The government has set out plans to encourage more primary school children, particularly girls, to learn to play chess.
The Department for Education will award grants of up to £2,000 to at least 100 schools in disadvantaged areas across England, subject to interest.
Schools with higher proportions of pupils on free school meals will be eligible for the funding, which will enable them to purchase chess sets, provide access to weekly online chess tutorials and set up online learning platforms and curriculum planning materials for teachers.
A headteachers’ leader has said that, although the initiative was “well meaning”, it will only help a tiny number of schools that will have to “jump through hoops” to get a grant.
In addition, 100 new chess tables will also be installed in public spaces as part of culture secretary Lucy Frazer’s stated intention to give young people “someone to talk to, something to do and somewhere to go” outside of school.
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The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities will provide £250,000 to 85 local authorities throughout England to install these chess tables in public parks and outdoor green spaces.
The plans were first reported earlier this month, prompting shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves, a former junior chess champion, to question the number of chess boards being announced, commenting: “It doesn’t sound like there’s many to go around.”
The Department of Culture, Media and Sport has said it will invest £500,000 in the English Chess Federation (ECF) over two years in order to develop the next generation of world-class talent. Funds will support expert coaching, training camps and cutting-edge computer analysis for international events to assist current grandmasters and up-and-coming players.
Investment will include funding for junior training camps and one-to-one coaching with England internationals, prioritising access for young chess players to take part in an educational, productive activity that helps develop critical thinking skills. A portion of the money will be dedicated to supporting visually impaired and deaf players to compete in their own elite-level competitions.
As part of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, young people can choose their own activity for the skills section. Chess is already one skill they can learn or improve. The DCMS and the DfE are providing more than £7 million between 2022 and 2025 for the DofE charity to support more secondary schools and community settings to deliver the awards.
Children’s minister Claire Coutinho said: “Chess is for everyone, regardless of background. I’m thrilled that more primary school children will learn how to play, boosting their concentration, problem solving and wellbeing in the process.
“From providing in-person tuition to helping pupils enter competitive tournaments, this funding will support schools to spark a passion for chess in children across the country.”
Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “Well-meaning though this initiative is, and regardless of the undoubted merits of chess, it is eligible only to a tiny number of primary schools who will have to go through the hoops of applying for a grant.
“What schools need is a general uplift in funding so they can afford to fund not only a range of extracurricular provision but core provision too. At present they are trapped in a financial stalemate.”
