What a tremendous series of come and try bike (CATB) events we have had this year.  There were close to 300 pupils from 7 different Midlothian primary schools taking part in 16 events.  Through working with schools the events have linked closely to the curriculum in areas such as health and wellbeing, languages, mathematics and technologies amongst others.  This fits well with our planning model which we are using in the  Outdoor Learning Service.

The CATB events took place within walking distance of most schools in local parks and some school grounds.  The events involved up to 18 pupils at a time learning to complete safety checks, how to use the brakes and gears effectively and then to have a chance to race round a skills to beat the clock.

The skills learned during these sessions can be used to develop other aspects of cycling such as commuting to school (sustainability development education) or hitting the trails at the world class Glentress near Peebles in the Borders (Opportunities for personal achievement) .

We would like to thank all the staff for their commitment to learning outdoors and for encouraging the pupils in their charge to develop new transferable skills in cycling.  We would also like to thank all the pupils that took part in the events for their great participation, attitude and energy.  The accelerated learning taking place during these events was amazing.  The learning culminated in lots of positive feedback from staff and pupils –

Teacher from St Davids Priamry School

“….The children are still buzzing after it and they’ve been speaking very positively about it all afternoon! I also really enjoyed it! It was great to see the children learning in such a relevant and meaningful way. They were constantly engaged and were given so many different opportunities to challenge themselves…”

Pupils from St Davids Primary School

“ It was a really fun session because I got to challenge myself in ways that I never thought I would.”

“The session was very well put together and I loved every minute!”

For the groups that have attended one of the come and try bike events, why not make the next step and plan a bike journey with the staff at the Outdoor Learning Service next academic year.   For the schools not involved this year we look forward to working with you next time.  We relish the prospect of helping to develop cycling through the curriculum in Midlothian Schools in 2015-16.

The highly popular P6 CATO (Come and Try Orienteering) Events have finished for this session, the first ones took place at Ironmills Park in Dalkeith and the final one at Newtongrange Park. All of the CATOs were over subscribed. Over the 8 days Orienteering, a total of 15 schools attended, 23 classes – approximately 500 students – which is brilliant.

The CATO involves full classes participating in a warm up activity and map walk. Then the pupils progress through 5 different courses, finally finishing with the Cross Country Event – if they have any energy left!

All pupils involved have worked extremely hard – participating 100% and everyone who has attended appears to have had great fun and learnt or developed their Orienteering skills. The results below can be used for Data Handling in Maths. If your class enjoyed this please come to the P5,P6 & P7 Orienteering Festival – for more information click here.

RESULTS:

Ironmills Park – 20.11.14 – Session 1

Ironmills Park – 20.11.14 – Session 2

Ironmills Park – 27.11.14 – Session 1

Ironmills Park – 27.11.14 – Session 2

Bonnyrigg Park – 5.3.15 – Session 1

Bonnyrigg Park – 5.3.15 – Session 2

Newtongrange Park – 12.3.15 – Session 3

Newtongrange Park – 12.3.15 – Session 2

Newtongrange Park – 12.3.15 – Session 1

Bonnyrigg Park – 19.3.15 – Session 3

Bonnyrigg Park – 19.3.15 – Session 2

Bonnyrigg Park – 19.3.15 – Session 1

Newtongrange Park – 26.3.15 – Session 1

Newtongrange Park – 26.3.15 – Session 2

Newtongrange Park – 26.3.15 – Session 3

Curriculum for Excellence & Orienteering Events

Orienteering can involve whole classes or individuals, it is inexpensive, helps develop life skills, is enjoyable and safe. Importantly, schools get active in the outdoors, and pupils can develop a lifelong love of outdoor activities. As well as developing the four capacities of the CfE, orienteering contributes too many of the Health and well being outcomes e.g.,

 Orienteering aspect: practice of skills in different areas and progression of skills used in orienteering. Improving speed over given distance and able to run longer distances. Able to run on rougher ground without injury. E/O: I practise, consolidate and refine my skills to improve my performance. I am developing and sustaining my levels of fitness (HWB 2-22a).

 Orienteering aspect: progression integral to orienteering; master skills individually, combine them and select the appropriate technique(s) in different situations. Goals can be defined in terms of mins per km. or achieve a particular standard in competition, or master particular skills. Through relay/team events – I work with others to optimise skills. E/O:  While working and learning with others, I improve my range of skills, demonstrate tactics and achieve identified goals (HWB 2-23a).

 Orienteering aspect: orienteering provides an alternative to many more “traditional” sports & games. Through orienteering interdisciplinary learning can happen. E/O:I am experiencing enjoyment and achievement on a daily basis by taking part in different kinds of energetic physical activities of my choosing, including sport and opportunities for outdoor learning, available at my place of learning and in the wider community (HWB 2-25a).

The P5, P6 & P7 Inter-school Orienteering Festival takes place at Vogrie Country Park on the 6^th of May 2015. This year the Festival will be open to all Primary Schools in Midlothian and East Lothian.

The main aims of the Festival are to:

• Have fun!
• Promote alternative physical activity in the outdoors
• Provide an opportunity for pupils to compete in the sport of orienteering
• Further increase pupils’ understanding of maps
• Experience skills for learning and skills for life
• Meet pupils from other schools

Festival information:

• Schools can enter P5, P6 & P7 classes
• There will be 3 different Orienteering courses suited to the ability of each class
• There will be no charge for this event
• Each school is responsible for arranging the transport of pupils to and from Vogrie Country Park
• Each class can expect to be involved in Orienteering activities for about an hour
• There will be no tuition on the day and it is expected participating students will have received tuition in their school grounds or at a CATO event
• Schools will be asked to attend either a morning or afternoon time slot within school hours
• Before or after the Orienteering Event schools can avail of other opportunities at Vogire Country Park – e.g. Orienteering warm up activities (staffed by Outdoor Learning) or Adventure Playground, Woodland walks – these should be fully organised and supervised by attending school staff
• The winner of the fastest P5 pupil, P6 pupil, P7pupil, School and Authority will be announced after the event

To enter:

• To enter please email me (eoin.keane@midlothian.gov.uk) the name of the school, the number of classes, the class size and the number of adults that will be attending by the 27^th of March 2015
• Once all interested schools have replied, further information will follow

Other resources and events:

• A couple of interesting booklets for coaching orienteering in primary schools have recently become available on the internet, one from Sweden click hereand the other from New Zealand click here.  Both are worth browsing through for ideas
• This year the World Orienteering Championships is taking place in Inverness – for more information click here