England’s leading and most prestigious team competition for schools. This competition, formerly The Sunday Times and then The Times Championship, and more recently run by the ECF (English Chess Federation) has existed since 1957. The Championship is open to all schools in England. Teams are of 6 players, who should be pupils of the school they represent.
Whilst the strongest teams are always very strong, they are offered automatic qualification to the spring term regional stage. Most teams are not as strong and many are quite inexperienced, so do consider entering even if you have not done so before.
In the autumn term 2023, teams seek to qualify for the regional stage in spring term 2024. Strong teams can claim automatic qualification to the regional stage (if they played at the 2023 national finals or have six pupils with a total ECF rating of at least 9,600). Other teams seek to qualify for the regional stage by playing in local qualifying events and/or playing in internet (Lichess) competitions.
The regional stage in spring term 2024 will be a knock out competition of schools in a region. Matches are played in schools and the region winner qualifies for the national final. A few places at the national final will be available for those eliminated at the regional stage by playing in repechage events.
The national final will be played on Thursday 27 and Friday 28 June 2024, at Nottingham University. Schools participating at the national final will need to pay accommodation charges.
Entries are now closed for this event.
Click here for the tournament rules
For more information please contact Neill Cooper, National Secondary Schools Co-ordinator Email: manager.secondary@englishchess.org.uk
Regional afternoon events are listed below – MAP
| School | County | Postcode | Date | Time | |
| Ark Greenwich Free School | London | SE18 4LH | Fri 17 Nov | 3.30pm | CLOSED |
| Bede Academy | Northumberland | NE24 2SY | Thurs 16 Nov | 3.30pm for 4pm | CLOSED |
| Bolton School | Greater Manchester | BL1 4PA | Thurs 23 Nov | 1pm | CLOSED |
| Brentwood School | Essex | CM15 8AS | Thurs 12 Oct | 4pm | CLOSED |
| Bristol Grammar School | Avon | BS8 1SR | Mon 27 Nov | 4pm | CLOSED |
| Calday Grange Grammar School | Wirral | CH48 8GG | Thurs 2 Nov | 1pm | CLOSED |
| David Nieper Academy | Derbyshire | DE55 7JA | Tues 7 Nov | 4pm | CLOSED |
| Dunottar School | Surrey | RH2 7EN | Thurs 19 Oct | 4.15pm | CLOSED |
| Eton College | Berks | SL4 6DW | Thurs 2 Nov | 6pm to 8.30pm | CLOSED |
| Gateacre School | Liverpool | L25 2RW | Thurs 16 Nov | 1pm – 4pm | CLOSED |
| Gordon’s School | Surrey | GU24 9PT | Sat 4 Nov | 10am – 1pm | CLOSED |
| Greenford High School | Middx | UB1 2GU | Mon 20 Nov | 3pm | CLOSED |
| Hammersmith Academy | London | W12 9JD | Mon 16 Oct | 3.30pm for 4pm | CLOSED |
| Harrow School | Middx | HA1 3HP | Thurs 12 Oct | 2pm | CLOSED |
| Highgate School | Middx | N6 4AY | Thurs 23 Nov | 4pm | CLOSED |
| King’s College Lower School | Surrey | SW19 4TT | Wed 22 Nov | 4.15pm | CLOSED |
| Kings School, Bruton | Somerset | BA10 0ED | Thurs 9 Nov | 4pm | CLOSED |
| Magdalen College School | Oxon | OX4 1DZ | Wed 22 Nov | 5pm | CLOSED |
| Mill Hill County High School | Middx | NW7 4LL | Thurs 23 Nov | 4.30pm | CLOSED |
| North London Collegiate School | Middx | HA8 7RJ | Wed 15 Nov | 4pm | CLOSED |
| Nottingham High School | Notts | NG7 4ED | Tue 21 Nov | 4pm | CLOSED |
| Queen Mary’s Grammar School | West Midlands | WS1 2PG | Fri 24 Nov | 2 – 7pm | CLOSED |
| Radley College | Oxon | OX14 2HS | Thurs 23 Nov | 4.30pm | CLOSED |
| St Albans School | Herts | AL3 4HB | Wed 22 Nov | 3.00pm for 3.15pm | CLOSED |
| St Catherine’s, Bramley | Surrey | GU5 0DF | Thurs 16 Nov | 4.30pm | CLOSED |
| St Mary’s Catholic School | Northumberland | NE7 7PE | Wed 15 Nov | 4pm | CLOSED |
| St Thomas More High School | Essex | SS0 0BW | Fri 13 Oct | 4.15pm | CLOSED |
| Stowe School | Bucks | MK18 5EH | Weds 11 Oct | 3.30pm | CLOSED |
| The Cotswold School | Gloucs | GL54 2BE | Tues 7 Nov | 3.30pm for 4pm | CLOSED |
| The Grammar School at Leeds | Yorks | LS17 8GS | Wed 29th Nov | 1.30pm | CLOSED |
| Tonbridge School | Kent | TN9 1JP | Tues 7 Nov | 4.30pm for 4.45pm | CLOSED |
| Torquay Boys Grammar School | Devon | TQ2 7EL | Tues 28 Nov | 2pm | CLOSED |
| Urmston Grammar School | Manchester | M41 5UG | Fri 3 Nov | 2pm | CLOSED |
| Westminster School | Middx | SW1P 3PF | Tues 21 Nov | 5pm | CLOSED |
| Wilson’s School | Surrey | SM6 9JW | Mon 20th Nov | 4pm | CLOSED |
| Winchester College | Hants | SO23 9NA | Tues 14 Nov | 3pm to 6pm | CLOSED |
| Windlesham House School | Sussex | RH20 4AY | Thurs 9 Nov | 2pm | CLOSED |
| Woodbridge School | Suffolk | IP12 5JH | Thurs 16 Nov | 2pm | CLOSED |
Internet events, team battles on Lichess.org, are as follows –
CSC event in Monday 13th November 4-5pm for Schools affiliated to CSC (Chess in Schools and Communities)
Friday 17th November 3.30 to 4.30pm
Monday 20th November 4.15 to 5.15pm
Monday 27th November 4.15 to 5.15pm
Repechage events, team battles on Lichess.org, are as follows –
Wednesday 29th November 4.00 to 5.00pm
Thursday 30th November 4.15 to 5.15pm
Friday 1st December 3.30 to 4.30pm