Senior Health and PE
Health and Physical Education focuses on students enhancing their own and others’ health, safety, wellbeing, and physical activity participation in varied and changing contexts. Research in fields such as sociology, physiology, nutrition, biomechanics, and psychology inform what we understand about healthy, safe, and active choices. Health and Physical Education offers students an experiential curriculum that is contemporary, relevant, challenging, enjoyable and physically active.
In Health and Physical Education, students develop the knowledge, understanding and skills to strengthen their sense of self, and build and manage satisfying relationships. The curriculum helps them to be resilient, and to make decisions and take actions to promote their health, safety, and physical activity participation. As students mature, they develop and use critical inquiry skills to research and analyse the knowledge of the field and to understand the influences on their own and others’ health, safety, and wellbeing. They also learn to use resources for the benefit of themselves and for the communities with which they identify and to which they belong.
Health and Physical Education aims to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills to enable students to:
- access, evaluate and synthesise information to take positive action to protect, enhance and advocate for their own and others’ health, wellbeing, safety, and physical activity participation across their lifespan
- develop and use personal, behavioural, social, and cognitive skills and strategies to promote a sense of personal identity and wellbeing and to build and manage respectful relationships
- acquire, apply, and evaluate movement skills, concepts, and strategies to respond confidently, competently and creatively in a variety of physical activity contexts and settings
- engage in and enjoy regular movement-based learning experiences and understand and appreciate their significance to personal, social, cultural, environmental and health practices and outcomes
- analyse how varied and changing personal and contextual factors shape understanding of, and opportunities for, health and physical activity locally, regionally, and globally.
Understanding Senior Health and PE Pathway Options
- Students at Year 10 must select a HPE option.
- The following Year 10 Health and PE subjects have the same theory. Students are therefore only able to choose 2 of these in their program:
- SEPEP
- Game Skills
- Health & Fitness
- Year 11 and 12 students have the flexibility to choose HPE options that interest them
- Students wishing to pursue a VET option can find these in the VET options section of the handbook
- VCE VM students do not select a HPE option.
The following Year 10 Health & PE subjects share the same theory.
Students can choose no more than 2 of these options and will do one each semester.
Common Theory for these subjects
Theory Content – Semester One
- Explore the role of physical activity, recreation, and sport in the Australian way of life
- Examine societal influences on personal health
- Identify training principles and methods to create a personalised physical activity plan
- Investigate lifelong physical activities to develop and maintain healthy physical activity levels
Theory Content – Semester Two
- Fundamental movement skills
- Analysis of skills and tactics
- Ethical sporting performance
- Legal and illegal drugs
- Performance enhancing drugs in sport
Year 10 – Sport Education in Physical Education Program (SEPEP)
OverviewDuring the course, students will be able to design, evaluate and implement their own physical activity programs for lifelong participation in physical activity. Students will be required to investigate and analyse the different types of movement and tactical skills to be successful in games and sports.
| Units / Topics | Types of Assessment |
|---|---|
| Students will participate in sports such as Volleyball and Badminton | Case Study |
| Students will learn and demonstrate skills specific to those sports | Physical Activity Topic Test |
| Students will develop organisational and administrative skills to coordinate a competition | Fitness Components and Training Methods Test |
| Performance Enhancement Research Task | |
| Semester Examination |
Future Directions
Satisfactory completion of this subject will provide a sound foundation for students to proceed to VCE Physical Education Units 1 to 4 and VCE-VET Sport and Recreation Certificate III.
Year 10 – Game Skills
OverviewDuring the course, students will be able to design, evaluate and implement their own physical activity programs for lifelong participation in physical activity. Students will be required to investigate and analyse the different types of movement and tactical skills to be successful in games and sports.
| Units / Topics | Types of Assessment |
|---|---|
| Students will participate in wide variety of team-based sports including the following: | Case Study |
| • Basketball | Physical Activity Topic Test |
| • Football Codes | Fitness Components and Training Methods Test |
| • European Handball | Performance Enhancement Research Task |
| • Softball | Semester Examination |
| Students will learn and demonstrate skills specific to those sports | |
| Students will apply strategies and game plans specific to those sports |
Future Directions
Satisfactory completion of this subject will provide a sound foundation for students to proceed to VCE Physical Education Units 1 to 4 and VCE-VET Sport and Recreation Certificate III.
