THE NEW VISION FOR SPORT, HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION

By Katie Clayton Director of Sport, Health and Physical Education

I immediately held a department meeting where I put a question to all the Health and Physical Education Teachers and Sport Administrators in the College: ‘If you were asked whilst out socialising, what is sport at All Saints’ College, how would you respond?’ New to the College, I was interested to note the diverse responses and differing opinions and also eager to see how the richness and variety of responses would give us multiple directions to follow! Whilst all staff stated their response in their own unique way, almost instantly we realised that we were all invested in the same outcomes and goals. From that day, we worked to create an ASC Sport, Health and Physical Education (SHPE) strategic vision, and a commitment to our students that included Sport, Health and Physical Education, along with our extensive Outdoor Education endeavours.

Overwhelmingly, our response to SHPE at ASC, and how we view our roles as Physical Education practitioners, centred on three key concepts, all underpinned by the notion of inclusion:

1 Developing effective citizens in the world.

2 Providing sport for lifelong health and wellbeing.

3 Giving opportunities for elite sport so students can achieve their personal best.

Central to our goals is for sport to be a vehicle to create and develop opportunities for students to become good people and be effective citizens in the world. The opportunities we aim to provide give students the chance to work in a team, develop qualities relating to cooperation, commitment, fair play, and perseverance. However, the less obvious areas of problem-solving, quick thinking, respect and inclusion, tolerance and empathy are equally provided through the delivery of our program. Accepting defeat gracefully, learning from mistakes (or ‘flearning’) and working to positively improve self are essential life skills. SHPE at ASC provides unique and deliberate opportunities for this vital learning to occur. In a world dominated by technology where face-to-face conversations are decreasing and the use of virtual communication is increasing, as educators, we are finding the need to provide students with opportunities to socialise and develop essential skills relating to their confidence, patience and selfmanagement in group situations. Sporting settings and the deliberately planned activities in Physical Education, Outdoor Education and cocurricular sport at ASC, foster rich conversation and conflict resolution that is rarely seen in any other environment.

Our second concept of providing physical activity for lifelong participation and wellbeing may seem like an easy one to grasp. We all know we need to exercise for our overall health. We also know that being outdoors and exercising produces endorphins and contributes to how we feel, but it can be challenging to motivate ourselves and others to make this a daily habit and, in turn, a lifestyle choice. With the increase in sedentary lifestyles and technology dependence, it has become essential to incorporate regular physical activity into students’ daily routines. How do we compete with the other aspects of a student’s life to make this a priority for them? And how do we ensure that when leaving school, they are equipped with the capability to continue on this journey without our assistance? These are the essential questions we address within our strategic development. Our final goal focuses on ensuring that students achieve their personal best, whatever form that may take. This involves providing elite or knowledgeable experiences and rich learning opportunities so that students can thrive, and includes encouragement and support to those who wish to pursue sport as a pathway, either as a professional player or as one of the many careers sport offers. Our many community partnerships are central to this development.

From these discussions and through much deliberation about language use, our greatly anticipated vision and commitment had been set.

Vision

A culture that empowers students to realise their potential and make a positive difference in our world.

Commitment

Provide inclusive opportunities that promote wellbeing and personalised growth for all.

After cementing our strategic vision, it dawned on me that the values we had developed sit central to the core of ASC in all aspects of school life. ERIC (Empathy, Respect, Integrity and Courage) is definitely central to how we respond in the sporting field.

HOW HAVE WE BEGUN THE PROCESS TO ACHIEVE THESE GOALS?

1 Our Starting Point

Sitting at the core of all we do is the Years 7—10 PE curriculum, of which a redesign process took place throughout 2022. Students are now taught through a concepts model rather than specific sports. Students experience Invasion, Net, Striking and Fielding Games throughout the year with a view that they can be effective in any game setting of their choice and are not bound by skills. Taught through a variety of games, students apply knowledge in a variety of areas and develop a deep understanding and connections to multiple areas. Students also experience alternative games and as such, they have a broad and varied experience, so they are equipped with the skills, knowledge and understanding to be confident in any sporting setting. Alongside this is the development and understanding of rules and specifics of each game which ensures deeper learning and individual growth.

