Unit rationale, description and aim
In an increasingly complex and sedentary world, it is essential that pre-service teachers learn to support children in becoming healthy, safe, and active citizens. For effective teaching of health and physical education, pre-service teachers need an understanding of child development, movement, and the key factors influencing health, safety, wellbeing, and physical activity participation. This unit equips pre-service teachers with the knowledge, skills, and understanding required to teach Health and Physical Education (HPE) in primary school settings, with reference to national and relevant state curricula.
Pre-service teachers will engage with a combination of theoretical and practical learning experiences, including a range of movement activities, to support their understandings of movement and its development for primary learners. Pre-service teachers will develop key communication, planning, and problem-solving skills specific to HPE.
This unit highlights the importance of HPE in primary education. It aims to provide pre-service teachers with foundational pedagogical and curriculum knowledge for effective teaching in this curriculum area. It empowers pre-service teachers to design engaging and developmentally appropriate learning experiences for primary-aged students.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
Explain students' physical, social, and intellectu...
Learning Outcome 01
Interpret curriculum, guidelines and policies rele...
Learning Outcome 02
Interpret curriculum, guidelines and policies rele...
Learning Outcome 03
Differentiate Health and Physical Education learni...
Learning Outcome 04
Implement supportive and engaging Health and Physi...
Learning Outcome 05
Content
Topics will include:
- The role of HPE in primary education
- HPE curriculum development, implementation and assessment
- Risk analysis and management in HPE
- Legislation and policy in child protection and duty of care as related to HPE
- HPE curriculum, including content strands and sub-strands in relevant national and state-based curricula documents
- Curriculum perspectives, including literacy, numeracy, ICT, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education, and their integration in HPE
- Child development, specifically motor skill development, and its implications for teaching HPE
- Curriculum focus areas, including:
- alcohol and other drugs,
- food and nutrition,
- health benefits of physical activity,
- mental health and wellbeing,
- relationships and sexuality,
- safety (including sexual abuse, physical abuse, domestic violence and bullying),
- active play and minor games,
- challenge and adventure activities,
- fundamental movement skills,
- games and sports,
- lifelong physical activities, and
- rhythmic and expressive movement (such as dance and gymnastics)
- Strategies for creating supportive and engaging HPE experiences across diverse learning contexts
- Strategies for teaching in outdoor learning environments
- Use of communication techniques to foster positive behaviour and student engagement in HPE experiences and environments
- Inclusive strategies and differentiation for diverse students in HPE Education experiences and environments
- Strategies to engage with parents/carers to work effectively, sensitively and confidentially across content areas in HPE
Assessment strategy and rationale
Assessment in this unit enables pre-service teachers to demonstrate the required knowledge and understanding of the HPE curriculum to plan effective teaching and learning sequences. The tasks are sequenced to enable feedback and the progressive development of knowledge and skills, preparing pre-service teachers to effectively plan and teach HPE in primary school settings.
Task 1 requires pre-service teachers to design and deliver a developmentally appropriate Physical Education lesson aligned with curriculum, demonstrating sequencing, differentiation, assessment, and safe, inclusive teaching practices through a micro-teaching experience. Task 2 requires students to design a Health unit showing critical reflection and inclusive, evidence-based planning that integrates curriculum priorities and engages diverse learners.
The assessment tasks for this unit are designed to demonstrate achievement of each learning outcome. To pass this unit, pre-service teachers are required to complete all tasks and gain an overall Pass grade.
Overview of assessments
Assessment Task 1: Physical Education Micro-Teach...
Assessment Task 1: Physical Education Micro-Teaching
Design a Physical Education lesson aligned with relevant curriculum that incorporates developmentally appropriate physical activity informed by a child development framework. Your lesson should demonstrate how to sequence tasks and meet students at their current level of skill development to support mastery. Present your lesson, outlining curriculum alignment, learning goals, task sequence, differentiation, formative assessment and risk management. Deliver a micro-teaching experience using explicit modelling, scaffolding and differentiation of the activity, demonstrating effective classroom organisation and communication, and promoting safe and inclusive environments and relationships.
50%
Assessment Task 2: Unit of Work Develop a four-w...
