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Derwent Valley Orienteers set to get more schools engaged in Orienteering

Report by Natalie Weir, England Development Officer


Natalie Weir, England Development Officer, explains: 
"When Derwent Valley Orienteers knew the British Schools Score Championships were taking place on their home turf at Shipley Park in Derbyshire on October 2020 they were delighted.  The club immediately decided to use the competition as a good way to try and engage with more schools. The club has already contacted the School Sport Partnership networks and is working hard to encourage and support schools within the county to take part in this year's Championships."

Flier - front cover
Flier - back cover

The club is targeting certain districts in the county including Derbyshire Dales, South Derbyshire, Derby City, and Amber Valley & Erewash with the aim of engaging with 10 new schools which would essentially double the current British Schools Score Championships attendance. The club is providing a three-step offer which is called ‘Try it, Teach it, Train for it’.

Derwent Valley Orienteers new 'Try it, Teach it, Train for it' campaign provides the following three steps to schools.

Step 1: 'Try it'
This first step invites schools to come to Derwent Valley Orienteers own World Orienteering Day events which they are putting on during the International Orienteering Federations campaign taking place in May and to a range of School Sport Partnership events in the summer.

Step 2: 'Teach it'
Send interested schools three FREE session plans to give them the confidence to teach some introductory sessions to their pupils over the summer term.

Step 3: 'Train for it'
Schools that commit and enter the British Schools Score Championships will then be offered on-site coaching in the autumn term for three sessions 1-2 hours each. There is a perceived value and to cover the costs of the Derwent Valley Orienteers coaches time and efforts there will be a price that schools will have to contribute.

The club has selected different individuals to lead and liaise with the individual districts and network with those School Sport Partnerships.

Over the coming months, Derwent Valley Orienteers will try and enthuse and encourage teachers and distribute a ‘new and exciting offer for Derbyshire & Derby City Schools in 2020’ flier.

By creating a flier with the schools offer on one side and listing their Level D events on the other – the ultimate aim would be to attract new families to the club but for now, the club know that as Orienteering is such a great way for schools to get their pupils learning outside the classroom in a fun, active and inclusive way – they would be content just with getting teachers and pupils introduced to the Sport in a positive and fun way in the first instance.

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