Chess, esports and games clubs in UK schools: how to judge extracurricular strength

Thu, 29 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

When choosing a secondary school, parents often ask about sport: rugby, netball, athletics. But the games clubs that matter to many young people — chess, esports, board games, card games — are a quieter measure of school culture. A school’s games clubs reveal what the institution actually values beyond its exam league table position. Here is how to assess them and why they matter.

What games clubs tell you about a school

Extracurricular games clubs sit at the intersection of academic rigour, social belonging and well-being. A school that runs strong chess, esports and board games programmes is typically:

keyschools on KEY SCHOOLS

Chess, esports and games clubs in UK schools: how to judge extracurricular strength

What games clubs tell you about a school