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The NCCU normally aims to make three awards of one sort or
another as follows:
For each of these, the option to nominate a candidate for
the award or to facilitate the award is normally offered each year to a
county selected on the basis of turns determined by alphabetical order of
county name. The county rotas are different for each award, so that
three different counties would normally be involved in any one year.
For the school awards, the option is to nominate a school to receive the
award, such nomination being subject to Council approval. For the
British Championship place, the option is to nominate a congress to host
determining who receives it.
NCCU School Award
This award is essentially for meritorious contribution by
the school to the promotion of chess, which might of course take any of a
number of different forms. It is the responsibility of the county
allotted the option to identify a suitable school and to supply the
nomination backed by some form of citation to Council. Acceptance of a
nomination, or otherwise, is decided by Council. The winner receives a
set, board and clock, appropriately inscribed.
The option is normally allotted at the AGM (normally
June), and the nomination is to be presented to the following Council meeting
(usually December).
A citation might consist of only a few paragraphs of
text. An example of a more ambitious effort can be found here.
British Chess Educational Trust Award
To quote from the ECF website,
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“With funds provided by the generosity of the late Sir
George Thomas (now administered by The Chess Trust) the British
Chess Educational Trust annually makes awards to schools, and junior
chess clubs, which have shown outstanding achievements or enthusiasm in
chess. Commencing 1982, inscribed chess boards have been substituted
for shields. Recommendations for awards should be forwarded (via the
appropriate Union if in England, or via the national organisations for
Scotland or Wales).”
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Recipients receive an engraved board, set of wooden pieces
and a digital clock.
The NCCU endeavours to stimulate the process by inviting a
member county (determined as above by rota) to advance a nomination (as for
the NCCU School Award) for the NCCU to forward to the BCET, whose closing
date for receipt is normally 31st of May in a given year, but if they know
one is on its way then an extension might be granted.
The BCET used to approach the Unions to elicit
nominations, but since about 2024 have no longer approached Unions in this
way. Normally, only 6 awards are made each year. An exception was
2025 when there were 8. A BCET post on the ECF website, dated
12/02/2026, read as follows:
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We are inviting nominations for the BCET Awards 2026
(administered by The Chess Trust) which are for junior schools (including
colleges and other education establishments) and junior clubs in the United
Kingdom. The award to schools and junior chess clubs are for those which
have shown outstanding achievements or enthusiasm in chess. We are looking
for a detailed citation giving details of the school’s/club’s achievements,
activities, and actions taken to develop and improve the standards of the
juniors of the schools/clubs.
The award is an engraved board, set of wooden pieces and
a digital clock. This is a valuable award and it acts as encouragement and
incentive to the schools or junior clubs. The ECF website lists the
schools/clubs that have received the award in the past, with some
citations. Please note that a school/club can apply again for an award if
the last award was not recent and where a further award is justified.
Recommendations for awards with citations should be
forwarded directly to John Wickham, 55 Shakespeare Way, Taverham, Norwich
NR8 6SL Email: j.r.wickham@btinternet.com or via the respective UK national
federation (England ECF, Scotland CS, Wales WCU and Northern Ireland UCU )
by 31st May 2026
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British Championship Free Place
Participation in the British Championship in a given year
is by qualification only, but there are numerous routes by which a player may
qualify. Rules for qualifying potentially vary from one year to the
next, but one traditional route was been nomination by an English Chess
Union (such as the NCCU). Thus, as things stand, the NCCU’s current
Champion or nominee as at 1st May in a given year is granted entry to the
British Championship of that year (usually starting around the start of
August). Provided the nominee takes up the place in the British
Championship, and actually plays, the NCCU will refund the entry fee,
which is where “free” comes in.
Of course, timing may be a problem for a qualifier, so qualifiers
via this route may play either in the championship they qualify for, or in
the immediately following championship.
