Bringing Orienteering Into the Classroom: Working with Universities 

Published: February 12, 2026

Over the past year, Scottish Orienteering has been working with universities across Scotland to introduce orienteering to student teachers. We’ve delivered orienteering at Edinburgh, QMU, RGU and Stirling Universities, with Strathclyde and Dundee next on the list. The goal is to give future teachers the confidence, skills and resources they need to bring orienteering into their own classrooms- and get more juniors involved in the sport. 

Why Work With Student Teachers

Student teachers are keen to build a toolbox of activities they can use on placement and throughout their careers. Orienteering is active, inclusive and easy to adapt, making it ideal for both primary teachers and PE specialists.

Workshops and Taster Sessions

We’ve been delivering our full‑day Introducing Orienteering workshop alongside shorter taster sessions. Both are hands‑on and show how orienteering can work in real school settings.

  • Introducing Orienteering workshops give students the skills and resources to deliver a full block of lessons, with progression from basic map setting games to using orienteering maps. 
  • Taster sessions (1–2 hours) introduce simple games and activities students can take straight into school.

Building Confidence

Many students start with little or no experience of orienteering. By the end, they leave with:

  • A clear understanding of the sport
  • Ready‑to‑use activities for playgrounds, halls and fields
  • Ideas for linking orienteering across the curriculum

PE specialists tend to enjoy the competitive elements, meanwhile primary teachers often connect with the cross‑curricular potential. Building confidence is key to getting teachers to take orienteering to the classroom. 

Making an Impact

The work is already paying off. Students who attended our Introducing Orienteering workshop have gone on to deliver orienteering sessions during their school placements. By having orienteering in teacher training, we’re hoping to create a pathway into the sport- and hopefully boost participation in school festivals and club events.

Looking Ahead

Scottish Orienteering is going to continue growing its partnerships with universities. The aim is for orienteering to become an annual part of each teacher training institutions programme.