Many school children take part in orienteering as part of the National Curriculum and in school competitions, such as the British Schools Orienteering Championships. If you are a pupil interested in orienteering you will find lots of interesting information in the Ozone section of the British Orienteering website.

You can also visit the British Schools Orienteering Association’s (BSOA) website.

EBORienteers has extensive links with schools in York and North Yorkshire and has an active junior section – many of which have developed their skills after first sampling the sport at school.

Club initiatives for school and youth groups include:

Summer schools league – a series of six or seven orienteering events held on mid week evenings and organised especially for schools and youth groups.   The programme in 2012 will be announced in early Spring 2012

Orienteering is now a major sport in education meeting the developmental needs, both physical and mental, of pupils. British Orienteering offers support to teachers including:

• Why offer orienteering in school?
• How many schools offer orienteering?
• School Orienteering Competitions
• Mapping in Schools
• Young Leader Award
• Guidelines for Orienteering in GCSE PE
• Information on Orienteering Coaching Courses
• British Schools Orienteering Association

Why offer Orienteering in School?

• Outdoor adventure activity
• Courses for all ages and abilities
• Competition with yourself and others
• Use of map and compass skills to solve navigation problems
• Map making
• Exercise for the brain as well as the legs

How does Orienteering fit into School?

• As an element in the National Curriculum for PE, Geography and Mathematics
• As an adventure activity which is cheap to set up and run
• As a recreational activity for outdoor activity weekends
• As a sport with school championships at every level

Why is it fun?

• Exploring the countryside
• Knowing where you’re going
• Running or walking along grassy forest paths
• Looking forward to finding the controls
• Talking to your friends afterwards
• You don’t have to take part on your own
• Two heads sharing the map reading can sometimes be better than one