2 Participation

An increase in participation in all areas, whilst developing wellbeing strategies, is a huge and ongoing target. The more students who participate, the more who reap the benefits of a healthy and active lifestyle, while developing their sporting competency and physical literacy. At ASC, we seek to provide support if numbers for sporting clubs are high and all our clubs, including many new initiatives, are thriving. The rebranding of our morning swimming club into a fun, wellbeing session, alongside the competitive squad training, has seen numbers soar. New clubs such as our Strength and Conditioning club, which provides an introduction to our Koorliny gym facility for the younger years, has seen the space bursting with energy in the mornings. Aligning Junior School cocurricular activities with the Senior School has enabled greater expertise and support, resulting in our soccer, athletics, and running numbers thriving. Badminton Club now sees over 70 students regularly attend, all of whom have very diverse reasons for getting involved. Some are keen to develop and seek coaching from our badminton coach, whilst others join with groups of friends and use it as a social opportunity. Training and trialling for our many carnivals has also seen a growth in numbers.

3 FOOTBALL (SOCCER) ACADEMY

While we continue to thrive in community basketball, there was a need to offer other sports in a similar format.

After surveying students and offering some introductory sessions, we embarked on partnerships with J&J Football with a view to developing an academy. In the short term, the goal is to create a model similar to basketball where we have teams playing in a community sporting competition. The results have been overwhelming and we currently have eight teams playing weekly with numbers growing each week. Between the Junior and Senior Schools, numbers in football have been the highest of any other club, and aside from basketball, it is our biggest club. We have entered teams initially into a local futsal competition with a view to progressing into full football teams in the coming months.

4 VOLLEYBALL PARTNERSHIP

Alongside our other community clubs, basketball, netball and now soccer, volleyball is also in demand. As such we have generated a partnership with Reds Volleyball who provide expertise in this area.

5 SPECIALIST

SOCCER, NETBALL AND BASKETBALL OPTIONS

The introduction of these specialist option programs for students in Years 9 and 10 has cemented the connection between cocurricular and the curriculum. Students experience all aspects of the game including advanced tactics and skills with various officiating courses, nutrition and recovery, first aid and injury management.

6 INTERHOUSE SPORT

Being mindful of our students’ academic and pastoral commitments, it became apparent that for us to continue to provide this all-inclusive House competition, it needed to be held during the school day. We are pleased to report that it is now part of our Assembly and Meeting Period (AMP).

7 SPECIAL SPORT WEEK

Aligning with the Olympics in 2022, we celebrated sport with a range of special events throughout Sports Week and each year have committed to focus on a global sporting competition (in 2023, the Women’s Football World Cup) to celebrate sport and expose all students to the event.

8

Basketball And Netball Coordinators

Given that these community clubs require additional administration and specialist expertise, we have been pleased to create Netball and Basketball Coordinator positions for two of our teachers.

9

Outdoor Education

In this area, our programs remain extensive and the experiences our students have, specifically in Years 9–12, are unique to ASC. Students can opt to participate in land-based activities, water-based river and ocean sessions and have the opportunity to gain their bronze medallion and skipper’s ticket. The introduction of a new camp at Rottnest Island allowed students to develop essential Outdoor and Aquatic skills, as well as personal and social skills. This unique program allows students to appreciate and show respect for themselves and understand their own and others wellbeing.

10 NETBALL PARTNERSHIP WITH THE STUDIO SCHOOL (TSS)

We are pleased to be offering support to our students at TSS and several TSS students play alongside ASC students in our U17 netball team. Students play fixtures in the Fremantle Netball Association competition so it seemed an ideal opportunity to include our peers from TSS.

“ It has been a privilege to develop the SHPE strategic vision at ASC, especially working alongside such dedicated, motivated, and highly skilled practitioners. The care the SHPE team of teachers give to our students is outstanding and I cannot thank them enough for always going above and beyond to ensure this strategic vision is met. We have many other strategic projects in the pipeline and will continue to serve the community to develop our vision and commitment to our students and the broader community.”