SPORTING SCHOOLS
Orienteering Australia – Sporting Schools Information
Sporting Schools brings together schools and sports to help get Aussie children active in their local communities. Sporting Schools is open to all Australian primary schools, and with quality programmes developed by more than 35 national sporting organisations, it offers a fun and supportive environment for children and coaches. Orienteering is one of the sports that is included in this program – see the Orienteering page on Sporting Schools website.
About Orienteering
Orienteering is both a sport and a recreational activity enjoyed by people of all ages and fitness levels. Participants use a specially prepared map to navigate their way to a number of checkpoints. Orienteering Australia and its State associations and clubs organise more than 1,100 orienteering events each year. Many of these are on school and university campuses and in local suburban parks and streets and are ideally suited to safe, accessible participation by school students and their parents.
Orienteering is part treasure hunt, part amazing race. You go at your own pace, usually on your own but sometimes in pairs or small groups. It is as much a mental activity as a physical one – hence it appeals to ‘non-sporting’ people and those who are not interested in traditional team sports, where players can be left ‘on the bench’ or take little part in game play.
Orienteering can be conducted outdoors and indoors. It caters for all ages from 4 years through to 95 years, for all levels of fitness, for walkers as well as runners.
How will Orienteering Australia help your school offer Orienteering?
Orienteering Australia is currently:
- building coaching capacity Australia wide as well as professional development (PD) training;
- offering coaching curricula and lesson plan resources with Primary and Secondary School Delivery Guides released in 2021;
- can put you in contact with a mapper to develop a school orienteering map or update an existing map.
Sporting Schools Orienteering Program
The Orienteering in Primary Schools Program gives primary students in Years 3-6 the opportunity to sample a fun, safe and inclusive, modified Orienteering program in their school environment.
The program incorporates a series of activities and support resources which seamlessly align to the Australian Curriculum in the learning areas of Health and Physical Education, and Mathematics, using engaging, group-based, modified Orienteering activities as the vehicle for learning.
The Program incorporates 2 participant categories – the Explore Program for students in Year 3 and 4 (BAND 3) and the Learn Program for students in Years 5 and 6 (BAND 4). The Primary School Delivery Guide is inclusive of activity cards, coaching tips and links to other resources which are provided to allow teachers / coaches to effectively deliver the program in a way that suits the students they are teaching, as well as the school environment in which they are working.
Explore Program
| Activity | Learning Focus |
| Clockwork | Map orientation |
| Counting Cones | Map orientation |
| Matching Symbols | Map interpretation |
| School Oval Line Course Relay | Map orientation and course navigation |
| Walk the Line | Map orientation, interpretation and course navigation |
| Line Course Event (Pairs) | Map orientation, interpretation and course navigation |
Learn Program
| Activity | Learning Focus |
| Opposites | Map orientation and course navigation |
| Line Course Relay | Map orientation and course navigation |
| Star Course Relay (Pairs) | Map orientation, interpretation and course navigation |
| Scatter Course (Pairs) | Map orientation, interpretation and course navigation |
| Scatter Course (Individual) | Map orientation, interpretation and course navigation |
| Line Course Event (Individual) | Map orientation, interpretation and course navigation |
The Orienteering in Secondary Schools Program gives students in Years 7-8 the opportunity to sample a fun, safe and inclusive, modified Orienteering program in their school environment.
This is a targeted Program for secondary schools that provides access to tailored resources and support for students in Years 7 and 8, particularly girls, to address the barriers that prevent teenagers from participating in sport. As a Sporting Schools (Secondary) offering, there are three key goals for the Orienteering in Secondary Schools Program:
1. To help tackle the decline in sports participation that occurs during adolescence. We plan to do this by targeting secondary students aged 12-14, particularly girls, to encourage long-lasting relationships with Orienteering as either a recreational or competitive sporting activity.
2. Increase physical activity in areas with large cohorts of inactive students. National data tells us that only one in ten Australian secondary school students get the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity every day of the week. The targeted secondary schools program (Years 7 and 8) provides fun Orienteering activities designed to spark the motivations and interests of these students.
