The school year and the scheduling of chess events

[John Swain]

Everyone knows that the school year runs from September-July (June for some fortunate schools) but too many of our junior events occur or culminate in May/June/July/August when public exams, school trips or family holidays often intrude.

I know of a number of juniors who have not played in the UK Chess Challenge Mega-Finals in May because they were scheduled close to public exams or because the players realised that, even if they qualified for the Giga-Final, it clashed with a school trip or a family holiday.

The National Schools Finals in early July frequently see teams at less than full strength for some of the same reasons (trips and family holidays - exams are over).

The answer must be to start and finish events earlier in the school year. I therefore commend Neill Cooper's new venture, the Secondary School Team Chess Challenge for teams of four players. The initial events are in the Autumn Term, some before Half-Term. The Final is at Imperial College on 23 April 2014 (edited - original date was 28 March; see Neill Cooper's later post) well before "revisionitis" sets in. Details may be found at: http://www.teamchesschallenge.org.uk/

[Andrew Camp]

One of the main reasons I do not enter the EPSCA Team event is that the finals are in our last week of term and no way would we be allowed to go.

If we had qualified of course.

[Peter D Williams]

One of the main reasons I do not enter the EPSCA Team event is that the finals are in our last week of term and no way would we be allowed to go.

If we had qualified of course.

Who would not allow you to go and what law would this be under?

[Carol Williams]

The beauty of Home Education = Freedom

[Neill Cooper]

Due to a changed date of a university exam the final of Secondary School Team Chess Challenge has been postponed until Wed 23rd April 2014
Not as good as the end of March but still well before any public exams for secondary school pupils.

Some of the regional finals are already filling up- see http://www.teamchesschallenge.org.uk/tccenter.html

[Andrew Camp]

One of the main reasons I do not enter the EPSCA Team event is that the finals are in our last week of term and no way would we be allowed to go.

If we had qualified of course.

Who would not allow you to go and what law would this be under?

Our final week is filled with activities, services and speech day. These would take priority over any other external events.