In the last week of last term we ran our annual Orienteering Transition Event, aimed at bringing together all the young people currently in P7 who will be moving up to the Nicolson Institute together in August. The theory is that by mixing the teams up, so the children have to work with people they don’t know from other schools, they will have some more familiar faces in the crowd when they go for their transition days.
The event starts with three structured activities, with an adult leading each one. One activity looks at map memory and communication, another at using compasses (and a bit of mental maths!), and the final one at making good decisions on the move – the core skills of orienteering. Because they have a structure and specific tasks, this helps young people who are a bit shy to talk to their new team mates as well as learning some new things.
After a brief water stop, the teams are sent out orienteering in a small section of the Castle Grounds. Parents need not worry too much – they are given a safety briefing first, and there are adults around the course to supervise and form a ‘human perimeter’ should anyone decide to get lost! It’s always a joy to see the faces of their teachers though, when we blow the hooter and send over 200 children off into the woods…
The whole of the Active Schools & Sports Development team come together to make this event happen each year, along with assistance from Scaladale, and of course the teaching and other school staff who come along. Thanks everyone, see you all next year!
