Personal development, health and physical education

Years 7 - 10 PDHPE

​Personal development, health and physical education (PDHPE) develops the knowledge, understanding, skills and attitudes important for students to take positive action to protect and enhance their own and others’ health, safety and wellbeing in varied and changing contexts. Physical education is fundamental to the acquisition of movement skills and concepts to enable students to participate in a range of physical activities – confidently, competently and creatively.

The study of PDHPE provides students with the opportunity to enhance and develop resilience and connectedness and learn to interact respectfully with others. Through PDHPE, students develop the skills to research, apply, appraise and critically analyse health and movement concepts in order to maintain and improve their health, safety, wellbeing and participation in physical activity.

Students are provided with opportunities to learn to critique and challenge assumptions, attitudes, behaviours and stereotypes and evaluate a range of health-related sources, services and organisations. They develop a commitment to the qualities and characteristics that promote and develop empathy, resilience, respectful relationships, inclusivity and social justice. Students practise, develop and refine the physical, cognitive, social and emotional skills that are important for engaging in movement and leading a healthy, safe and physically active life.

Learning in PDHPE reflects the dynamic nature of health, safety, wellbeing and participation in physical activity in the context of a diverse and rapidly changing society. It addresses health and physical activity concepts of importance to students and highlights the influences that contextual factors have on personal values, attitudes and behaviours. PDHPE provides students with an experiential curriculum that is contemporary, relevant, challenging and physically active.

Through PDHPE, students develop self-management, interpersonal and movement skills to help them become empowered, self-confident and socially responsible citizens. Students learn in movement, about movement and through movement and are given opportunities to apply and adapt their skills across multiple contexts. The learning experiences in PDHPE provide students with a foundation to actively contribute to, and advocate for, the health, safety and wellbeing of themselves and others in the community and beyond school.

Examples of areas of study:

• alcohol and other drugs
• food and nutrition
• personal identity
• mental health and wellbeing
• relationships
• sexuality and sexual health
• safety
• health benefits of physical activity
• fundamental movement skills
• rhythmic and expressive movement
• individual/group/team physical activities
• initiative/challenge physical activities
• aquatics
• lifelong physical activities.

 More information can be found at educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/k-10/learning-areas/pdhpe.

Stage 5

Stage 5 elective course - physical activity and sports studies

Fairvale High School also offers an elective course in Years 9 and 10 called physical activity and sports studies (PASS).

This course promotes the concept of learning through movement. Many aspects of the course can be explored through participation in selected movement applications in which students experience, examine, analyse and apply new understanding.

Students are encouraged to specialise and study areas in depth, to work towards a particular performance goal, pursue a formal qualification or examine an issue of interest related to the physical, emotional, social, cultural or scientific dimensions of physical activity and sport.

Physical activity and sports studies also promotes learning about movement and provides students with opportunities to develop their movement skills, analyse movement performance and assist the performance of others.

The acquisition and successful application of movement skills are closely related to enjoyment of physical activity and the likelihood of sustaining an active lifestyle. Students will appreciate the traditions and special characteristics associated with various physical activities and also the artistic and aesthetic qualities of skilled performance and determined effort.

More information can be found at boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_sc/pdf_doc/physical_activity_710_syl.pdf.

Stage 6

Personal development, health and physical education (PDHPE)

​Stage 6 Personal development, health and physical education is an academic subject that aims to develop in each student a capacity to think critically about key issues related to health and physical activity in order to make informed decisions that support and contribute to healthy, active lifestyles and communities. In Years 11 and 12, students study two core topics and two options that are decided according to student interest. 

Year 11 preliminary PDHPE

• Core Study – Better Health for Individuals
• Core Study – The Body in Motion
• Option – First Aid
• Option – Composition and Performance
• Option – Fitness Choices
• Option – Outdoor Recreation

Year 12 PDHPE

• Core Study – Health Priorities in Australia
• Core Study – Factors Affecting Performance
• Option – The Health of Young People
• Option – Sport and Physical Activity in Australian Society
• Option – Sports Medicine
• Option – Improving Performance
• Option – Equity and Health

More information can be found at educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/11-12/stage-6-learning-areas/pdhpe/pdhpe-syllabus. 

​Stage 6 - sport, lifestyle and recreation (SLR)

The sport, lifestyle and recreation course develops in each student the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to adopt active and health-promoting lifestyles. It also enables students to build upon learning achieved throughout the Kindergarten to Year 10 PDHPE syllabus.

More specifically, SLR is designed to focus on the aspects of learning that relate closely to participation in sport and physical activity.

Sport, lifestyle and recreation makes a positive contribution to the total wellbeing of students. They develop knowledge and understanding of the value of activity, increased levels of movement skill, competence in a wide variety of sport and recreation contexts and skills in planning to be active. These and other aspects of the course enable students to adopt and maintain an active lifestyle.

Topics students may study include:

• aquatics
• athletics
• dance
• first aid and sports injuries
• games and sports applications I
• games and sports applications II
• gymnastics
• healthy lifestyle
• individual games and sports applications
• outdoor recreation
• resistance training
• social perspectives of games and sports
• sports administration
• sport coaching and training

More information can be found at educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/11-12/stage-6-learning-areas/pdhpe/sport-lifestyle-recreation-studies.

Cardio club (extra curricular)

In addition to the courses outlined above, the PDHPE faculty run a cardio C=club that meets twice per week. During this time, students and staff participate in a range of cardiovascular and strength-based activities aimed at improving overall fitness. The PDHPE faculty strongly encourage all students to participate and also encourage parents and carers to support this program.