01 November 2005

Hopes of comprehensive coverage for free maps scheme

Schools urged to get their order in before the deadline

Britain’s map maker Ordnance Survey is hoping for comprehensive coverage for its initiative offering a free map for every 11-year-old in the country, but as the November 9 deadline for orders is looming some schools may inadvertently miss out on the offer of a valuable resource for their pupils.

Ordnance Survey needs teachers to order their allocation of the free OS Explorer Maps on its website http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/freemapsfor11yearolds

"We have already received orders for over 597,000 maps to schools," says Elaine Owen, Ordnance Survey’s Senior Education Manager. "That’s a great response; but we believe that there are around another 182,000 children who are eligible throughout Britain, and we don’t want teachers to miss the offer of a free detailed OS Explorer Map for their year 7 pupils. We can only supply the maps if schools order by the deadline date, so that we can process the requests, print and deliver them all as soon as possible." 

Most schools are ordering maps – each worth £7.49 – based on their local area so that their pupils can get the most out of exploring and enjoying their own locality as well as for study at school.

This is the fourth year Ordnance Survey has made available a free OS Explorer Map for Year 7 and Primary 7 pupils across the country. More than 2½ million children have already benefited from the initiative and the shop value of maps being offered this year is more than £5.5 million.

This year, to encourage youngsters to use their maps, they can enter a competition to spend the day with survival expert Ray Mears – learning about bushcraft and having a go themselves. The competition is already proving popular as all pupils have to do is answer a few simple questions about map reading and describe how they use their free Ordnance Survey map. Information on how to enter the competition is included with the free resources that accompany the free maps.

Although distributed by schools, the maps will be owned by the children themselves, so that they can use them at home with their families in addition to a wealth of curriculum-linked activities in the classroom.

---

Chief Press Officer - Scott Sinclair

Email: scott.sinclair@ordnancesurvey.co.uk

Phone: (+44) 023 8079 2265

Senior Press Officer - Kate Kemp

Email: kate.kemp@ordnancesurvey.co.uk

Phone: (+44) 023 8079 2977

Press Officer - Paula Good

Email: paula.good@ordnancesurvey.co.uk

Phone: (+44) 023 8079 2635

Press Officer - Paul Beauchamp

Email: paul.beauchamp@ordnancesurvey.co.uk

Phone: (+44) 023 8079 2568

Press Office Co-ordinator - Pauline Hand

Email: pauline.hand@ordnancesurvey.co.uk

Phone: (+44) 023 8079 2251

Press Office fax: (+44) 023 8030 5295