Schools’ Competition Pathway
Table Tennis England organises schools competitions under the title ‘English Schools Table Tennis’.
The competition pathway for schools in England is organised by Table Tennis England as part of its wider competition structure.
Under the title English Schools Table Tennis, there are two National Schools Competitions – one for teams and the other for individuals.
Fifty-one Schools County Associations affiliated to Table Tennis England hold qualifying events in their counties across England. The winners then represent their schools counties in the Butterfly National Schools Competitions.
These competitions build upon the outstanding work of the English Schools Table Tennis Association which for 50 years organised the above events until it merged with Table Tennis England in 2017 and then dissolved itself in 2018.
For the 2025/26 Butterfly National Schools Team Championships, the Semi-Finals have been removed with the winner of each of the seven Area Finals progressing straight to the National Finals to play a progressive knockout with each team getting a finishing position between 1st-8th. The eighth place in the National Final will be awarded to the highest ranked runner-up team from the Area Finals.
Butterfly National Schools Championships
Team Championships
Pathway: Borough Finals > County Finals > Area Finals > National Finals
Entry fees are £35 per team
London & Essex
The 33 London Boroughs including the City of London and Essex (London Central, London, East, London North, London South, London West, Essex)
South East
Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire & IoW, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey, West Sussex
South West
Avon, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Wiltshire
East
Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Leicestershire, Norfolk, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Suffolk
West
Birmingham, Black Country, Derbyshire, Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire Warwickshire, Worcestershire
North East
Northumberland, Cleveland, Durham, Humber, Lincolnshire, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Tyne & Wear, West Yorkshire
North West
Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside.
Area Finals
London:
Wednesday 21st January 2026
Redbridge Sports Centre, Forest Road, Ilford, IG6 3HD
Tournament Organiser: Chris Cockburn
The 33 London Boroughs including the City of London and Essex (London Central, London, East, London North, London South, London West, Essex)
South East:
Saturday 7th (boys events) & Sunday 8th (girls events) February 2026 (subject to change depending on entries)
Venue (Saturday 7th February 2026): Worthing TTC, Bohunt School, 65a Broadwater Road, Worthing, BN14 8AH
Venue (Sunday 8th February 2026): Hollingbury TTC, Bevendean Primary School, 38 Heath Hill Ave, Brighton and Hove, Brighton, BN2 4JP
Tournament Organiser: Matt Porter
Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire & IoW, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey, West Sussex
South West:
Sunday 8th February 2026
Eggbuckland Community College, Westcott Cl, Egg Buckland, Plymouth, PL6 5YB
Tournament Organiser: Graham Pearson.
Avon, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Wiltshire
East:
Saturday 7th (u11 & u13) & Sunday 8th (u16 & u19) February 2026
Highfield Table Tennis Club, 148 Highfield Road, Wellingborough, NN8 1PL
Tournament Organiser: Paul Nichols & Sandra Deaton
Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Leicestershire, Norfolk, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Suffolk
West:
Saturday 7th (u11 & u13) & Sunday 8th (u16 & u19) February 2026
Wood Green Academy, Wood Green Rd, Wednesbury, WS10 9QU
Tournament Organiser/s: Helen Lower (Saturday) & Kate Hughes (Sunday)
Birmingham, Black Country, Derbyshire, Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire Warwickshire, Worcestershire
North East:
Saturday 7th (u11 & u13) & Sunday 8th (u16 & u19) February 2026
Bradford Grammar School, Keighley Rd, Bradford, BD9 4JP
Tournament Organiser/s: Andrew Crabtree
Northumberland, Cleveland, Durham, Humber, Lincolnshire, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Tyne & Wear, West Yorkshire
North West:
Saturday 7th (u11 & u13) & Sunday 8th (u16 & u19) February 2026 (All events may take place on Saturday 7th February 2026 depending on entry numbers)
Halton Table Tennis Club, Stadium Fitness, Lower House Lane, Widnes, Cheshire, WA8 7DZ
Tournament Organiser/s: Dave Pilkington
Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside.
Only winners progress to the National Finals with the exception of the highest ranked runner-up team from the Area Final also progressing.
Winners at Area Finals play at the Butterfly National Finals at WV Active Aldersley, Wolverhampton WV6 9NW on Sunday 26th April 2026
Individual Championships
Pathway: Borough Finals > County Finals > National Finals
Entry fees are £30.50 per entry
Under 19/16/13/11 age groups for boys/girls
National Finals: WV Active Aldersley, Wolverhampton WV6 9NW on Saturday 25th April 2026
Competition calendar
Details of the 2025/26 schedule will be published in due course, email us for further information.
Schools County Secretary
Each Schools County has a Secretary who is the first point of contact for your local competitions.
Selection criteria
Follow the link below to download a copy of the selection policy referring to schools international teams. NB: polices are kept under review and may be amended.
Representative teams are selected to play in:
- The International School Sport Federation (ISF) – World Schools’ Gymnasiade (Under 18 or Under 15 – decided by ISF)
- Senior Schools International Championships (under 18, under 16 and under 14 age groups)
- Primary Schools International Championships (under 11 age group)
Latest schools news
English County Schools’ Individual Competitions
Contacts and entry forms for English County Schools’ competitions being held in the North West are now available. These are great events for all schools with four categories: U11, U13, U16 & U19 in boys and girls events.
Our Jack Petchey Foundation partnership enters its 15th year!
Reaching young people where it’s needed most across London and Essex, the Jack Petchey Foundation Table Tennis Programme is embarking on its 15th year – find out how to apply for a table donation.
Schools team champions crowned on Isle of Wight
The annual Isle of Wight Schools’ Tournament took place in mid November with some enthusiastic children participating.
School Competition Resources
To access the scorecards for your competition please click the link provided – School Competition Resources. When on the page the team scorecards are up the sectioned labelled ‘National Schools’ Competition Resources’
