By Mrs Medlej 2M

17043074
Rationale for
teaching PDHPE in
Primary Schools
Responsibilities as educators

One of the most significant responsibilities we have as
educators is to give primary school students a strong
foundation on which to build a full and active life.
PDHPE for children has been linked to positive self-esteem,
skill development, and general healthy development. It is
now widely established that childhood is the best time to
establish positive attitudes and behaviour relating to
physical activity and a healthy lifestyle (Board of Studies,
2007).
The school environment

Young people spend a significant amount of
time at school and therefore school
environments need to be supportive of
students being physically active. School
sport, physical education programs and
health and wellbeing education are an
important part of a comprehensive approach
to providing this support (Brown, 2006).
The syllabus

The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD), places a high
priority on physical activity and health and wellbeing education as a key component for the
development of healthy learners. As pointed in the PDHPE syllabus PDHPE is recognised as
essential to:
ensure an increase in the participation rate of young people in physical activity
raise young peoples levels of physical competency
redress young peoples declining health and fitness levels (Board of Studies, 2007).
The syllabus continued

To support these outcomes DEECD requires schools to
offer their students a minimum amount of time each
week to be involved in school sport.
In primary schools:
Years 46: three hours per week of physical education
and sport with a minimum provision of 50 per cent for
physical education (Board of Studies, 2007).
The relevance of PDHPE

PDHPE issues and concepts are directly relevant to young people as they grow
and develop. Students can acquire valuable health and wellbeing understanding,
knowledge, skills and attitudes at school. They participate in a wide range of
health related activities. They can develop healthy practices, participate in
physical activity and learn to maintain a healthy lifestyle into the future (ACHPER,
2010).
Reference

Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation (ACHPER). (2010). Retrieved from
http://www.achper.org.au/

Board of Studies, NSW. (2007). Personal development, health and physical education K-6 syllabus.
Sydney, Australia: Author.

Brown, H. (2006). Get Set: Health and Physical Education for VELS (teacher resource material, activity
book, student textbook and CDRom) (available from ACHPER) Curriculum Corporation, Assessment for
Learning. Retrieved from http://cms.curriculum.edu.au/assessment/default.asp