Year 10 – Fitness
OverviewStudents will learn about physical fitness including muscular-skeletal systems and anatomy, fitness components and training methods for improvement of physical fitness.
| Units / Topics | Types of Assessment |
|---|---|
| Students will participate in a training session that target a variety of fitness components and training methods underpinned by the scientific training principles to improve fitness. | Healthy People, Health Communities Case Study |
| Students will also design a training program based on these principles based on their own fitness needs. | Physical Activity Plans Test |
| Drug Education Test |
Future Directions
Satisfactory completion of the subject will provide a foundation for students interested in
VCE Physical Education Units 1 to 4 and VCE-VET Sport and Recreation Certificate.
Year 10 – Health
OverviewYear 10 Health provides a wide variety of studies and practices to enable the student to explore and develop skills relating to individual and community health outcomes, including competencies relating to interpretation and explanation of data relating to health trends, common diseases, and the health status of Australians. They will develop the skills to identify and explain factors affecting physical, social, mental, emotional, and spiritual health and wellbeing. Students will participate in a variety of recreational physical activities to gain an understanding of the benefits of life-long physical activity. Students will analyse the positive and negative health outcomes of a range of personal behaviours, including identifying safe sex practices and key components of healthy sexual relationships. They will outline the importance of nutrition and the consequences of nutritional imbalance on health and wellbeing and identify and describe strategies that address current trends in the nutritional status of Australians.
| Units / Topics | Types of Assessment |
|---|---|
| Dimensions of health and wellbeing | Australia’s Health data analysis task |
| Factors influencing health and wellbeing | Health and Wellbeing and Health Status test |
| Indicators of Australia’s health status | Nutrition group assignment |
| Leading causes of disease, including the National Health Priority Areas | End of Semester examination |
| Australia’s health care system | |
| Nutrition | |
| Physical activity benefits and guidelines | |
| Sexual health |
Future Directions
Satisfactory completion of this subject will provide a sound foundation for students to proceed to VCE Health and Human Development Units 1 to 4
VCE Units 1 & 2 - Physical Education
Overview
The study of VCE Physical Education enables students to develop a practical understanding of the theoretical foundations of performance and participation in physical activity. Through engagement in physical activities, VCE Physical Education enables students to develop the knowledge and skills required to critically evaluate influences that affect their own and others’ performance and participation in physical activity.
Unit 1 – The human body in motion
The Human Body in Motion – in this unit students explore how the musculoskeletal and cardiorespiratory systems work together to produce movement.
Areas of Study:
- How does the musculoskeletal system work to produce movement? – Examine the musculoskeletal system of the human body and how the muscles and bones work together to produce movement.
How does the cardiorespiratory system function at rest and during physical activity? – Examine the cardiovascular and respiratory systems of the human body and examine how the heart, blood vessels and lungs function at rest and during physical activity.
Unit 2 – Physical activity, sport, and society
This unit develops students’ understanding of physical activity, sport, and society from a participatory perspective. Through a series of practical activities, students experience and explore different types of physical activity promoted in their own and different population groups.
Areas of Study:
- What are the relationships between physical activity, sport, health, and society? – The role of physical activity, sport, and society in developing and promoting healthy lifestyles and participation in physical activity across the lifespan.
- What are the contemporary issues associated with physical activity and sport? – Contemporary issues associated with physical activity and/or sport at the local, national, and global level. They investigate in detail one issue relevant to physical activity and/or sport.
Forms of Assessment
- A written report
- Structured questions
- Data analysis
- Laboratory reports
- A written plan and a reflective folio
Prerequisites and Corequisites
Students would be expected to have satisfied the work requirements of one, preferably two Year 10 PE units. There are no prerequisites for entry to Units 1 & 2.
Link to Study Design
VCE Physical Education 2018-2024 Study DesignVCE Units 1 & 2 - Health and Human Development
Overview
The study of VCE Health and Human Development provides students with the skills and knowledge to make informed decisions about their own health and recognise the role of health in society. It allows the students to actively participate and make appropriate choices that allow for good health and be able to seek appropriate advice to understand current ideologies. Students will also evaluate the health and development of individual across the lifespan.
Unit 1: Understanding Health and Wellbeing
This unit looks at health and wellbeing as a concept with varied and evolving perspectives and definitions.
Areas of Study:
- Concepts of health – A broad, multidimensional approach to health and wellbeing. Such an approach acknowledges that defining and measuring these concepts is complicated by a diversity of social and cultural contexts.
- Youth Health and Wellbeing – Focus on the health and wellbeing of Australia’s youth and conduct independent research into a selected area of interest.
- Health and Nutrition – Students explore food and nutrition as foundations for good health. They investigate the roles and sources of major nutrients and the use of food selection models and other initiatives to promote healthy eating They examine the importance of nutrition and the consequence of an imbalance on health and wellbeing of youth.
