Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity.
John F. Kennedy
St Margaret’s recognises the importance of physical activity in a student’s life and the significant role that regular and purposeful participation in the form of exercise plays in promoting health and wellbeing. The 21st century is also a time of rapid and continuous change with everyone’s health being affected by the social, cultural and physical environments in which they live. The philosophy of the Health and Physical Education Faculty is to foster an understanding that health is influenced by the actions of the individual and cultivate enthusiasm for lifelong participation in physical activity for all students.
Through Health and Physical Education, students learn to be:
- life long, enthusiastic and active participants in physical and recreational activities
- well informed, ‘health promoting’ decision makers
- resilient and believe in the worth of their own abilities to reach their goals.
To develop these dispositions and skills students will:
- acquire movement skills and apply rules, concepts, strategies and tactics to support participation in a wide range of physical contexts
- utilise relevant biomechanical and training principles/concepts to evaluate their performances in a range of practical activities – ‘learning in, about and through physical education’
- explore personal, social and community health issues to develop the knowledge and skills required to make appropriate and informed decisions about their own health and others
- foster life skills related to safe participation, personal safety and protective/prevention behaviours in lifesaving, First Aid and self-defence.
Subjects in the Health and Physical Education Faculty
Years 7 and 8
Years 7 and 8 students participate in three lessons of HPE per week – two practical and one theory. They experience a variety of physical contexts to develop a very wide range of practical skills.
These units include:
- fitness related activities
- challenge and adventure environments
- water games, artistic swimming and lifesaving.
In theory lessons, students explore adolescent health issues and participate in learning experiences to enhance their personal development. Some of the focus areas include alcohol and other drugs, mental health and wellbeing, respectful relationships and food and nutrition.
Years 9 and 10 Physical Education Elective
The Elective Physical Education subject provides students with the foundations for learning and is aligned to the Senior Physical Education subject offered in Years 11 and 12. The course consists of applying concepts related to physical performance directly to a variety of games, sports and practical activities. Students apply their knowledge and understanding of functional anatomy, motor learning, exercise physiology and training principles to chosen individual and team environments. By ‘learning in, through and about physical education’, students will:
- apply relevant principles and concepts to their performance
- evaluate their own performance in a range of physical activities.
Years 9 and 10 Core Health and Physical Education
The focus of Health and Physical Education in Years 9 to 10 is to provide all students with opportunities to develop skills in physical or recreational activities such as:
- challenge and adventure activities
- games and sports.
Year 11 and 12 Physical Education
Students may also study Physical Education as an Authority subject in Years 11 and 12. Physical Education engages students as intelligent performers in a range of physical contexts. Through relevant learning experiences, students evaluate their performance in practical elements, explain variations required in skill acquisition and apply known training principles to their own sport specific training programs.