Hanna Moore
This week, the National HPE day is an opportunity for schools to get involved in health and physical fitness by sharing photos and videos of activities to their social media accounts.
National Health & Physical Education Day (HPE) is an initiative to raise awareness and advocacy for a greater focus on physical education in schools.
The initiative is backed by The Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation (ACHPER) and this year is focussing on being Good for Children, Good for Schools and Good for Communities. This is largely due to the fact that Australian children are ranked quite low in relation to their physical activity levels.
Research suggests that child participation in HPE and physical activity leads to better student engagement, academic achievements and better outcomes in adult life.
This theme has attracted a large number of metropolitan and regional schools to register their interest in the initiative, surpassing previous years’ involvement.
Ms Alison Turner, National Executive Director of the ACHPER, is advocating for the initiative and its importance in school curriculum.
“Health and Physical Education is the curriculum area that engages students in learning experiences that enhance the development of skills, knowledge, self-efficacy and dispositions”
Schools are encouraged to hold events on the day, or throughout the whole week, through excursions, fun runs and lunch-time activities.
Parents are also encouraged to engage their children in regular physical activity through a ‘parent pledge’ to ensure their children are participating in 30 minutes of physical activity a day.
HPE Day ambassador and AFLW player, Emma Kearney echoed the importance of parental influences on physical activity.
“The health and physical education teachers play a significant role, however parents and other family members have a bigger responsibility to ensure that kids are living healthy and active lives.”
This Wednesday September 6, visit the website to get your school involved in this positive initiative to raise awareness of the importance of physical education in children and families.
