Personal development, health and physical education (PDHPE) is mandatory from Kindergarten to Year 10.
According to the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA), students are expected to participate in PDHPE for 300 hours per year in Years 7 to 10.
PDHPE provides students with opportunities to explore issues that are likely to impact on the health, safety and wellbeing of themselves and others – now and in the future. Students also participate in challenging and enjoyable physical activity, improving their capacity to move with skill and confidence.
In Year 11 and 12, courses available include:
- Community and Family Studies
- Exploring Early Childhood
- Personal Development, Health and Physical Education
- Sport, Lifestyle and Recreation Studies.
Vision statement
PDHPE develops students capacity to enhance personal health and wellbeing. It promotes their enjoyment of and commitment to an active lifestyle and to achieve confidence and competence in a wide range of physical activities.
Our aim in PDHPE, is to develop knowledge, understanding, skills and attitudes to empower students to adopt healthy behaviours. Students study a range of issues pertinent to contemporary society. These include body image, obesity, resilience, sexuality, risk-taking, nutrition, self-esteem, relationships, peer pressure and unhealthy behaviours such as smoking, alcohol and drug use.
Every effort is made to ensure that content of a delicate nature is delivered in a mature and responsible setting, with thoughtful consideration for the culture and attitudes of our students and the wider community.
About the PDHPE faculty
Our faculty develop a dynamic, effective and considerate style to delivering curriculum and consistently aspire to model best practice teaching and learning in both practical and theory settings.
Our teachers in PDHPE value diversity and consistently empower students to exert greater control over their own health, develop positive attitudes towards their endeavours in life and be successful members of their community.
Staff are aware of contemporary developments in the teaching of PDHPE and the education of both boys and girls and implement programs in a professional, responsible and ethical manner, with the health and wellbeing of the student always at the forefront of their thinking and practice.
Staff
- Mr A McCabe – Head Teacher and Boys Education Coordinator
- Mr N Alone – Sports Coordinator
- Mr S Ly – Sports Coordinator
- Mr B Schafer – Aboriginal Education Coordinator
- Mr L Vaiotu – Pasifika Program Coordinator.
Courses offered
Stage 4 and 5
- Year 7 to Year 10: PDHPE (mandatory for all students)
Stage 5
- Year 9 and Year 10: Physical activity and sports studies (elective)
Stage 6
- Year 11: Sport, lifestyle and recreation (SLR)
- Year 12: Sport, lifestyle and recreation (SLR)
- Year 11: PDHPE
- Year 12: PDHPE.
Activities
Students are required to participate in theoretical and practical lessons and the PDHPE staff make sure they are challenging and fun. In practical lessons students are assessed on their motor skill levels and physical fitness using a series of fitness tests such as the beep test.
The PDHPE staff promote opportunities for students to develop their movement skills in a variety of disciplines including games and dance, which improves students team building. Some of our extra-curricular activities include:
- School Athletics, Swimming and Cross Country Carnivals
- Zone Athletics, Swimming and Cross Country Carnivals
- Bernera Zone Representative Sporting Team Trials
- Inter-School SSW Knockout Sport Opportunities (Rugby League, Touch, Volleyball, Basketball, Netball, Table Tennis)
- West Leagues Cup Rugby League Competition Under 13’s and Under 15’s
- GIO National Rugby League Competition Opens.
Associations
The PDHPE faculty have strong links with the surrounding community including sporting organisations and associations which help maximise our schools involvement in inter-school sport as well as funding opportunities include:
- Bernera Zone Sport Association
- Sydney South West Sport Association
- West Leagues Cup Competition
- NSW Premier Sporting Challenge
- PCYC Liverpool.
Assessment
Over the year, various forms of assessment tasks are used in PDHPE to evaluate student learning and understanding in each year group, and for all subjects offered.
All students are provided with an assessment notification at least 2 weeks prior to each scheduled task being held. It is important that students read and understanding this information and seek clarification, where necessary, well in advance of that task occurring.
Information about assessment tasks in PDHPE are communicated to students and parents through the SkoolBag App, and also located on the assessment and reporting section of this site.