Health & Physical Education Department Report 

Year 9 Electives Update 

This term, our Year 9 Electives have been in full swing, engaging students in a combination of theoretical and practical understandings of exciting topics 

In the Active Lifestyles Elective, students have been learning about the Australian Physical Activity Guidelines (APAG). We started by learning about the guidelines for young people aged 5-17 years old and then went out and completed some sessions that allowed students to meet these guidelines. We have since pivoted to considering the other age groups set out in the guidelines, and are hard at work in small groups to create and present mini-lessons for each group, as a way to teach each other about these other groups. 

In Sports Performance, we have been considering the way coaching can impact our performance to complete at our highest potential in the sports we play. We have spent some time looking at various styles of coaching, analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of each style and reflecting on prominent coaching we have received, and where this fits within these styles. We have planned and will deliver some peer teaching sessions, focusing on the delivery of our sessions and how to utilize various instruction in order to improve our classmates performance of our selected skills. 

It has been fantastic to see students across both electives demonstrating enthusiasm, inquiry and genuine reflection throughout both units. With links to the Victorian Curriculum, VCE PE and to life outside of school, these units provide support for the students holistically in their development. 

Year 9 Outdoor Education – Bouldering Excursion 

Year 9 Outdoor Education students recently participated in a bouldering excursion, providing an exciting opportunity to apply many of the skills and concepts explored throughout the semester in a practical setting. 

Throughout their Outdoor Education lessons, students have been developing teamwork, communication, problem-solving and resilience skills through activities such as navigation challenges, shelter construction and other outdoor pursuits. The bouldering excursion allowed students to transfer these skills to a new environment as they navigated climbing routes, assessed challenges and supported their peers to achieve success. 

Students were encouraged to step outside their comfort zones by attempting climbs of varying difficulty levels while demonstrating persistence and a growth mindset when faced with challenging routes. The activity also highlighted the importance of risk assessment and decision-making, as students continually evaluated their movements and selected the safest and most effective ways to progress up the climbing wall. 

A highlight of the day was seeing students encourage one another, celebrate achievements and demonstrate resilience when climbs did not go to plan. These experiences reinforced many of the key learning outcomes of Outdoor Education, helping students build confidence, independence and a greater understanding of how physical and mental challenges can contribute to personal growth. 

The excursion was a fantastic opportunity for students to connect classroom learning with real-world experiences and provided many memorable moments for all involved. 

Year 10 Physical Education - Badminton  

Over the past five weeks, Year 10 PE students have been developing their badminton skills through a mix of drills, small-sided games and competitive matches. Throughout the unit, students focused on improving their shot selection, tactical awareness and overall gameplay, learning when to use different shots and how to out manoeuvre their opponents on the court. 

The unit concluded with a round-robin tournament where students demonstrated excellent sportsmanship, resilience and teamwork. Congratulations to Josh and Hunter, who were crowned our Friday champions, and Spencer and Earhlou, who took out the Monday competition. Well done to all students for their enthusiasm and effort throughout the unit!