Chess
All children in Year 4 have chess lessons for part of the year through the Chess in Schools Programme. Children may also take part in chess club for Year 4-6. As well as developing strategic and problem solving skills, there are a number of additional benefits to learning chess, as the excerpt from the Chess in Schools website explains below. We are delighted that some of our pupils have gone on to participate in regional and even national competitions with some great success as a direct result of learning chess in school.
A Chess Champion Award is presented in our termly Awards Service.
Mathematical skills. Learning chess leads to improved logical reasoning, pattern recognition, and cognitive skills. There is a growing body of research linking scholastic chess programmes to greater academic attainment in mathematics....
Concentration skills. Playing chess fosters analytical skills, developing the ability to achieve deeper and longer periods of concentration. This in turn leads to greater problem solving skills, essential across STEM subjects.
Resilience. The cerebral reputation of chess boosts self-esteem and augments ‘grit’ – the tenacity to cope with adversity. This important life skill, established at an early age, leads to well-rounded and employable individuals.
Soft skills. Playing chess develops patience and the ability to win and lose graciously. In addition, it encourages participants to empathise with their opponents and to take responsibility for their own actions.
Cognitive function. There is growing interest in how chess can benefit the elderly. Latest research suggests that the improved cognitive function brought about by playing chess can provide a significant protective factor against developing dementia in later life.
A life skill. Chess is a fun activity that can be shared with friends at school or with siblings, parents, and grandparents at home. The game can become an intellectually stimulating hobby that can last a lifetime.
Chess Club currently takes place after school on Fridays.