Assessment Task 2: Unit of Work
Develop a four-week unit of work based on the health content strand from a relevant curriculum to address a sensitive health issue. Reflect critically on the selected issue, considering assumptions and biases and how to work sensitively with students and families. Demonstrate coherent and deliberate planning and sequencing of evidence-based learning, teaching and assessment, and include strategies to engage learners from diverse backgrounds and with disability. Incorporate Cross-Curriculum Priorities and General Capabilities, including literacy, numeracy, and digital capabilities, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures
50%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
The learning and teaching strategy for this unit is grounded in a constructivist approach, recognising that learning builds on prior knowledge and is shaped by sociocultural context. It promotes active learning, supporting diverse pre-service teachers to engage with content, apply knowledge to problem-solving tasks, and develop analytical and evaluative skills. A range of activities, including reading, reflection, discussion, and online engagement, support this approach. Practical learning experiences are central, enabling PSTs to apply HPE theory in real-world contexts.
These experiences foster reflection, support construction of effective pedagogy, and prepare students for assessments aligned with the unit’s outcomes.
ACECQA Curriculum Specifications
In connection to the learning outcomes, on successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should have developed the following industry specific knowledge based on the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) standards:
Relating to
Psychology and Child Development
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1
Relating to
Child health, wellbeing and safety
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2
Relating to
Diversity, difference and inclusivity
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating to
Guiding behaviour/engaging young learners
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4, LO5
Relating to
Teaching methods and strategies
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating to
Children with diverse needs and backgrounds
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating to
Working with children who speak languages other than, or in addition to, English
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating to
Contemporary theories and practice
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2
Relating to
Ethics and professional practice
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2
Relating to
Multicultural education
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating toAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating to
Socially inclusive practice
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating to
Culture, diversity and inclusion
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating to
Australian curriculum
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3
Relating to
Numeracy, science and technology
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3
Relating to
Physical and health education
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3
Relating to
Curriculum planning, programming and evaluation
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers - Graduate Level
In connection to the learning outcomes, on successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should have developed the following industry specific knowledge based on the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers - Graduate Level standards:
Relating toDemonstrate knowledge and understanding of physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students and how these may affect learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1
Relating toDemonstrate knowledge and understanding of research into how students learn and the implications for teaching.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1
Relating toDemonstrate knowledge of teaching strategies that are responsive to the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating toDemonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO3, LO4
Relating toOrganise content into an effective learning and teaching sequence.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3
Relating toUse curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge to design learning sequences and lesson plans.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3, LO4
Relating toDemonstrate broad knowledge of, understanding of, and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and languages.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating toKnow and understand literacy and numeracy teaching strategies and their application in teaching areas.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3
Relating toImplement teaching strategies for using ICT to expand curriculum learning opportunities for students.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3, LO4
Relating toSet learning goals that provide achievable challenges for students of varying abilities and characteristics.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1
Relating toPlan lesson sequences using knowledge of student learning, content and effective teaching strategies.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3, LO4
Relating toInclude a range of teaching strategies.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3, LO4
Relating toDemonstrate knowledge of a range of resources, including ICT, that engage students in their learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3, LO4
Relating toDemonstrate a range of verbal and non-verbal communication strategies to support student engagement.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3, LO4, LO5
Relating toIdentify strategies to support inclusive student participation and engagement in classroom activities.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3, LO4, LO5
Relating toDemonstrate the capacity to organise classroom activities and provide clear directions.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3, LO4, LO5
Relating toDescribe strategies that support students’ wellbeing and safety working within school and/or system, curriculum and legislative requirements.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4, LO5
Relating toDemonstrate understanding of assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3, LO4
Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) Core Content
On successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should have developed the following industry specific knowledge based on the AITSL Core Content:
Relating toThe key features of coherent and deliberate planning and sequencing of tasks and lessons including curriculum-aligned learning objectives, clear descriptions of how students will show evidence of mastery, the common progression of learning in a subject area and the critical curriculum knowledge needed for students to progress.
Relevant learningLO3
Relating toHow to sequence tasks within a lesson that build upon each other, meet students where they are in their learning and help them understand the progression of skills needed to attain mastery.
Relevant learningLO4
Relating toHow to effectively begin instruction of a task through using a clear explanation of what students are expected to learn, chunked into small, manageable tasks with well-defined goals.
