Schools

Results now available on Eventor for the Victorian Primary Schools Orienteering Championships 2024, November 29 at Brimbank Park.

Results

Orienteering is a fun and unique sport where competitors use a map to navigate from one point to the next around a course, punching the checkpoints to as they go, and trying to finish in the fastest time. You find your own way from one point to the next, the faster you go the more fun and exciting it is. As long as you find all the points in the right order, you have completed the course successfully.

Orienteering Victoria offers a range of programs for primary and secondary schools. These are designed to take students from a beginner’s course around the school grounds to a more advanced course around a park or bushland setting. The goal is for students to be able to attend a ‘schools championship’ event where they can try a course (suitable for all skill levels) and earn points for their school team.

Schools championship events are held throughout the year in May (Secondary Schools), August-September (Schools mountain bike orienteering event), and November (Primary Schools). Where possible, Orienteering Victoria will also plan and run additional inter-school events for groups of schools that would like to participate together. These are ideal for schools in regional areas and may be able to be organised anytime throughout the year. During February, schools can also attend Park and Street Orienteering events and compete for the Slade/Wilson Trophy, named after former teachers and orienteers Roger Slade and Gordon Wilson, who were both instrumental in establishing this competition.

The purpose of our schools program is for students to become familiar with orienteering as a fun challenging sport and to encourage them to join the Victorian Junior Squad. Those with more enthusiasm may also be selected for the Victoria Junior Team to attend the Australia Schools Orienteering Carnival. Selection is open to all students aged 12 and above. Selected team members are supported with training camps and funding. There is also an option for students not selected in the representative team to attend the carnival alongside their team members.

Schools Program formats include:

Sporting Schools – Funding is available through Sports Australia for primary schools and secondary schools (yrs 7 and 8). This includes mapping the school (required), professional development session (required for teacher delivered option), equipment, and coaching sessions.

Schools with independent funding – Schools can run a program using the Sporting Schools model at any time.  Support is always offered to assist teachers who want to develop their program (i.e. help with course setting, adapting activities, map updates).

Park and Bushland activities – Orienteering sessions are offered at several locations across metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria. These activities usually take 3 to 4hrs and involve an introduction session, orienteering course, announcement of results. Schools are offered a choice between line-orienteering and scatter courses.

Anytime orienteering line courses – suitable for secondary aged students, the Anytime orienteering line courses use the MapRun App to enable a comprehensive orienteering experience. A variety of locations can be used, some have permanent control stations, and others use the app only. These courses are offered free, with a small donation to the app developer appreciated.

All schools activities follow the Department Education activity guidelines. All orienteering activities run by schools require experienced instructors.

For all enquiries about Orienteering Victoria’s schools programs contact Orienteering Victoria’s Schools Officers: schools@vicorienteering.asn.au