Olympic Torch Relay distance calculator earns Inspire mark for London 2012

A new web tool that enables pupils to calculate and store the distance from their home or school to locations that the Olympic Torch Relay will pass through has been granted an Inspire mark by the London 2012 Inspire programme.

Getting to the Point in 2012 (www.sportatschool.org.uk/gettingtothepoint) is designed to engage schools and families with the Olympic Torch Relay by providing and storing the distance and the journey time from any UK postcode to one of the hundreds of towns, cities and villages the torch will pass through, as well as the evening celebration event locations. These distances will, in turn, be used to create free teaching and learning resources across the curriculum.

The website has been created by the Royal Statistical Society Centre for Statistical Education (RSSCSE), based at Plymouth University, and provides access to a host of free resources and lesson ideas for teachers.

The London 2012 Inspire programme recognises innovative and exceptional projects that are directly inspired by the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Professor Neville Davies, Director of the RSSCSE, said: “Getting to the Point in 2012 has the potential to reach every child and their family in the country, and will enable them to plan their route to view the Olympic Torch Relay. And more than that, it provides a wealth of free content for schools that will enable them to apply the information right across the curricula.”

Using Google Maps, Getting to the Point in 2012 can calculate and store the distance between two points in any county as the crow flies, and the actual distance a person has to drive between them. For example in Devon, on average, road distances are 20% longer than the direct crow-flight path. In Cornwall that rises to 30% and in Scotland it is 52%.

Professor Davies said: “The aim of the RSSCSE is to improve statistical education through better ways of teaching and learning statistics. The beauty of Getting to the Point in 2012 is that by creating this fun, interactive environment, we not only engage those children who may like sport or data handling, but even those who are not particularly interested in mathematics. We might also raise the profile of the Olympics for those who do not traditionally engage with sport and related activities.”

As well as providing data on distances and time, children are also encouraged to answer a number of questions posed by LOCOG as well, such as ‘Which of the seven Olympic and Paralympic values do you think is the most important?’.

The RSSCSE says that the mapping technology that sits behind the site could be used for international events such as the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and the annual Tour de France.

Seb Coe, Chair of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, said: “Getting to the Point in 2012 is encouraging school-aged learners to fulfil their potential. I am proud that with the help of partners such as the RSSCSE, we are delivering our vision to use the power of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games to boost participation in important and innovative educational projects.”

The Getting to the Point in 2012 resource is part of a larger project inspired by London winning the London 2012 Olympics bid, namely SportAtSchool. The latter is based on the flagship RSSCSE international school project CensusAtSchool that it created in 2000. Over the past 11 years, more than two million national and international learners and teachers across eight countries have taken part in this project.

The RSSCSE's media partner is BBC NEWS School Report. Throughout the year, School Reporters will be encouraged to report on what they find out when they work with Getting to the Point in 2012.