National Primary Schools' Chess Championships

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2025 Competition
2023 Final
Details of the competition

2025 Competition

All the information is in this live Google doc. Do check back for updates.

Ready to enter? The entry form is here.

Entries will be time stamped automatically and allocated on a first come basis. Please note some zones are already full as requested by Host organisers.

If there is no zone close to your school, please consider hosting, it is not too late.

If you are willing to host a Zone, please contact the NPSCC Controller, Angela Eyton, urgently.

Zone hosts get free entry for the host School, and we can arrange and pay for an Arbiter to attend  if required. EPSCA will provide medals for the teams that finish in the top three places.

Hosts also get priority booking for the Zones and Semi-Finals stage.

Zones will take place in the Spring term between January and 2nd March, so we do not clash with the Association Teams events.

The format remains the same as previous years with Zones, Semi-Finals and Finals. 

We have four one-day Semi Finals to choose from: Bristol, Nottingham, London (x2)
(There will be a 3rd London Semi-Final if required.)

If you have any questions, please get in touch,

With best wishes for a successful season of chess,

With thanks

Angela Eyton 

EPSCA National Schools Controller 2025

Getting ready to play! The magnificent venue for the Grand Final, 2023. More photos here.

2023 Final

Congratulations to our 2023 champion schools: Westminster Under (Under 11) and Kings College (Under 9). Thanks to Mike Forster for these photos of the final.

Under 11 Final
Westminster Under 29.5
Dulwich Prep. 24
Highgate 19.5
Hallfield 19.5
University College S 17.5
The Hall 13.5
RGS Newcastle 11
St Martins 5.5
   
Under 9 Final
Kings College 27
The Pointer School 22.5
City Juniors 21
Eltham College 21
The Hall 14
Hereward House 14
Hallfield 14
The Beacon 6.5

Details

This successful competition started in 1969. It is open to all schools in England, Scotland and Wales. Although the aim is to find the strongest chess-playing schools in the Country, it is intended to be an interesting challenge to schools of any chess-playing ability. The format can vary from year to year, so the following is just to give an idea of how it works.
Teams:     5 players – plus 1 reserve
Under 11 (Year 6 & below)
Under 9  (Year 4 & below)

Stage 1: Zones
Local events where a number of schools send teams and try to qualify for the semi-finals. Usually held in January, February and March.

Stage 2: Semi-Finals:
Teams qualifying from the zones play in semi-finals, usually in May and June.

Stage 3: National Finals:
Usually a two-day event held in July