Learning Framework

Personal Development, Health and Physical Education

  Add to Favourites
Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE) contributes significantly to the cognitive, social, emotional, physical and spiritual development of students. The Years 7–10 PDHPE curriculum, plays an important role in promoting the value of physical activity, developing resilience and providing opportunities for students to learn how to maintain a healthy, productive and active lifestyle.

In PDHPE, students explore a variety of issues that are likely to impact their future health and wellbeing, such as physical activity, mental health, drug use, sexual health, nutrition, relationships, personal safety, gender roles and discrimination. Potential health issues in later life and their relationship to lifestyle patterns established in adolescence, are also examined.

Young people’s motivation to be physically active is influenced by their level of enjoyment, perceived competence and social support. PDHPE plays a key role in promoting physical activity and developing competency in movement skills. Students develop, adapt and improvise their movement skills in a wide variety of challenging environments, which appeal to their interests and enhance their enjoyment, and which ultimately increase the likelihood of lifelong physical activity.

Ravenswood’s philosophy is to promote physical activity to all students and provide opportunities for participation at all levels of skill. In Secondary School, there is a wide variety of sport available for a range of abilities and interests.

Year 10

In Years 9 and 10, students have the additional opportunity to study Physical Activity and Sports Studies (PASS) as an elective. PASS represents a broad view of physical activity and the many possible contexts in which individuals can build activity into their lifestyle. It incorporates a wide range of lifelong physical activities, including recreational, leisure and adventure pursuits, competitive and non-competitive games, individual and group physical fitness activities and the use of physical activity for therapy and remediation.

The topics covered include:

  • Body Systems and Energy for Physical Activity
  • Nutrition for Physical Activity
  • Technology, Participation and Performance
  • Ultimate Frisbee
  • Sports and Coaching Pathways.

Higher School Certificate (HSC)

The PDHPE Preliminary and Higher School Certificate (HSC) Course is offered as an elective in Years 11–12. The Sports, Exercise and Health Science course is offered in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma.

Year 11

In Year 11, the curriculum examines a range of areas that underpin health and physical activity. This includes how people think about health and physical activity, the management of personal health and the basis for how the body moves. Students study the following topics:

  • Better Health for Individuals
  • The Body in Motion
  • First Aid
  • Fitness Choices.

Year 12

In Year 12, students focus on major issues related to Australia's health status. They look at factors that affect physical performance, and undertake optional study from a range of choices. This includes investigating the health of young people or of groups experiencing health inequities. In other options, students focus on improved performance and safe participation, by learning about advanced approaches to training or sports medicine concepts. There is also an opportunity to think critically about the factors that impact on sport and physical activity in Australian society.

Students study the following topics:

  • Health Priorities in Australia
  • Factors Affecting Performance
  • Sports Medicine
  • Improving Performance.

International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma

Sports, Exercise and Health Science

The Sports, Exercise and Health Science HL/SL course is an alternative science subject in the IB Diploma Programme. The SEHS course includes studies of anatomy and physiology, biomechanics, psychology and nutrition, in the context of sport, exercise and health. Students have the opportunity to acquire knowledge and to apply scientific principles and analyse human performance using a combination of syllabus content and experimental work. Strong international dimensions of the course include international sporting competition, the international bodies that regulate them and ethical issues within sporting competitions. The course is excellent preparation for university courses related to Sport, Sports Science, Physical Education and Health.