Health is often one of those overlooked subjects in the curriculum, it only has one period a week and can often be perceived as less important than other subjects. However, its key messages are some of the most important life lessons that any student may study at school.
Looking at topics such as mental health, disease prevention and strategies to cope with the dangers of the ever-changing world. We look at these and other areas in-depth and often from a slightly different perspective to other areas, with lots of discussion and question and answer time. We also try and have enjoyable and novel forms of assessment.
This year for example we have made mental health first aid boxes and have just completed risk-taking board games. Last term the students have looked at a range of risks and methods to reduce the danger of these risks. They have then made board games to play with their friends with these risks at their centre. They have designed, manufactured, played, reviewed and altered these games to make them an enjoyable activity to undertake.
The students have produced some really outstanding work and some very fun games, often with fun and humour but all of which promote discussion and understanding of the risks involved in being a teenager in Australia. This is just one example of the excellent work our Middle School students are producing in HPE.
Mr Ben Allsop
Head of Health Sport and PE