Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to promote chess in schools.

The Government is committed to supporting pupils to have access to a wide range of enrichment opportunities, such as chess, which can be an important part of a rich educational experience. On 22 August 2023 the Department announced that it is providing £200,000 to at least 100 primary schools to improve access to chess for young people, particularly targeting girls and those receiving free school meals, who have been historically underrepresented in the game of chess. These grants will enable schools to purchase chess sets, provide access to weekly online chess tutorials, set up online platforms and access curriculum planning materials for teachers. The schools that are awarded this grant will share best practice on how other schools could establish strong chess enrichment to complement their existing provision.