Display the schoolyard map with North clearly marked at the top and the gate, hall, office and pitch all visible before pupils settle. Take three hands-up answers, not open call-outs. Hold out for pupils saying which way they are facing, not just naming a place.

Before pupils settle, mark this layout on the printed schoolyard map (or a 5-by-5 grid): North at the top. Gate on the bottom row, second square from the left. Office two squares East of the gate. Hall two squares North and one East of the gate. Pitch two squares North and three East of the gate.

Walk a counter on the visualiser. Start at the gate facing North.

Route 1 (forwards / right): forwards 2 (two North of gate, still face North) → turn right (now face East) → forwards 3 → lands on the pitch. At each turn, name the compass direction now faced.

Route 2 (N/E only): two squares North, then one square East → lands on the hall. Point at the compass rose after every move: North never moves.

Key move to draw out: a turn changes facing direction, a forwards step changes position. North stays at the top no matter which way you turn.

Slip to watch: pupils thinking the map itself turns with the counter. Point back at North at the top after every turn.

Talk this one through together — pupils take turns at the board and the class agrees or corrects out loud.

A pupil walks the counter square by square on the printed schoolyard map while the class checks each step. At every turn, ask the whole class which way are you facing now? and revoice one pupil's answer before the next move — this keeps the watching class with it. Rotate a few pupils, mixing left/right routes with N/S/E/W routes.

• Watch for pupils turning left when the route says right — pause and let the class correct.
• Watch for pupils losing count of squares — have them touch each square as they move.

This is the practice round. Reveal one task at a time. Real schoolyard maps circulate; pupils walk a counter for the follow tasks and write directions for the make-your-own task.

Worked example first (board, you narrate): counter on the office, facing North. Forwards two (still facing North). Turn right (now facing East, point at the compass rose). Forwards one, lands on the pitch. Say out loud: turn changes facing, forwards changes place. North stays at the top.

Then pupils:

• Task 1 (two-step to gate): two West, one South from the pitch. Confirm by walking it once.
• Task 2 (three-step to hall): forwards two, turn right, forwards three from the gate facing North. At the turn, freeze and ask which way are you facing now? (East). Revoice before the last move.
• Task 3: pupils write office to pitch; walk one strong answer to check it works.

Slips to watch: turning left instead of right; losing square count (have them touch each square); naming the place instead of the facing compass point.

Stretch only once the first three are secure. For a stuck pupil on shortest route: could you get there in fewer squares a different way?