Health and Physical Education

Health and Physical education is compulsory for all year 7, 8 and 9 students. Two blocks a week are dedicated to Physical education and one block a week to Health Education. Since 2012, single-sex classes for most Health and Physical education classes have been the norm.

Physical education provides students with the skills for confident participation in sport and recreational activities and enables them to make healthy decisions about physical activity.

Outcomes assessed in Physical Education are:

• Skills for Physical Activity: this strand describes the progressive development of movement skills and strategies necessary for students to confidently and competently participate in physical activity.
• Interpersonal Skills: this strand describes the development of life skills such as communication, cooperation and leadership necessary for effective relationships and healthy, active lifestyles.

Health Education provides students with an understanding of health issues and enables them to make responsible decisions about the wellbeing of themselves and others.

Outcomes assessed in Health Education are:

• Self-management Strand: students demonstrate self-management skills, which enable them to make informed decisions for healthy, active lifestyles.
• Knowledge and Understandings Strand: students know and understand health and physical activity concepts that enable informed decisions for a healthy, active lifestyle.

Outdoor Education

Outdoor Education is offered in year nine as a year-long option. The subject offers students the opportunity to develop and use a variety of skills in the outdoor setting. Students may be exposed to canoeing, snorkelling, orienteering, roping, first-aid, backpacking, fishing, surf rescue skills, camp craft and camp cooking. Outdoor Education promotes self-reliance, problem solving skills and teamwork. Students will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of extra-curricular activities, such as one day excursions and overnight camps. It is not compulsory for students to attend these and extra-curricular activities may be offered to those students who demonstrate a high level of skill and cooperation in Outdoor Education. Outdoor Education is assessed using the same outcomes as Physical Education: Skills for Physical Activity and Interpersonal Skills.