Schools report on success of DfE grants
In August 2023, the UK Government announced a series of grants in support of chess. These included funding for schools wanting to start chess lessons or run chess clubs. Schools could apply for grants of up to £2,000 with the money to be spent on tuition, equipment, or attending tournaments. In total, 100 schools around the country received these grants. To qualify, schools had to have Pupil Premium rates of over 57.5%, putting them in the top 500 schools in the country for this measure.
Where schools wanted to use their grant to pay a tutor, they were free to choose their own provider. Forty two of the schools chose to join CSC Schools Programme, receiving weekly lessons or clubs from our excellent tutors. Many of the schools took part in our local and national events: borough tournaments, our competition at St George’s Hall, Liverpool, or travelled to the capital for ChessFest or the London Chess Classic.
Over the past couple of months, many of the grants have come to an end. We’ve been delighted to read of the schools’ positive experiences, as reported in the Times Educational Supplement. Jo-Anne Ling, Assistant Headteacher at Edward Wilson Primary School in West London where CSC runs a weekly chess club said, “The chess scheme has been really great as we are an estate school where not many children had much experience of chess.. We wanted to get a lot of girls involved. Initially when we started there was not a great deal of uptake. But the charity came in offering teaching and pupils got the chance to go on outings.” Of our tournament held in Westminster City Hall, Ms Ling said, “It was really buzzing. They had a great time meeting children from other schools. The great thing is that a child in Year 8 can take on an older opponent. Players don’t have to be the same age and that gives great confidence. We can offer other experiences like football or tag rugby, but chess doesn’t require any physicality, and it doesn’t require a lot of equipment, setting up or screen time.”
Cassie Manly, from St Francis’ Catholic Primary School, Birmingham, another CSC school, said the chess lessons have been “really valuable, helping children to learn how to win or lose with grace. The groups [that took part] were able to pass on their skills to other children, and eventually most of Year 6 would choose to play chess for indoor breaks. Any initiatives that support children’s social and emotional development in a structured way are always welcome in schools.”
Both schools are waiting news from the DfE about future grants, keen to continue their chess experience.