September 2024
By Lisa Quinn, ACHPER NSW Project Officer

NESA has released the new K-6 PDHPE syllabus, which will be implemented in schools by 2027. A new syllabus brings the opportunity for critical reflection of our current practices and teaching programs.

ACHPER NSW has a program of professional learning planned to support you with implementation. This includes workshops, webinars, resources, and blogs.

Here is an overview of key K-6 syllabus content changes.

New content

The digital environment

The new syllabus recognises the growing role of digital environments in students’ lives and includes a focus on safe technology use and online safety. It features explicit content on protecting personal information, logins, digital footprints and online consent.

Students with disability

The syllabus includes new content to support movement skill development for students with physical and intellectual disability. Complementary content has been added to Fundamental Movement Skills in the Movement Skill and Physical Activity strand.

Emotional regulation

Emotional regulation and coping strategies are now introduced in Stage 1 and developed throughout the primary years, designed to help students identify emotions and develop ways to manage anxiety.

New Stage 3 content addresses understanding emotional changes and preparing for the transitions to adolescence. This will assist students regulate and manage the physical, social and emotional changes as they grow older.

Holistic health

Students are now introduced to a holistic view of health beginning in Stage 1 and continuing through to Year 6. This includes new content on how healthy eating, regular physical activity, and a positive mindset contribute to overall well-being. This aims to increase students’ understanding of food literacy and healthy lifestyle habits to improve health and well-being outcomes.

Respectful relationships

New respectful relationship content in all stages of the K-6 syllabus will assist students in understanding personal boundaries, the importance of asking and giving consent, and respecting others’ decisions. For example, Stage 2 content explores the concept of consent and the importance of seeking and giving permission in different situations. While Stage 3 content encourages students to consider respectful relationships and diversity by appreciating and respecting differences in others, promoting a culture of inclusivity and acceptance.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures

The new syllabus has an explicit focus on acknowledging and respecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and health. It emphasises understanding the unique health perspectives, practices, and challenges Indigenous communities face. The syllabus includes learning about traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practices, such as bush medicine and holistic approaches to well-being, which highlight the interconnectedness of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health.

Additionally, the syllabus requires students to think critically and propose strategies to connect with and support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to support their health and wellbeing outcomes. This content aims to foster cultural awareness, respect, and understanding among all students, promoting reconciliation and the importance of cultural competence in health education.

Revised and reframed content

Key areas of revised content in the new K-6 syllabus include:

• Consent and personal safety – explicitly teaches seeking and giving consent in various contexts, ensuring students consider consent beyond physical interactions to include online consent, privacy and digital safety.
• Digital citizenship and online safety – is presented more comprehensively to include specific outcomes related to safe online practices and recognising risks online (PH2-RRS-02 and PH3-RRS-03).
• Respectful relationships content – emphasises the teaching of inclusivity and diversity within the context of respect relationships. Students learn to appreciate culture, gender, and individual differences in a more direct manner.
• Movement skills and physical activity – emphasises the development of fundamental movement skills and to understand the benefits of an active lifestyle to reflect a shift towards fostering life long physical activity habits.

Increasing focus on literacy demands of PDHPE

Written texts and subject-specific language has been introduced across K-10 PDHPE syllabuses to deepen students’ understanding of health concepts and improve their communication skills. It will support students to navigate and articulate the complexities of health and well-being throughout their lives.

The written texts content encourages critical analysis and literacy within health and physical education. Encouraging the use of subject-specific language aims to familiarise students with key health and physical activity terminology, enabling clarity in communication and better comprehension of health-related issues.