The British Schools Orienteering Association was founded in 1995. It was the vision of Peter Palmer and Hazelle Jackson. Peter became the first Chairman. Their aim "was to revitalize the development of orienteering in the UK and expose the world of education to a multi-faceted activity which opens so many challenging doors to children in a modern urban world which is increasingly constrictive to the young".

The British Schools Orienteering Association today exists to promote, through information, advice and support, the development of all forms of Schools Orienteering including schools' site and park activities; navigational challenges in the countryside and orienteering competition models. Navigational skills are developed through map and compass exercises. Contact with schools is normally through PDMs, SSCo and individual teachers

The association is administered by an annually elected committee which includes primary and secondary teachers and experienced orienteers involved in the development of orienteering within schools and colleges. Our current President is Peter Christopher a retired head teacher and ex chairman of the association. We also have several Vice Presidents who are top British International orienteers and World Championship medalists

We provide discounted orienteering equipment offers for schools and colleges, a network of regional contacts for advice in starting and developing orienteering within school as well as advice and information on training courses.

BSOA has increasingly developed links with the national governing body of the sport, British Orienteering, and became an Association of that organisation in 2003. It now has representation on their Council and all other relevant committees. It is also represented on the National Council of School Sports and through this the International School Sport Federation. The BSOA sends around 40 young athletes to the World Schools Orienteering Championships which are held every two years.

BSOA membership continues to grow and in 2006 exceeded 500 schools and colleges. It is playing a pro-active role in monitoring the progress of the British Schools' Score Championships and in promoting school leagues and other inter-school competitions.

Orienteering is an important vehicle for delivering the Outdoor Adventurous Activity (OAA) within the English National PE Curriculum as well as providing the opportunity for cross curricular links with Maths, Geography and Citizenship Studies. Likewise it offers an exciting multi-dimensional extra curricular activity.

The BSOA is continually looking at new ideas and developments to make the sport more attractive to schools and their pupils. It recently played an important part in developing the National Competition Framework for Schools Orienteering which is now available to Competition Managers throughout the country.