Health / Physical Education / Dance

Health and Physical Education are a compulsory requirement of the New Zealand curriculum. All students are required to participate in all Physical Education lessons, including swimming, unless certified as medically unfit. If your child is unable to participate for medical reasons, they will need to provide a signed note from a parent/caregiver to their Physical Education teacher. If the injury/illness continues beyond week, a medical certificate is required from a registered medical practitioner (i.e. Doctor or Physio).

Health, Physical Education and Dance Staff

Physical Education

Physical Education is a compulsory subject for Years 7 to 10. From Year 11 onwards, students may select Physical Education as an option right through to Scholarship level.

Throughout the Junior Physical Education programme, students will be provided with the opportunity to participate in a variety of physical activity contexts, promoting achievement, enjoyment and success. A key focus is learning the knowledge and skills to enjoy a healthy and active lifestyle. Alongside this, they will develop their interpersonal and leadership skills in varied and challenging contexts.

In Senior Physical Education students will continue to build on this knowledge further, developing their skills to enhance their relationships with others as they participate in group and leadership activities. Students will learn how to apply biophysical concepts such as biomechanics, anatomy and sports psychology. Sociocultural concepts are also applied to different topics, developing students critical thinking skills through to Scholarship level. Each Senior Physical Education course has an Outdoor Education component, where students experience activities such as High Ropes and Kayaking.

Health

Health is a compulsory subject for Years 7 to 10. From Year 11 onwards, students may select Health as an option right through to Scholarship level.

Throughout the Junior Health programme, students will investigate a variety of relevant health topics and issues such as cyber safety, body image, friendships and relationships, nutrition, decision making and resilience. A major focus of the programme is developing an understanding of their own well-being and the well-being of others in relation to the range of topics covered.

In Senior Health, students will continue to build knowledge from the junior programme analysing health issues and topics in further depth. They will explore how the underlying concepts of Attitudes and Values, Hauora, Socio-ecological perspective, and Health Promotion relate to various topics. All health issues are investigated from a personal, interpersonal and societal perspective, deepening students understanding of the topic.

Dance

Dance is offered from Years 10 to 13 as an option. Dance students from all year levels will perform in a dance show at the end of the year. This is a fantastic opportunity for the students to showcase the work they have been doing in class. The show is also used to assess students for NCEA achievement standards.

Dance is a university-approved subject and Scholarship is offered during Level 3 Dance. The school offers fantastic facilities for dance with a purpose-built studio. This course, at all year levels, is highly practical and provides students with a wide knowledge of dance genres and styles. Education in dance promotes personal and social well-being by developing students' self-esteem, social interactions, and confidence in physical expression.

Exploring dance forms and ideas

Choreographic techniques and devices are explored and there is also a focus on the theoretical concepts of dance. Students become increasingly literate in dance as they engage in practical and theoretical investigations and explore dance forms, develop dance ideas, and articulate artistic and aesthetic understandings about dance works in various contexts.