Chess
The St Andrews after-school Chess Club operates from the Junior School on Wednesday afternoons for the students in Years 2 – 6. Staff supervision is provided, along with a chess tutor who provides expert tuition for all levels. Players from Chess Club are also selected to play in various competitions held throughout the year. St Andrews also runs an end of year tournament for all students in the Junior School.
Potential benefits of chess include
- Dramatically improves a child's ability to think rationally.
- increases cognitive skills.
- Improves children's communication skills and aptitude in recognizing patterns, therefore:results in higher grades, especially in English and Math studies.
- Builds a sense of team spirit while emphasizing the ability of the individual.
- Teaches the value of hard work, concentration and commitment.
- Instills in young players a sense of self-confidence and self-worth.
- Makes a child realize that he or she is responsible for his or her own actions and must accept their consequences.
- Teaches children to try their best to win, while accepting defeat with grace.