Health and Physical Education

​​Health and Physical Education (HPE) reflects the dynamic and multi-dimensional nature of health and recognises the significance of physical activity in the lives of individuals and groups in contemporary Australian society. HPE also provides a foundation for developing active and informed members of society, capable of managing the interactions between themselves and their social, cultural and physical environments in the pursuit of good health.

HPE at St Mark’s encompasses 3 major learning areas:

            • Promoting the Health of Individuals in Society
            • Developing Skills for Physical Activity
            • Enhancing Personal Development

St Mark's has a specialist PE teachers for students up to Yr 6 who works with classroom teachers to ensure the highest quality of HPE is being taught.  Each area is carried out in an integrated manner, both inside and outside the classroom environment. Students are encouraged to participate in these areas and wider opportunities are made available through various other avenues such as Interschool Sport and Intra School Competition.

Lower primary classes participate in a motor skills program that develops students’ abilities to perform basic body movements including jumping, catching, throwing, hopping and balancing. These skills form the basis of the activities required for sports and games played by the middle and upper primary classes.

Throughout the school, the Bluearth Approach has been adopted.  This approach develops and integrates body, mind and spirit through participation in physical activity.  The goal is to increase the activity levels of students as well as providing them with life skills.  The Bluearth Approach stimulates an awareness of self, others and the environment in order to stimulate learning and optimise attention, communication and cooperation.  Through participation in the program it is hoped that students learn messages of honesty, fair play, consideration of others, challenging oneself and quality of attention.

As part of the school HPE program St Mark’s participates in Intra-school and Inter-school competitions, with those who excel competing at a district level. These include:

            • Swimming blocks during the year (Years P-6)
            • Athletics (Years P-6)
            • Cross Country (Years P-6)
            • Soccer, Netball, Cricket and Touch Football (Years 4-6)