Are there potential benefits to pupils from the introduction, learning and playing of modern card and board games in Ssecondary phase education?

Might the teaching and playing of board games within a secondary school context have benefits for pupils? To provide a baseline for this work, an understanding of pupils’ existing relationship to tabletop game play was sought. Differences in pupil experience were revealed, linked to favoured ways to learn, frequency of play, favourite games, and access to games at home. There was found to be a lower exposure to games for pupils eligible for Free School Meals, for those receiving SEND support and for boys. In response to this data, a group of post-16 mentors were trained in an experiential method for teaching games, utilising the concept of Magic Circle as a basis for developing a structured culture from which instances of a well-played game might arise. Pupils’ responses to subsequent tabletop game play experiences were surveyed, suggesting potential beneficial outcomes for pupil wellbeing, and sense of social connection.