3. Provide access to tailored resources for schools where there is evidence of disadvantage. Studies show that areas of social disadvantage can often link to large groups of inactive youth. Sporting Schools (and this Orienteering offering) hopes that by providing assistance and additional resources, we can help to hurdle the barriers these schools face.
Secondary School Program
| Activity | Learning Focus |
| Walk the Line | Map orientation, interpretation and course navigation |
| School Oval Line Course Relay | Map orientation and course navigation |
| Netball Court Line Course | Map orientation and course navigation |
| Star Course Relay (Pairs) | Map orientation, interpretation and course navigation |
| Line Course (Pairs) | Map orientation, interpretation and course navigation |
| Scatter Course (Pairs) | Map orientation, interpretation and course navigation |
| Scatter Course (Individual) | Map orientation, interpretation and course navigation |
| Setting Your Own Line Course | Map orientation, interpretation and course navigation |
| Line Course Event (Individual) | Map orientation, interpretation and course navigation |
What is required for Orienteering at your school?
The essential requirements for teaching orienteering is a school map and a qualified orienteering coach. If your school doesn’t already have a map that can be used for orienteering, then this can be organised. The cost of mapping a school is around $600, with the the cost depending on many factors, including the complexity of the buildings and covered walkways, the size of the school ground, the amount of orienteering features, and detail of the terrain. The school retains the map for unlimited future use. Please contact your state orienteering association sporting schools manager to inquire about mapping.
This is an extract from a typical orienteering map of a school. Notice the detail of all the features. Maps are usually between 1:1000 to 1:4000 in scale and special attention is given to buildings (dark grey), undercover areas (light grey), man made features like bins and chairs (black x) and distinct trees (green circles). Orienteering maps always show magnetic north, however using a compass is a more advanced topic that isn’t covered in the sporting schools program – instead, it’s preferred that the map is oriented according to the features you can see.
To view the full map – click here: Full Size School Map
Control points are then placed at various places on the map, such as building corners, man made features and distinct trees and a corresponding circle drawn on the map so that point can be found. It’s therefore very important that the map is accurate and up to date.
An orienteering map of the school is a great resource beyond this program – it will be of use to social science, maths, PE, and gifted and talented classes. It’s also a handy planning tool if the school wants to add new buildings!
School Program FAQ and Flyer
Orienteering in Schools Program FAQ
Orienteering in Schools Program Flyer – PRIMARY and SECONDARY
Contact Information
Feel free to enquire in regards to all aspects of Orienteering as part of Sporting Schools, including mapping the school, courseware, coaches, professional development and making a booking.
ACT
Sporting Schools Manager: Stephen Goggs
Email: schools@act.orienteering.asn.au
Website: act.orienteering.asn.au/juniors/schools/sporting-schools/
NSW
Sporting Schools Manager: Jim Mackay
Email: development@onsw.asn.au
Office: (02) 8736 1277
Website: onsw.asn.au/sporting-schools
Notes: OK-GO courseware available for purchase
NT
Sporting Schools Manager: Orienteering NT
Email: topendorienteersnt@gmail.com
Website: www.teo.asn.au
QLD
Sporting Schools Manager: Felicity Crosato
Email: sportingschools.oq@gmail.com
Website: oq.asn.au/sporting-schools
SA
Sporting Schools Manager: Zita Sankauskas
Email: schools@sa.orienteering.asn.au
Website: www.sa.orienteering.asn.au
TAS
Sporting Schools Manager: Jane Calder
Email: janemcalder@bigpond.com
Website: www.tasorienteering.asn.au
VIC
Sporting Schools Manager: Richard Goonan
Email: schools@vicorienteering.asn.au
Website: www.vicorienteering.asn.au/get-involved/schools/sporting-schools/
WA
Sporting Schools Manager: Michelle Martin
Email: michelle.martin67@gmail.com
Website: www.wa.orienteering.
National
Email: SportingSchools@orienteering.asn.au
Website: www.orienteering.asn.au/sporting-schools/
Orienteering Coaching Accreditation
Email: accreditation@orienteering.asn.au
Further Information
Further information beyond the scope of Sporting Schools can be found on the Coaching Resources page that complement the skills learned in coaching courses, and pulls together ideas and links to resources that are useful for orienteering coaches generally.