The eight-point compass: north-east, south-west and more: what children learn
An eight-point compass adds four in-between directions to north, east, south and west: north-east, south-east, south-west and north-west. Each one is exactly halfway between two of the main points, so the eight points are spaced an eighth of a turn (45°) apart. In Key Stage 2, children use the eight points with grid references, symbols and keys, including on Ordnance Survey maps.
This game asks which point lies between two others, which point is opposite, and which way you face after turning by 45°, a quarter turn or a half turn. These are the same skills children need to describe where one place is from another, such as "Edinburgh is north-west of Newcastle".
This topic covers a Key Stage 2 statutory requirement in the National Curriculum in England (Geographical skills and fieldwork): pupils should be taught to “use the 8 points of a compass, 4- and 6-figure grid references, symbols and key (including the use of Ordnance Survey maps) to build their knowledge of the United Kingdom and the wider world”. The programme of study sets this for the whole of Key Stage 2, so schools choose when to teach it; we have placed this game in Year 3 (ages 7–8).
There is no direct equivalent in the US Common Core State Standards.
How to play
Answer 10 questions before the clock runs out. Tap an answer, or press 1 to 4. Each game has 10 multiple-choice questions and a 150-second timer. A wrong answer shows the correct one before moving on. You earn up to three stars depending on your score.
Step by step
- Start with the four main points. Clockwise from the top: north, east, south, west.
- Name the in-between points. Always say north or south first: north-east, south-east, south-west, north-west.
- Count in eighths. One step clockwise is 45° (an eighth of a turn). Two steps is a quarter turn (90°). Four steps is a half turn (180°).
- Find opposites. Swap both parts: north-east becomes south-west, and north-west becomes south-east.
- Use it on a map. Put your finger on one place and describe the direction to another place.
Worked examples
Example 1: Which direction is opposite north-east?
Working: Swap north for south and east for west.
Answer: South-west.
Example 2: You face south-east and make a quarter turn clockwise. Which way are you facing now?
Working: A quarter turn is two steps: south-east → south → south-west.
Answer: South-west.
Example 3: You face east and turn 45° anticlockwise. Which way are you facing now?
Working: Anticlockwise from east, one step back towards north.
Answer: North-east.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
- Saying "east-north" instead of north-east. The convention puts north or south first: north-east, south-west.
- Counting a quarter turn as one step. On an eight-point compass, a quarter turn is two steps because each step is only 45°.
- Getting only half the opposite right (north-east → north-west). Both parts change in an opposite: north ↔ south and east ↔ west.
Activities to try at home
- Use a compass app to find north at home, then work out which room is to the south-west.
- Look at a road map and describe where a town you know is from your home.
- Make an eight-point compass from a paper plate and use it to give treasure-hunt clues.
- Print the worksheet and act out each turn standing up.
Ideas for the classroom
- Label the classroom walls with all eight points and play a fast "face south-east" game.
- Use an Ordnance Survey map extract and ask pupils to describe directions between features.
- Link with maths: turns of 45°, 90° and 180°, clockwise and anticlockwise.
- Play the game as a starter and ask pupils to draw the compass rose from memory.
Free printable game and worksheet
The free printable starts with a game sheet, such as a colour-by-answer picture, an answer maze or a secret-code joke, followed by a worksheet. Both use the same checked questions as the online game, and the answers are on the last page. Print it, or save it as a PDF from your browser’s print menu.
Open the free printable game and worksheet
Frequently asked questions
What comes after the eight-point compass?
A sixteen-point compass adds points such as north-north-east. It is useful for precise navigation but goes beyond the primary curriculum.
Why does the curriculum mention Ordnance Survey maps?
Ordnance Survey makes Great Britain’s official maps. Children learn to read their symbols, keys and grid references alongside compass directions.
How do the turns link to maths?
Year 3 maths includes right angles and quarter, half and whole turns. 45° is half a right angle, so the compass is a real-life use of those ideas.