Physical Education

Overview

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Eltham North Primary School provides a high quality Physical Education program for every child. It is designed to prepare students for a healthy and active lifestyle through the development of skills, knowledge, teamwork and positive attitudes. Our program provides children with a wide range of physical and sporting experiences focusing on the sequential development of fundamental motor and locomotion skills, gymnastics, dance, athletics, fitness and sport education.

To implement the Physical Education program, we have access to excellent facilities including a hall, nearby oval, basketball, netball, volleyball and bat tennis courts. We also have a range of equipment that ensures a variety of exciting new experiences each session. Various lunch time and after school coaching programs are also offered throughout the term.

Students rope climbing
Student practicing gymnastics on soft mats
Our specialist Physical Education teacher leads skill based Physical Education programs with Prep - Year 6 children each week. Children in the junior school will learn and practice the correct techniques for running, hopping, jumping, skipping, catching, throwing, kicking, rolling, balancing, twisting and turning. While those in the middle and senior school will develop the capacity to link these skills into more complex and coordinated movement sequences. As students develop increasingly complex motor skills, they will be given opportunities to then apply these to appropriately modified games and sport-specific settings.

At the beginning of the year a strong emphasis is placed on promoting teamwork and goal setting. Some of the goals classes set to achieve this year include:

  • Encourage each other and co-operate and share
  • Have fun and get fit at the same time
  • Play safely and sensibly
  • Respect each other and the equipment
  • Stop, look and listen when you hear the whistle
  • Always try our best

The children enjoy having these goals and often relate back to them to see how they are progressing throughout the year.

House Captains

Blue House

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Green House

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Purple House

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Yellow House

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Red House

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Sequence of Learning

Foundation (Preps)

The first semester is focused around the participation in PMP (Perceptual Motor Program). The six skills we aim to develop are auditory, visual, motor, social, language and memory. These skills can be broken down into the following:

• Developing language skills necessary for active involvement in the program
• Developing eye muscles so the child can focus and track effectively
• Improving eye/hand and eye/foot coordination
• Improving locomotion, balance and fitness
• Developing the social skills of sharing, participating, assisting and caring for other children
• Building confidence while using equipment and during movement
• Developing spatial awareness
• Developing motor memory

Year 1 & 2

Students will be participating in units of gymnastics, catching, throwing, striking and skipping. They will:

• Learn and execute basic gymnastic shapes
• Perform and understand safe landings
• Demonstrate basic movement patterns including jumping, landing, balance & rotations
• Building upon the fundamental motor skills of throwing and catching
• Learn the technique of forehand striking a stationary ball and be given the opportunity to progress on to hitting a moving ball
• Develop their skipping skills, gradually becoming more fluent and confident

Year 3 & 4

Students will have a busy semester that includes team building, lacrosse, fitness, athletics and skipping sessions.

• In fitness activities students will be assessed on their aerobic capacity, agility and strength
• In the athletics unit students will work hard on improving their knowledge, skills and techniques in all events
• In lacrosse students will learn how to scoop, catch and throw
• The skipping unit will give students a chance to work collaboratively as they build skipping routines in small groups

Students in these levels also:
• Participate in the School Swimming Carnival at Doncaster Aquarena
• Participate in the School Cross Country at our nearby oval and bike track
• Participate in our School Athletics Carnival at Doncaster Athletics track
• Participate in the Jump Off skipping exhibit raising money for the Heart Foundation

Year 5 & 6

The senior students have units to complete in team building, lacrosse, fitness, athletics and skipping sessions.

