CHESS players at two Eaglescliffe schools will benefit from funding for a new scheme.

The Links Primary School and Teesside Preparatory and High School have been allocated Government funding for a Primary School Chess Partnership.

Building Bridges is an Independent/State School Partnerships Grant Scheme and was set up to encourage collaborative working between independent and maintained schools, to widen educational opportunities and to share best practice and expertise.

The partnership will last between one and three years, and is the idea of Mike Abraham, headteacher of the preparatory school, and Sean Marsh, chess coach and vice-chairman of governors at The Links.

Formal recognition as an Independent and State School Partnership means the two schools have been allocated £22,000 of Government funding to grow and develop the partnership.

Initially, this will include weekly chess matches and evening classes, whole school chess tournaments and Saturday morning master classes.

The funding means that chess sets, clocks, outdoor chess tables and giant outdoor chess sets can be bought, as well as PCs and laptops that will allow online chess matches to take place.

The ultimate aim is to use the funding to establish a Cleveland Primary Schools Chess Championship, to be held in March each year, which children across the region will have a chance to enter.