09-01-2014, 03:59 PM
Re chess in Secondary schools I am a teacher in an east end Glasgow Secondary school and, although I cannot play chess to any great standard, I started up a school chess club three years ago. To date, I have around 30 enthusiastic core members of differing ages and abilities. Last year we played matches against four other secondary schools from around the Glasgow area via the Glasgow Schools Chess League. Yesterday my school and 5 other local secondary schools received an e-mail from a school looking for chess matches. In November I was at the Dragons League school chess event in Milngavie where a minimum of 80 primary school and 24 secondary school pupils were playing inter school matches. Therefore personally I have found chess in secondary schools to be still alive and kicking.
In my school S2 and S3 pupils now have the option of selecting an extra-curricular activity and one of the options offered is chess. The chess elective is at full capacity with a number of girls choosing to play chess too which, of course, is an added bonus =) Recently, with regards to my own school, I was planning to apply for funding to set up chess clubs in each of our feeder primary schools but, due to pressures at work, I have not yet been able to do this. Teachers are under incredible pressure at the moment with the extra workload created by the introduction of the new school curriculum and national qualifications. I would love to devote more time to promoting chess in schools and I am sure other teachers are in a similar position.
I strongly agree with Andrew McH that more volunteers are required to help with chess in secondary schools, especially now, with teachers having even less time than ever. Young people in schools really enjoy playing chess and, of course, the benefits they receive from playing chess are very well documented.
In my school S2 and S3 pupils now have the option of selecting an extra-curricular activity and one of the options offered is chess. The chess elective is at full capacity with a number of girls choosing to play chess too which, of course, is an added bonus =) Recently, with regards to my own school, I was planning to apply for funding to set up chess clubs in each of our feeder primary schools but, due to pressures at work, I have not yet been able to do this. Teachers are under incredible pressure at the moment with the extra workload created by the introduction of the new school curriculum and national qualifications. I would love to devote more time to promoting chess in schools and I am sure other teachers are in a similar position.
I strongly agree with Andrew McH that more volunteers are required to help with chess in secondary schools, especially now, with teachers having even less time than ever. Young people in schools really enjoy playing chess and, of course, the benefits they receive from playing chess are very well documented.