A school's chess club has celebrated a record attendance as its popularity continues to grow.

William Howard School's chess club, which was started and is run by teachers Jim Connolly and Holden Davies, celebrated a record attendance on Wednesday, September 25. 

Students from across the school's year groups converged to brush up on their chess skills at the club which has seen a rapid growth in attendance and popularity since its creation.

After the session, Mr Connolly was on hand to express his delight at the club's turnout.

He said: "It was an amazing turnout and I was thrilled to see such excitement in R1 as students from all years and of all abilities chatted and played.

"The only problem was that I ran out of sets for them to use."

For Holden, the school's chess club provides students with a number of benefits in and outside of the classroom from social skills to patience and concentration.

Speaking previously, he said: "You get so many of the kids making new friends at the club and it encourages the kids to get involved with the chess - it is a great way to bond with others and that has been great to see. 

"One of the biggest reasons we like to push the chess club is because it also has huge benefits towards patience, concentration, social skills, impulse control, and it teaches the kids about consequences.

"These skills not only translate into chess but also into their wider lives."