PDHPE stands for Personal Development, Health and Physical Education and is one of the six Key Learning Areas in the New South Wales primary school curriculum. It focuses on developing students' physical, social, emotional and cognitive skills. PDHPE teaches students about health issues, self-control, and making positive lifestyle choices through its eight strands, which include interpersonal relationships, gymnastics, dance, games and sports. Regular physical activity is promoted as it improves cardiovascular health, bone development, weight control, immunity and psychological well-being. Schools have a duty to encourage physical development and nurture positive attitudes towards physical activity through their PDHPE programs.

1. PDHPE
Rationale:

2. WHAT IS PDHPE ?
- PDHPE Stands for – Personal Development, Health and Physical
Education.
- PDHPE is one of the six Key Learning Areas in New South Whales
Primary Learning Curriculum.
IMPORTANCE OF PDHPE/HEALTH ISSUES.
As society is rapidly shifty, community awareness based around
healthy lifestyles should be increasing.
Good Health is determined by better quality of life, less sickness,
disability, happier personal, family and social experiences, leisurely
activities and positive work choices.
The 8 Strands of PDHPE are :Interpersonal Relationships,
Gymnastics, Dance, Games and Sports, Safe Living, Growth and
Development, Personal Health Choices and Active Lifestyle.

3. WHY PDHPE ?
PDHPE is important as it plays a unique role in the development
of students knowledge, understanding and practical skills.
Individuals who don’t adopt a healthy lifestyle are taking away
opportunities of maintaining a strong mental, physical, social and
spiritual wellbeing.
If students are knowledgeable on health issues and have self-
control they will be able to make positive lifestyle choices and
enjoy a sense of belonging; this could be to a sporting team or
group.
PDHPE informs students that the responsibility of health is not
just theirs but societies.
The 5 PDHPE Skills are: Communicating, Moving, Decision
Making, Problem Solving, Interacting and Values and Attitudes.

4. AWARENESS
• PDHPE helps to understand how equity is effected by structures
and practices in communities. PDHPE helps to educated individuals
of awareness, disadvantages and actions of how decisions are
made in regards to health and the establishment of priorities.
• In order to create positive health outcomes fundamental
principals, social justice and supportive environments must all be
promoted. This can be done by raising awareness through
welfare, rights and the dignity of people.
• PDHPE is an important key learning area within the primary
curriculum as encourages an understanding and valuing of the self
and others. This is done by identifying and expressing a range of
emotions, and helping students to appreciate the way that they
think. Students who are able to understand and value themselves
will work more as a team and enjoy more secure, stable
interpersonal relationships

5. MAKE TIME FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
• PDHPE promotes physical activity. Health experts have
settled that 30 minutes of moderate physical activity should
be completed by an individual everyday. Without this
students become inactive, and will suffer weight problems. If
individuals are encouraged to partake in physical activity
once a day they will receive optimum health.
• Regular physical activity improves cardiovascular efficiency
and will reduce coronary heart disease. Physical activity
improves bone development, controls obesity, improves
immune status and psychological health.
• Participation in physical activity can be innovative, enjoyable
and used in a social context to help an individual build self-
esteem levels.

6. IMPLEMENTING PDHPE INTO SCHOOLS
• School programs at all levels have the duty to encourage the
physical growth and development of students to support
acquisition of movement skills and to nurture positive attitudes
towards physical activity.
• Decision- making is the key learning area that students are
taught when they first start school. Students will be more likely
to use approaches they have learnt and developed in the
classroom in their own lives.
• PDHPE focuses on physical, social, emotional and cognitive
development patterns of students growth, the development and
maintenance of positive interpersonal relationships and factors
influencing personal health choices.

7. Reference
• K6.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au,. (2014). Retrieved 8 May
2014, from
http://k6.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/wps/wcm/connect/6e
4311c5-336e-44f8-8c39-
e289d96597a8/k6_pdhpe_syl.pdf?MOD=AJPERES