Check mate! Talented pupils at Leamington Primary Academy start their own chess club.

Leamington Primary & Nursery Academy in Sutton in Ashfield have praised the efforts of two of its pupils who have successfully started their own school chess club.

Grace Hovey (Year 5), and Will Mead (Year 6), approached their Head Teacher, Kaye McGuire with the idea. She said, “Grace and Will have demonstrated amazing leadership skills with their desire to run a club during lunchtime break. Not only that, but Grace also wrote to Smyths Toys to see if they would be willing to donate any chess sets to the school so that more children could take part.”

Smyths Toys didn’t let the children down and sent three chess sets to get the club started. Now Grace and Will are running the club each day and enjoy teaching their fellow pupils how to play the game. They’ve even arranged their own tournament.

Pupil Grace (year 5) said she thinks not enough youngsters are learning the game, “I like chess because it isn’t very well known. It’s quite an old game, 2,500 years old, and I think it should become more popular! I didn’t know chess before, but then Will taught me how. It’s quite hard and there are a lot of rules! I was so excited when Smyths Toys gave us the sets. I was bouncing around the living room!”

Fellow chess player Will (year 6) said, “My Mama and Pops taught me from a very young age to play and my dad plays with me a lot as well. I hope that the club will grow, and more people will enjoy chess. I hope it will become the biggest club in school! We’re going to teach the other pupils how to play. It’s such a fun game. It’s old too which makes it unique and interesting.”