PDHPE (Personal Development, Health and Physical Education) is an important part of the primary school curriculum for several reasons: 1) It promotes healthy lifestyles like physical activity and balanced diets, which is important because many Australian children are overweight or obese and unhealthy habits formed early can continue into adulthood. 2) It helps students develop self-confidence, resilience, and healthy relationships through exploring interpersonal skills and growth. 3) It provides knowledge on safe living and personal health choices so students can make informed decisions that result in responsible actions regarding their health. Developing these skills and habits early is critical for health now and in the future.

1. PDHPE-
Significance in
primary curriculum
Natalie Lin 17957713
References:
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2012). Australian health survey: First results, 2011-2012. Children’s risk factors. (no. 4364.0.55.001).
Retrieved fromhttp://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/27D7FFFD3AEE46CCCA257AA30014BFFA.
Board of Studies NSW. (2007). Personal development, health and physical education k-6 syllabus. Retrieved from
http://k6.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/go/personal-development-health-and-physical-education-pdhpe.
The Department of Health. (2007). 2007 Australian national children’s nutrition and physical activity survey: Key findings. Canberra,
Australia: The Department of Health. Retrieved from: https://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/phd-
nutrition-childrens-survey.

2. Why is teaching PDHPE important for primary
school aged children?
• Physical, emotional, mental,
social, spiritual
Health is
multifaceted:
• Is less likely to be ill
• Is happier with a more positive outlook in
life
• Enjoys meaningful social relationships
• Has autonomy to make informed choices
in work and recreation
A healthy person
is someone who:
• Developing the necessary knowledge,
values, attitudes and skills to attain
different aspects of good health
PDHPE aims to
help students to
do this by:

3. So what does this involve?
PDHPE
promotes
health
through
leading a
physically
active
lifestyle to
young
children.
This is important because:
• In 2011-2012, about ¼ of
Australian children population
was overweight or obese (ABS,
2012)
• Unhealthy habits such as
sedentary lifestyle formed in
early years are likely to follow
on through to adulthood
• This increases their health risks
such as high blood pressure and
glucose intolerance later in
adult life
Relevant
strands:
• Active Lifestyle
• Games & Sports
• Dance
• Gymnastics

4. Continue..
PDHPE explores the skills and knowledge necessary for students
to develop self confidence and resilience, build healthy
relationships with others, and promotes important values such as
respect and tolerance for all.
Relevant strands:
• Interpersonal Relationships
• Growth and Development
Through learning, students also explore the principle of social
justice, and develop a sense of social responsibility to contribute to
not only their personal health, but how they can contribute to
better health of their wider community.

5. And finally…
PDHPE provides the knowledge
necessary for children to make
informed decisions that result in
effective and responsible actions
Relevant PDHPE strands:
• Safe Living
• Personal Health Choice, including
making healthy, balanced dietary
choices
Again, developing healthy habits early
on is critical, not only for children’s
health now, but for their health in
adolescence and adulthood later on
• E.g. In 2007, only 22% of aged 4-8
children consumed the recommended
daily serves of vegetables. This
decreased to 5% for aged 14-17
adolescents (The Department of Health,
2007).
Students are invited to develop
their decision making skills, by
being conscious of the process
between gaining knowledge and
the ability to perform examined
decisions towards healthy choices

6. Beyond the knowledge…
• Throughout the whole unit of study, these skills are focused in
student learning, through different staged-appropriate games
and activities:
• Moving
• Decision-making
• Communicating
• Interacting
• Problem solving
• PDHPE is a valuable unit of study in the primary curriculum
because of its large scope of learning which overall stresses
the What-- the importance of healthy lifestyle and the How–
knowledge, skill and attitudes to live a healthy lifestyle!