Denise Harper SCOA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

Report for October 2004 - March 2005

DEVELOPING SCHOOLS ORIENTEERING

1. Increase awareness and understanding of orienteering in education
• Met with Julie Edwards, Sports Manager, Sport England. Given contact details for all County Sports Partnerships/ School Sports Partnerships. Contacted all CSPs in region.
• Met Alastair Phillips, Sue Pike, Bracknell LA re orienteering development in Bracknell Schools; identified suitable new POC areas for school use with Bracknell Parks and Countryside Manager.
• Met Caroline Walters, Wallingford SSCo, re orienteering development in feeder primary schools. Arranged future training for teachers.
• Advice given to Green Park Outdoor Centre, Bucks re BOF accreditation, mapping and provision of training for local schools to enable orienteering provision on their own school sites. Liaised with TVOC to arrange a re-map.
• Mapping/coaching advice given to Bouldner Fort Outdoor Centre, IOW, re introducing Orienteering as an activity.
• Contributed to article re orienteering in ‘Horizon’ - magazine of Institute of Outdoor Education.

2. Enable teachers to develop orienteering in schools
• Visits to help/advise teachers to develop schools orienteering at Kempshott Junior School, Basingstoke ; Hook Primary School and Bransgore Primary School, Hants.
• Responded to initial enquiries re resources, mapping etc from Gregg’s School, Southampton and St Michael’s Easthampstead, Bracknell.
• Delivered Inset session to Reading primary school PE co-ordinators
• Produced demonstration folder of useful resources/ activities for school visits.
• Arranged Coaching For Teachers course for Berks primary schools, held at Slough.
• Assisted at CPD OAA inset for Berks teachers.

3. Support the development of inter-school events and competitions
• Attended WOC 2005 meetings re YOFs and Battersea final.
• Assist at joint session/match between Horris Hill and Burford Schools on HH site, N. Hants.
• Exploratory talks with W Berks SScos re Festivals between their primary schools .
• Initial talks with Helen Ley, Hants and SN re provision of Orienteering in Action Zone, Hants Youth Games, Summer, 2005.
• Advice/support for Becky Carlyle to procure funding for Oxford YOF and attendance at Battersea final.

4. Support the work of the British Schools Orienteering Association
• Contacted all SCOA clubs to update BSOA contacts database. Ongoing follow up to establish this information where still outstanding.
• Distributed BSOA info at all teachers insets, training, and school visits.
• Supplied reports on SCOA devt work for BSOA meeting, as requested by Pauline Olivant

.

SUPPORT FOR SCHOOL – CLUB LINKS

1. Support clubs to make links with local School Sports Partnerships
• Printed / distributed PESSCL certificates / BKO event details to schools participating in W. Berks NOF OAA After School Project. .
• Facilitated at 2 workshops re School/Club Links at WOC2005 Development Conference held in Guildford.
• Liaised with SOC to set up meeting with Hants re possible project in S. Hants.

2. Support clubs to develop programmes which encourage young people to take part in orienteering out of school
• Advice to OUOC re introducing Oxford school children to club orienteering ( TVOC).
• Contacted TVOC re possible follow up for S Oxfordshire schools.
• Assisted as tutor at Mapping Workshop held as part of WOC2005 programme to enable club members to survey/map schools and small sites.
• Follow up meeting with Community Sports Coach, SN, to provide support in her new role - attached to Wavell School, Aldershot.
• Provided information re available coaching courses to interested club members in BKO , SOC and SN/BADO areas.
• Advice given to TVOC member/ parent and school staff re setting up after school club at Kings Meadow School, Bicester.

3. Support clubs which are working towards Clubmark accreditation
• Conduct BOF Level 2 Coach assessment for Sue Betts, SN, to further their abilities to meet Clubmark criteria .
• Produced article explaining Clubmark for distribution to all SCOA clubs.
• Initial exchanges with SOC re application for Clubmark.
• Assist SN in running CATI event to encourage participation.

PROMOTING EQUITY IN PARTICIPATION

• Site meeting at Mellow Farm, Dockenfield – near Alice Holt Forest - to provide advice on mapping and installation of a small POC for use with visiting camping groups. ( mainly scouts/youth groups)
• Responded to enquiries from Scout Groups in Purley & Pangbourne,(Berks) and Dibden Purlieu ( Hants)
• Assisted Pauline Olivant in developing the pilot Orienteering bolt-on module for JSLA Award for Active Surrey
.

DEVELOPING DISABILITY ORIENTEERING

• Ran an Inset session for staff at Brookfields Special School to introduce orienteering in their school grounds.

ADMINISTRATION AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

• Ongoing liaison with Hilary Palmer ( Development Manager) and other BOF RDO’s to exchange info ec.
• Attend SCOA meeting in Dec. to report on RDO actions .
• Ongoing liaison with Karen Williams re her development work in N. Hants.
• Attended meeting of BOF RDOs in London.
• Articles written for club magazines
• Info to Slough re orienteering club provision for their database.
• Time sheet/expenses management.
• Responding to email / phone calls for info/advice.
• Producing resources etc to enhance job delivery.

OTHER

• Attended as guest / assisted at Burford School Christmas Event
• Met with Nicola Hopper, Reading, for advice on preparation of A4A applications.
• Advised management of Festival Place, Basingstoke on organisation of Easter Orienteering Promotion. Produced/ provided publicity and info flyers for the event.
• Wrote articles/ provided photos for RC5, Winter and Spring editions.