School Scrabble NSW is an initiative of the NSW Division of the Australian Scrabble Players Association, sponsored by Mattel Australia, the distributors of Scrabble within Australia, and Macquarie Dictionary. School Scrabble NSW is organised in Regions, serviced by voluntary Region Co-ordinators appointed by ASPA (NSW).

School Co-ordinators are responsible for organising play within their school, with a secondary objective of determining the top one or two teams to represent their school in Region competitions, organized by a local ASPA (NSW) Scrabble Club. The top teams in each Region will then progress to represent their Region and school in an annual NSW School Scrabble Championships, organised by ASPA (NSW).

Who can participate?

Any primary or secondary school in New South Wales or ACT can take part, provided there is a nominated School Co-ordinator to liaise with the Region or State Co-ordinator.

What word source is used?

The recommended word source for School Scrabble is Macquarie Dictionary, plus the internationally used two and three-letter words and their inflections. In region and State competitions, words found in Official Scrabble Words International will also be allowed.

What does our school need to get started?

All your school needs to get started is a group of at least four students willing to play, and a person who is willing to organize play at your school, and liaise with our Region or State Co-ordinator. We will supply everything else needed to get started.

What initial assistance is available?

Once a school indicates it will be forming a Scrabble group, that school will have the option of purchasing a Scrabble starter kit for $30. The kit will contain two scrabble sets, two Macquarie dictionaries, a booklet of internationally used two and three-letter words, a laminated list of two and three-letter words, rules of play, a round robin draw, playing suggestions for school groups and more. The kit will entitle the school to one years membership of ASPA (NSW), normally $20, which will qualify school players for many benefits as well as access to the quarterly National Scrabble publication, Across the Board.

How does our school join School Scrabble NSW?

If the school wishing to participate is within a region serviced by a Region Co-ordinator, the School Co-ordinator should contact the Region Co-ordinator directly, when ready to start. If the school is in an area yet to be allocated a Region Co-ordinator, the School Co-ordinator should contact the State Co-ordinator, by email.

What ongoing assistance is available once our school gets started?

The School Scrabble® NSW web site (link broken) contains a Resource Centre which will act as the repository of resources for School Co-ordinators and student players, once the Scrabble starter kit has been issued. In addition to the web site, assistance will always be available from your Region Co-ordinator, or the State Co-ordinator. This assistance could be in the form of in-school coaching, help with school round robins or additional resources.