Building Equal Access to Chess in Schools - re-issue

Market Notice: Launch of “Building Equal Access to Chess in Schools” Programme (2026–2029)

Re-issued due to administrative error in scope.

The Department for Education (DfE) is pleased to announce the forthcoming procurement of a national delivery partner for the new Building Equal Access to Chess in Schools programme. This initiative will run from April 2026 to March 2029, with a total contract value of £750,000 over the initial three-year term, and the potential for a one‑year extension subject to funding and satisfactory performance.

The programme will support mainstream primary and secondary schools, special schools, and alternative provision settings to establish or expand high‑quality chess provision, with a strong focus on improving access for disadvantaged pupils, girls, and pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Programme Aims

The supplier will deliver a national support model that will:

Increase participation in chess among pupils who are least likely to access enrichment opportunities, including those eligible for Free School Meals, girls, and pupils with SEND.

Establish regular chess provision in participating schools, delivered at least once every two weeks during term time.

Co-develop tailored delivery and inclusion plans with each school, ensuring provision is responsive to the needs of individual schools and priority pupil groups.

Supply durable and accessible chess resources, including adaptive equipment for SEND pupils.

Build capacity within schools through staff training and pupil leadership development, enabling provision to be sustained beyond the contract ,

Facilitate participation in chess competitions for all schools during their active year.

Scale and Reach

The supplier will recruit 350–450 schools over the life of the contract, ensuring:

Mainstream schools meet the Free School Meal (FSM) eligibility rate of at least 30%

At least 3% Alternative Provision settings and 8% special schools within the recruited cohort.

Representation across all nine regions of England.

Key Activities

The successful supplier will:

Conduct annual school recruitment and co‑develop tailored delivery plans with each school.

Maintain regular chess delivery, combining in‑person coaching and accessible online learning.

Provide essential resources and training

Develop inclusion plans and agree participation targets for FSM pupils, girls, and pupils with SEND. to engage priority groups

Facilitate participation in in-school, local, regional, national or online competitions.

Collect delivery and participation data, contributing to quarterly performance reviews with the Department.

Provide light‑touch support following each school’s active delivery year and work with schools to produce sustainability plans.

Supplier Eligibility

The Department welcomes bids from all organisation types, including individual suppliers and consortia.

Next Steps

The procurement will be launched via the Jaggaer eTendering platform. Interested organisations are encouraged to review the upcoming tender documentation, which will set out full requirements, milestones, and KPIs.