The NCCU offers, to a selected county, the option to
nominate a congress to produce an NCCU nominee for this qualification
route. This is normally linked to the awarding of the hosting of the
NCCU Individual Championships, and is awarded to a county on the basis of the
same alphabetical rota, for which click here.
Rotas for School/Junior Award
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NCCU AWARD
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BCET AWARD
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2024/25
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Gr. Man. (Durham passing)
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No nomination
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Cheshire & NW
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Stockport Grammar
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2024/25
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2023/24
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Cumbria
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Long Marton Community
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Yorkshire
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No nomination
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2023/24
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2022/23
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Cheshire NW
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Lady Barn House School
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Northumberland
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No nomination
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2022/23
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2021/22
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Yorkshire
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Nafferton Primary
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N’land (Merseyside passing)
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No nomination
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2021/22
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2020/21
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Northumberland
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No nomination
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Lancashire
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No nomination
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2020/21
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2019/20
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Lancashire
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Kirkham GS
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Cumbria (Ches. &NW pass)
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Long Marton School
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2019/20
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2018/19
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Cumbria or Durham
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No nomination
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Yorkshire
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Ackworth School
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2018/19
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2017/18
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Cheshire NW
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No nomination
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Northumberland
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Forest Hall Newcastle
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2017/18
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2016/17
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Yorkshire
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Archbishop of York’s JS
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Merseyside
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Merchant Taylors’ Crosby
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2016/17
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2015/16
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Northumberland
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St Paul's Alnwick
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Cumbria or Lancs
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No nomination
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2015/16
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2014/15
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Merseyside
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No nomination
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C&NW/Cleveland
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No nomination
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2014/15
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2013/14
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Lancashire
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Preston Priory
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Northumberland
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Newcastle Prep School
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2013/14
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2012/13
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Durham
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Shincliffe Primary
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Merseyside
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Sacred Heart
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2012/13
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2011/12
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Cumbria
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No award
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Lancashire
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Audley School
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2011/12
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2010/11
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Cleveland
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Yarm Stockton
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Yorkshire
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?
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2010/11
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2009/10
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Cheshire NW
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King's School Chester
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Northumberland
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St Teresa's, Heaton
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2009/10
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2008/09
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Yorkshire
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Ecclesall Sheffield
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Merseyside
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Ladymount Primary
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2008/09
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2007/08
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Northumberland
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Astley High
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Lancashire
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Blackburn Knights
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2007/08
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2006/07
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Merseyside
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Ladymount Primary
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Cumbria
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Belah Primary
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2006/07
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2005/06
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Lancashire
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Aughton St Michaels
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Cleveland
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Ormesby Secondary
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2005/06
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2004/05
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Cumbria
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Inglewood Junior
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Cheshire & N.Wales
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Grappenhall Juniors
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2004/05
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2003/04
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Cleveland
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Ormesby Secondary
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Yorkshire
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ALCUIN
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2003/04
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2002/03
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Cheshire NW
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Scholars Green
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Northumberland
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NJCA
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2002/03
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2001/02
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Yorkshire
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?
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Merseyside
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Dawpool Primary
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2001/02
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2000/01
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Northumberland
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Longridge Towers
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Lancashire
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Northfold CP
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2000/01
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1999/00
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Merseyside
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Childwall
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Durham
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Red Rose Primary
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1999/00
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1998/99
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Lancashire
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St. Josephs
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Cumbria
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Scotby School
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1998/99
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1997/98
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Durham
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Mortimer
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Cleveland
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Whale Hill
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1997/98
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1996/97
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Cumbria
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Austin Friars
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Cheshire
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None
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1996/97
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1995/96
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Cleveland
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Links Primary
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Yorkshire
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Queen Elizabeth GS
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1995/96
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1994/95
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Cheshire + NW
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St. Wilfrid's
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Northumbria
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Southridge First
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1994/95
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1993/94
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Yorkshire
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St. Bede's
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Merseyside
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None
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1993/94
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