubisoft has a well-known initiative using its Assassin’s Creed games to teach history, letting students explore ancient Egypt and Greece through an immersive, interactive lens rather than a textbook. Age of Empires similarly tells the stories of historical wars and the formation of nations in a way that sticks with players. That’s more me  being a history nerd than anything. But, it does highlight how digital experiences can transform learning in various ways.

UKIE studies have previously shown many Gen Z want esports in schools somewhere.

Let’s see how it performs.

Craig Robinson, Senior Editor

Craig began his career with Esports News UK back in 2015/2016, looking to write about a passion while studying at Manchester Metropolitan University. He stayed there for several years before moving on to other websites to begin his career after graduating. Now he's back, covering esports adjacent topics and UK stories.

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