Over 100 students from across East Kent Colleges Group recently came together in Canterbury for the Group’s first cross-college English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) cricket tournament.
Taking place at Polo Farm Sports Club, the day celebrated teamwork and showed how learners can connect through a shared love of sport.
The event gave learners from the Group’s Ashford, Broadstairs, Canterbury, Dover and Folkestone Colleges the chance to compete against each other in a friendly but energetic tournament.
Before heading out onto the cricket green, students spent the morning getting stuck into a variety of activities. This included cricket drills and skills demonstrations in the sports hall, alongside creative Lego building sessions led by EKC Dover College staff, and model-making workshops run by EKC Ashford College.
The afternoon saw the pitches come alive with competitive energy. Teams played across four pitches at once, with eight quarterfinals, two semi-finals and a gripping final match where EKC Canterbury College emerged as champions, narrowly beating EKC Dover College in a close-fought game. EKC Folkestone College took third place after a strong performance in the playoff match.
For many of the students, it was a great opportunity. The environment encouraged teamwork, movement and mutual support and the atmosphere throughout the day was welcoming, with students from different campuses meeting one another, many for the first time.
One of the students who took part from Broadstairs was Abey, who had never played cricket before the competition. She loved this chance to try something new and reflected on the day, saying:
“It’s the first time for me, and it’s been an amazing activity. I’ve met a lot of students and new friends and it’s really exciting to play with another team and learn more about cricket.”
The tournament was created to give English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) students a new chance to come together outside of the classroom and participate in something active, structured and enjoyable. It also offered a valuable way to practise language skills in context, with learners following instructions, working with teammates and engaging with students from other colleges.
Throughout the day, they were supported by learners from EKC Canterbury College who helped coach and guide the sessions. These students played a key role in making sure everything ran smoothly, from explaining drills to encouraging participation.
Also on hand to support the students was Broadstairs’ Sports and Enrichment Coach, Lekan Olusoga. He said of the day:
“There’s been a lot of cricket mini games and quick activities, as well as a lot of team building games. The students have been focusing on team building, teamwork and also just learning how to play cricket in itself. It’s good to get learners interested in sport.”
Zoe Jewitt, Group Head of Education Improvement and ESOL Subject Network Lead, was proud of how the day came together, and said:
“This year’s ESOL cricket tournament was all about bringing students together in a spirit of friendly competition. We wanted the event to offer a great opportunity for students within the EKC Group to connect, develop new friendships and meet new peers.
“The enthusiasm was clear to see, with many students bringing banners and singing songs to cheer each other on. The brilliant Sports students at Canterbury took the lead in organising the sessions and final tournament. They also created tutorials and videos showing key skills and vocabulary to make sure everyone was well-prepared and confident.
“This tournament for us was about building the ESOL community, developing essential life and work skills, and creating lasting memories for everyone involved.
“We hope to run more events like this in the future for all our ESOL learners.”
To find out more about ESOL courses at EKC Broadstairs College and how we support English language learners to thrive, visit: English, ESOL and Maths.
More articles
Five things to do at an Adult Open Day
Students’ Union Spring update
