“Without our health we have nothing” and at Greenwood Primary School we strive to provide a strong and comprehensive Health and Physical Education (PE) program for students. Health and PE are a huge part of a child’s learning and development and our programs focus on teaching children the importance of having healthy minds and bodies.
Physical Education (PE)
Sequential PE programs are provided to the various year levels, by a specialist teacher.
In the Junior Primary an explicit fundamental movement skills program is taught. Focus on basic body movement skills, body awareness and the beginnings of throwing, catching and kicking is delivered in an engaging and fun way. Through small group station play and the use of music and games the children can learn and consolidate these skills that will later set them up for safe, successful and a more satisfying experience in physical activity.
In Middle Primary students are involved in a games sense approach and learning through familiar sporting contexts such as AFL, soccer, basketball, netball and Tee-ball. Students apply and refine their movement skills and start to develop their strategic understandings of game play through a known context.
In the Upper Primary students are exposed to and participate in a variety of other sports. These include volleyball, touch rugby, modcrosse, European handball, tennis, hockey, golf and basketball. Lessons include skill development, strategic play and understanding of positions and rules as well as the different roles there are in sport. Great emphasis is on sportsmanship, team work and effort.
The Junior Program is delivered every year, where the middle and upper primary sports are rotated through every 2 years, allowing exposure to a variety of games. Over the course of the year funding through the ‘Sporting Schools initiative’ has allowed us to hold specialist sporting clinics with expert coaches. The funding has also equipped the school with modern new sporting equipment for students to use and enjoy.
Whole School PE
Throughout the year students are provided opportunities to participate in whole school sporting events.
Term 1
A swimming carnival is held at Warwick Senior High School. The morning is competitive racing for Year 4-6. The afternoon consists of a non-competitive, fun games based program for Year 2-3 students, relays and a freestyle race.
Term 2
Upper Primary students compete in winter team sports. This is an interschool program involving the sports of AFL, netball, soccer and modcrosse. Teams train and play scratch matches. They then participate in a whole day carnival in their chosen sport.
Term 3
Early in the term we have our Faction Cross Country which is held for all students in Years 1-6. All students run state distances appropriate for their age group. Every Friday we have whole school athletics practise, preparing students to participate in our school carnival. This day is a highlight on the sporting calendar and a much loved event in our school community. Our top athletes then get invited to represent our school at the interschool athletics held later in the term.
Term 4
Greenwood hosts the interschool cross country. This has been a very successful carnival which started out with humble beginnings of only 4 schools participating to now having 8 schools involved in this event.
At Greenwood Primary we have 4 factions that family members are assigned to. Faction names acknowledging the Noongar seasons:
Birak – Red
Djeran – Green
Mookaroo – Blue
Kambarang – Yellow
There are plenty of opportunities for students to succeed in all areas of sport. Students also get the opportunity to be a leader off the sporting field, by being selected as a Faction Captain. This Year 6 role gives students a sense of responsibility, leadership and pride.
Health
Greenwood Primary offers age appropriate health programs covering a wide range of topics. The focus skills promote resilience, healthy relationships, protective behaviours, cyber safety, positive problem solving and good nutrition. Our use of departmental resources, SDERA and the Skills for Life Protective behaviours manual ensures all curriculum content is covered explicitly for these areas.
Lessons are fun, interactive and use a variety of strategies to cater for different learning styles. Our health program goes hand in hand with our whole school values program and our school ethos in promoting and teaching students positive healthy messages for life. Incursions are offered to support the classroom learning such as the Constable Care puppet show, Camp Quality and visits from emergency services.
During Term 4, selected Year 4 and 5 students participate in a physical socialisation program, Rock and Water.