• In lacrosse students will learn how to scoop, catch, throw, shoot and play the game
• In fitness activities students will be assessed on their aerobic capacity, agility, power and strength
• In the athletics unit, students will work hard on improving their knowledge, skills and techniques in all events
• The skipping unit will give students a chance to work collaboratively as they build skipping routines in small groups

Students in these levels also:
• Participate in the School Swimming Carnival at Doncaster Aquarena
• Participate in our School Athletics Carnival at Doncaster Athletics track
• Participate in the Jump Off skipping exhibit raising money for the Heart Foundation
• Be part of the School Inter-School Sport competition in Term 2 & 3, training for a session on a Monday and playing for two hours against another school on a Friday. Year 6’s make up the majority of the teams while year 5’s are selected to fill in when required.

Special Events

House Sports

School-based house competitions in swimming, cross country and athletics are conducted each year to promote a sense of community and connectedness.

In Term 1 of each year we hold our School Swimming Sports at Aquarena, Doncaster. The participation of Year 3-6 children is growing each year and this year we expect 320+ students in attendance.

We also have our School Cross Country at the North Eltham Park and trail. All Year 3-6 children will participate in their own age group. The top 6 in each age group and gender proceeds to the Eltham District Carnival.

In Term 2 we have our School Athletics Carnival at Tom Kelly Athletics Track in Doncaster. All Year 3-6 students attend and compete in a variety of track and field events. They learn and train in each of the events during Phys Ed classes in the weeks preceding the carnival. A select few will then be selected to participate at the Eltham District Athletics Carnival.

We thank all teacher and parent helpers that make these days run as smoothly as possible.

Interschool Sports

Our school is affiliated with School Sport Victoria in the Eltham District and will play against other teams within this district in Term 2 & 3. Equal opportunity for both girls and boys is provided and good sportsmanship and fair play through healthy competition is promoted. Inter school sport is a highlight for most students in Years 5 & 6. Football, soccer, netball, bat tennis and korfball are the Winter sports and they are played in term 2. Summer sport is in Term 3 and there is the choice of bat tennis, volleyball, rounders, softball and basketball.

Jump Rope 4 Heart

In Term 2 we have a three week skipping program leading up to our “Jump Rope For Heart” Jump Off.  Skipping is an excellent way to promote fitness and co-ordination whilst having fun and raising money for a worthy cause.

Outdoor Education Programs

Camping programs for year 3 - 6 students

It is important that students at Eltham North Primary School be provided with a rich variety of learning activities. Outdoor Education is a valuable tool in the provision of educational initiatives which will deliver social and educational experiences beyond the regular classroom program. Our Outdoor Education program provide all students with the opportunity to participate in a range of outdoor education experiences. Camps provide the opportunity for children to interact and build strong relationships with their peers and teachers early in the year and develop their confidence to be away from their normal family environment.

The program promotes and values team work and a strong sense of community. Students develop self confidence, self reliance and independence.The Outdoor Education program provides a planned progression of experiences, commencing in Prep through to Year 6 with sequential experiences appropriate to the student age groups.  Students in year 3 – 6 will participate in the following experiences:

Year 3

Three day camp to ADANAC CYC Recreational Camp in Yarra Junction

Year 4

Three day camp to Mt Evelyn YMCA Recreational Camp

Year 5

Three day camp to Forest Edge Camp at Neerim East

Year 6

Four day camp to Phillip Island Recreational Camp

An information evening is held before the camps to provide parents with details about the itinerary and camp-based components. The staffing for all outdoor education activities is arranged within Department guidelines dependent on staff availability / parental involvement.

Other school-based adventure experiences have included:
Camping preparation: Setting up tents (borrowing pyramid tents from another school), food preparation, social and sporting activities.
Adventure trail walk: Back pack and picnic lunch along way, nature study, art/craft.
Edendale Farm visits: study of irrigation, solar and wind energy, ecosystems
Road Safety & Bike Education: cycling along bike track, road and traffic safety activities
Adventure activities: Adventure Playground Orienteering, ponding, nature study and hut building
Whole day sporting activities / excursions Prep – Year 6.

Parental involvement is an essential element of the Outdoor Education program. Parents are asked to support programs and assist in ensuring the correct ratio of student / adults is maintained.