Relevant learningLO1, LO4
Relating toHow to explicitly model new skills and content through ‘worked examples’ that clearly demonstrate how to complete the task, followed by a progressive removal of scaffolding as students become more proficient.
Relevant learningLO3
Relating toHow to explicitly deliver reading and writing instruction through discipline and discipline-specific curriculum and pedagogical studies as outlined in standard 4.2.
Relevant learningLO2
Relating toHow to deliver explicit numeracy instruction followed by a progressive removal of scaffolding as students become more proficient through a combination of underpinning mathematical concepts and skills (numerical, spatial, graphical, statistical, and algebraic); mathematical thinking and strategies; and general thinking skills as appropriate to discipline and discipline-specific curriculum and pedagogical studies as outlined in standard 4.2.
Relevant learningLO2, LO3
Relating toThe research evidence that shows the positive impact of building positive relationships on classroom behaviour and student outcomes.
Relevant learningLO5
Relating toHow to plan and implement practices that create a predictable and safe environment for students by reducing variance in classroom environment – for example, classroom arrangement, consistent location of prompts, consistent use of space, visible rules, and routines.
Relevant learningLO5
Relating toThe content covered in the Australian Curriculum Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures cross-curriculum priority across stages and subjects.
Relevant learningLO4
Relating toHow biases and assumptions about diverse groups and worldviews affect practices, behaviours, and attitudes in the classroom and how these biases adversely impact specific groups.
Relevant learningLO4
Relating toThe evidence-based approaches to cater for specific needs and disabilities that a teacher may encounter during their career, with a focus on needs with high prevalence in Australian classrooms. Content should be developed in collaboration with appropriate subject matter expertise from a range of disciplines – for example, linguistics, psychology, health, and education.
Relevant learningLO4, LO5
Representative texts and references
Recommended Texts and Documents
Australian Curriculum – Health and Physical Education https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/curriculum-information/understand-this-learning-area/health-and-physical-education
Relevant State and Territory curriculum documents
Recommended References
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (n.d.). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures. https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/cross-curriculum-priorities/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-histories-and-cultures/
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (n.d.). Numeracy learning progression and Health and Physical Education. https://v8.australiancurriculum.edu.au/media/3667/numeracy-hpe.pdf
Australian Education Research Organisation. (2021). Positive teacher–student relationships: Their role in classroom management. https://www.edresearch.edu.au/summaries-explainers/explainers/positive-teacher-student-relationships-their-role-classroom-management
Australian Education Research Organisation. (n.d.). Explicit instruction. https://www.edresearch.edu.au/summaries-explainers/explainers/explicit-instruction
Casey, A., & Kirk, D. (2021). Models-based practice in physical education. Routledge. https://www.routledge.com/Models-based-Practice-in-Physical-Education/Casey-Kirk/p/book/9780367680381
Dudley, D., Telford, A., Peralta, L., Stonehouse, C., & Winslade, M. (2020). Teaching quality health and physical education (2nd ed.). Cengage Learning Australia.
Edutopia. (2023). How to establish classroom routines for productive learning. https://www.edutopia.org/article/establish-classroom-routines-productive-learning
Kelman, J. (2025). Implicit bias in the classroom: Working with students. Brook Lane. https://www.brooklane.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Jennifer-Kelman-Implicit-Bias-In-Classroom-Brook-Lane-4.15.25.pdf
Light, R. (2008). Complex learning theory—its epistemology and its assumptions about learning: Implications for physical education. Journal of Teaching in Physical Education, 27(1), 21–37.
McMaster, N. (2019). Teaching health and physical education in early childhood and the primary years. Oxford University Press.
Meldrum, K., & Peters, J. (2014). Learning to teach health and physical education: The student, the teacher and the curriculum. Pearson Australia.
Miller, J., Wilson-Gahan, S., & Garrett, R. (2018). Health and physical education (3rd ed.). Cambridge University Press.
NSW Department of Education. (n.d.). Evidence-based practices for students with disability. https://education.nsw.gov.au/schooling/school-community/inclusive-education-for-students-with-disability/Evidence-based_practices
NSW Department of Education. (n.d.). Unit planning technique guide. https://education.nsw.gov.au/content/dam/main-education/documents/teaching-and-learning/curriculum/explicit-teaching/explicit-teaching-technique-guide-csl-unit-planning.pdf