United Across The Board

Brentwood School’s chess programme has looked to build greater ties between the Senior and Prep Schools in the last couple of years.

We had a friendly match between the Sixth Form and the Prep School back in the autumn.

The Prep School Year 2 Chess Club is run by Head of Chess Robin Slade with a group of Sixth Form students. Sixth Formers first learn how to coach chess and then encourage and pass on their skills to the Year 2 pupils.

Every Brentwood student can have their own account at www.lichess.org to have fun playing and improving their chess.

The online Senior and Prep school teams take part in fortnightly national competitions organised by the English Chess Federation in which any student who would like to can represent the School.

Age is less of a barrier in chess than in more physical sports. In 2023/2024, 22 pupils from the Prep School – undaunted by taking on much older opponents – took the opportunity to represent Brentwood Senior School online in competition.

George from Year 6 was also part of our team at the Junior Team Challenge National Final in 2024.

A group of Year 6 students from the Prep School also took part in Senior School House Chess. They came across for lunch (always popular!) before the competitions and represented the same House throughout the year.

These tournaments are played on www.lichess.org in the Bean Lecture Theatre so everyone can see the tournament results and games live on the cinema screen and cheer for their House while they play.

Most of the Year 6 students pictured after the final round in Trinity Term started at the Senior School in September 2024.

We rounded off the school year with an outdoor match between Year 6 and the Senior School.

All these links and friendships through chess will help a smooth transition into Year 7 at the Senior School.