Papers for ECF Council meeting 12th April 2014

[Neill Cooper]

The paperwork issue is merely one of many but is not a "red herring". It is invalid to compare non-competitive, perhaps week-long foreign exchanges or ski trips, where the paperwork is a small price to pay for the benefits arising, to that for an away chess match where the result can be known after just a few minutes and yet the whole experience door to door can be several hours and additional to a normal working day. Additionally, few school sports encounters such as rugby matches are as predictable and one-sided as many chess matches can be, and, even if physical sports matches can often be one-sided or predictable in outcome, in some schools there seems to be a lot more kudos running a sports team than a chess team.

I'm sure you're right. It's because of these sorts of barriers that the FA have abandoned schools as the delivery vehicle of choice for increasing youth participation in football. You need a plan, and it's going to have to be a long term project.

I published a secondary school plan in January 2013 and have been endeavouring to deliver it since. The final of the new team chess challenge competition is later this month.

[Neill Cooper]

I have found that by engaging with the parents of the potential team one can create a school team.

The parents will be keen (in the main) and then they can motivate the school.

It is harder work for me to motivate the school without the backing of the parents.

Having the parents contact details for each child helps enormously.

In my experience that can work well at primary school but at secondary school you normally need the support and encouragement of a member of staff to have a successful school chess team.

[Stewart Reuben]

Neill Cooper
>In many schools they require parental permission slips for chess but not for sport fixtures.<
Why is that? Is it because chess is not recognised as a sport - an age-old chessnut.

>Some schools require 2 teachers to go to any fixture.<
In the 1950s we used to take 50 board teams even on the tube with no teacher involved at all!

[Neill Cooper]

Neill Cooper
>In many schools they require parental permission slips for chess but not for sport fixtures.<
Why is that? Is it because chess is not recognised as a sport - an age-old chessnut.

It is perversely because there are often only one or two chess matches a year whereas there are sports fixtures most weeks.

>Some schools require 2 teachers to go to any fixture.<
In the 1950s we used to take 50 board teams even on the tube with no teacher involved at all!

I also remember wandering around various towns unaccompanied. More recently I have sent up to 20 pupils to London by the tube with no teacher involved. It was for a L6 maths maths Open day at Imperial College - I would meet them at Imperial.
However at the other extreme, some schools turn up with their 4 pupils for Team Maths Challenge with 2 teachers, so it is not only chess that is affected.

[Alex Holowczak]

Neill Cooper
>In many schools they require parental permission slips for chess but not for sport fixtures.<
Why is that? Is it because chess is not recognised as a sport - an age-old chessnut.

It is perversely because there are often only one or two chess matches a year whereas there are sports fixtures most weeks.

>Some schools require 2 teachers to go to any fixture.<
In the 1950s we used to take 50 board teams even on the tube with no teacher involved at all!

I also remember wandering around various towns unaccompanied. More recently I have sent up to 20 pupils to London by the tube with no teacher involved. It was for a L6 maths maths Open day at Imperial College - I would meet them at Imperial.
However at the other extreme, some schools turn up with their 4 pupils for Team Maths Challenge with 2 teachers, so it is not only chess that is affected.

Someone who went to my old school, Five Ways, would explain that the team went around Birmingham on public transport to matches in the 1950s. In the 2000s, I remember travelling on private buses, closed only to schoolchildren. We went in taxis on occasions. No chance nowadays, I fear.

[Kevin Thurlow]

"I'm sorry, but I think the health & safety thing is a bit of a red herring - if it doesn't stop state school skiing holidays..."

Yes it does. "Health and Safety" is used as an excuse of course, it is nothing to do with genuine H&S.

[Neill Cooper]

Someone who went to my old school, Five Ways, would explain that the team went around Birmingham on public transport to matches in the 1950s. In the 2000s, I remember travelling on private buses, closed only to schoolchildren. We went in taxis on occasions. No chance nowadays, I fear.

Some (state) schools do still use taxis when it is the best method. Particularly since it is now a lot of effort for someone to get a minibus licence.