Stage 2 | Subject Outline | Versions control

Physical Education Stage 2
Subject outline

Version 4.0 - For teaching in 2024.
Accredited in November 2017 for teaching at Stage 2 from 2020. 

Stage 2 | Subject outline | Content

Content

Stage 2 Physical Education is a 20‑credit subject.

Focus areas

Stage 2 Physical Education has three focus areas:

  • Focus Area 1: In movement
  • Focus Area 2: Through movement
  • Focus Area 3: About movement.

The focus areas provide the narrative for the knowledge, skills, and capabilities that students develop. Learning is delivered through an integrated approach where opportunities are provided for students to undertake, and learn through, a wide range of authentic physical activities (e.g. sports, theme‑based games, laboratories, and fitness and recreational activities). Students explore movement concepts and strategies through these physical activities to promote and improve participation and performance outcomes. These movement concepts and strategies include:

  • body awareness
  • movement quality
  • spatial awareness
  • relationships
  • executing movement
  • creating space
  • interactions
  • making decisions.

The application of a conceptual framework that promotes deep learning in, through, and about physical activity ensures that students make meaning of the cognitive and psychomotor processes fundamental to the learning of physical activity.

Students investigate improvements in human physical activity from a participation and/or performance perspective. This flexibility enables socio‑cultural aspects such as inclusivity and equity to be integrated throughout learning activities. Students apply their understanding of movement concepts to evaluate aspects of their own or others’ physical activity and implement strategies to improve their participation and/or performance. Opportunities for students to reflect on their own movement experiences allow them to make greater meaning of these experiences.

The use of technology is integral to the collection of data such as video footage, heart rates, fitness batteries, and game statistics. Students apply their understanding of movement concepts to evaluate the data and implement strategies to improve participation and/or performance.

The focus areas can be studied in any order, independently or concurrently. Teachers select key ideas from each of the three focus areas that reflect the interests and skills of the student cohort, and integrate these across the learning program and the three assessment types. Teachers may allocate more time to some focus areas than others, providing flexibility in student learning through the depth and detail in which each focus area is studied.

Guidelines for physical activities

An emphasis is placed on human participation and performance in physical activity.

The following are not permitted for physical activities:

  • activities that involve violence (perceived or actual), such as boxing, or the use of firearms
  • activities that rely on motorised assistance, such as go‑karting.