Why have an Educational Bridge for Schools Programme?

Firstly, bridge is terrific fun! It is something that children of all ages really enjoy once they try it. They love working things out, discovering how to make the most of the cards, and of course they love winning!

But it is also an educating team activity, helping kids to cope with defeat and victory and to learn that mistakes are not terminal. As an intellectual challenge, bridge is unsurpassed, posing continuous problems to be solved, involving elements of logical reasoning, probability analysis and decision making.

One of its greatest virtues is that it develops social skills. Young people learn of the need to co-operate with a partner, to share information and combine as a team to beat the opposition.

If anyone has any doubts, the value of MiniBridge in schools has recently been convincingly demonstrated. At a junior school in Grimsby, a group of 10 youngsters studied MiniBridge for one term, following which they showed a 35% increase in their marks for maths in their SATS results. And this was at a school in a deprived area where MiniBridge was introduced as an Educational Action Zone initiative.

David Blunkett, former Secretary of State for Education and Employment, has said:

"The development of after-school clubs and the promotion of worthwhile and stimulating activity, has to be in the interests of our young people. Promoting bridge as part of that after school extension of the school-based curriculum is clearly to be supported and welcomed.”

Bridge in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme

Bridge is recognised as an optional element in the Skills section of the scheme. Bridge can be studied under the scheme at any level, from an introduction to the game using MiniBridge right up to advanced levels.