Unit 2: Managing Health and Wellbeing
This unit investigates transitions in health and wellbeing, and development, from lifespan and societal perspectives.
Areas of Study:
- Developmental Transitions – Examines the developmental transitions from youth to adulthood, with a focus on expected changes, significant decisions, and protective factors, including behaviours.
- Youth health literacy – Investigates the health system in Australia. Students examine the functions of various entities that play a role in our health system.
Forms of Assessment
- Case study
- Multimedia presentation
- Extended Reponses
- Visual presentation
- Test
- Written report
Prerequisites and Corequisites
While there are no prerequisites for entry to Units 1 & 2 Health and Human Development, it is recommended that students have studied Year 10 Health in Semester 1 or 2 of Year 10.
Link to Study Design
VCE Health and Human Development 2025-2029 Study DesignVCE Units 3 & 4 - Physical Education
Overview
The study of VCE Physical Education equips students with the appropriate knowledge and skills to plan, develop and maintain their involvement in physical activity, sport and exercise across their lifespan and to understand the physical, social, emotional and cognitive health benefits associated with being active.
Unit 3 – Movement Skills and Energy for Physical Activity, Sport and Excercise
This unit introduces students to the biomechanical and skill acquisition principles used to analyse human movement skills and energy production from a physiological perspective.
Areas of Study
- How are movement skills improved? In this area of study, students examine the biomechanical and skill-acquisition principles that can be applied when analysing and improving movement skills for participation and performance.
- How does the body produce energy? In this area of study students explore the various systems and mechanisms associated with the production of energy required for human movement.
Unit 4 – Training to Improve Performance
In this unit students analyse movement skills from a physiological, psychological and sociocultural perspective, and apply relevant training principles and methods to improve performance within physical activity at an individual, club and elite level.
Areas of Study
- What are the foundations of an effective training program? In this area of study students’ focus on the information required to form the foundation of an effective training program.
- How is training implemented effectively to improve fitness? In this area of study students focus on the implementation and evaluation of training principles and methods from a practical and theoretical perspective.
- Integrated Movement Experiences In this area of study, students reflect on their participation in a practical activity and use primary data collected to demonstrate their integration of theory and practice across Units 3 and 4.
Forms of Assessment
- Structured Questions
- Lab Report
- Written Report
- Reflective Folio
- Case Study
Prerequisites and Corequisites
It is an advantage to have studied Units 1 & 2 Physical Education. Students would be expected to have satisfied the work requirements of Units 1 & 2 Physical Education.
Future Directions
Sports Science, Sport Management, Coaching, Physiotherapist, Physical Education Teacher, Health Promotion, Fitness Instructor, Personal Trainer.
Link to Study Design
VCE Physical Education 2025 - 2029 Study DesignVCE Units 3 & 4 - Health and Human Development
Overview
VCE Health and Human Development gives students the opportunity to develop skills and knowledge in Australia’s health and the variations that occur in different population groups and different countries both developed and developing. Students will investigate current ideologies of health, sustainability and human development in our world and critically evaluate the role of the government, health care system and aid programs to the developing world.
Unit 3 – Australia’s Health in a Globalised World
This unit focuses on the health status of Australia’s population groups, the variations that exist in health status and the Australian healthcare system.
Areas of Study:
- Understanding health and wellbeing – Focus on the health of Australia’s exploring the complex, dynamic and global nature of health and wellbeing. They reflect on both the universality of public health goals and the increasing influence of global conditions on Australians They use this information to interpret and apply Australia’s health status data and analyse variations in health status.
- Promoting health and wellbeing – Examine the changes to public health approaches in Australia and globally, they learn to analyse improvements in population groups health over time and evaluate health promotion strategies.
Unit 4 – Health and Human development in a Global context.
Students will examine health and human development in a global context. They will use data to investigate health status and human development in different countries. Students will consider factors that contribute to health inequalities between and within countries. They will focus on the United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and the work of the World Health Organisation (WHO). They will also investigate the role of non-government organisations and Australia’s overseas aid program.
Areas of Study:
- Global health and human development – Explore similarities and differences in health status and human development in low- middle- and high-income countries Investigate a range of factors that contribute to health inequalities and study the concepts of sustainability, human development, and the Human Development Index.
- Health and sustainable development goals – They consider the importance of relationships between the UN’s SDGs, focusing on their promotion of health and human development. Students investigate the priorities and work of the WHO and evaluation of Australia’s aid program and the role of non-government organisations.
Forms of Assessment
- Case Studies
- Written report
- Extended Reponses
- Tests
- End of Year Exam
Prerequisites and Corequisites
It is an advantage to have completed Units 1 & 2 Health and Human Development.