At Windy Ridge School, Health and Physical Education aligns with our school values, strategic plan, and the New Zealand Curriculum. We aim to foster an inclusive environment where all ākonga feel safe and develop a strong sense of self-worth and mana. Learning opportunities are developed and respond to the needs of our ākonga and provide opportunities for ākonga to engage, collaborate and think creatively and critically. Ākonga are encouraged to maintain a fit and healthy lifestyle and are supported to make informed decisions that impact their physical and mental well-being.

Schools are required to consult with their communities every two years about how the Health curriculum is taught within their school. The Health curriculum is part of the Health and Physical Education (HPE) as defined in the New Zealand Curriculum.

The purpose of the consultation is to

a) Inform the school community about the content of the health curriculum

b) Consult regarding how the school implements the health curriculum and

c) Determine, in broad terms, the health education needs of the schools’ students

In 2024, we carried out our Health Consultation. Through this process, we discovered that our community highly values every component of the Health Curriculum. Additionally, whānau expressed a growing interest in effective Mental Health Education. To meet the needs of our community, Windy Ridge School will partner with The Sir John Kirwan Foundation and introduce ‘Mitey,’ a mental health programme across our school from 2025 to further enhance our Mental Health education.

How we teach the Health Curriculum at Windy Ridge School.

Learning activities at Windy Ridge School involve blending the four strands with their goals and seven key areas of learning.

The four strands are:

Personal health and physical development, in which students develop the knowledge, understandings, skills, and attitudes that they need in order to maintain and enhance their personal well-being and physical development
Movement concepts and motor skills, in which students develop motor skills, knowledge and understandings about movement, and positive attitudes towards physical activity
Relationships with other people, in which students develop understandings, skills, and attitudes that enhance their interactions and relationships with others
Healthy communities and environments, in which students contribute to healthy communities and environments by taking responsible and critical action.

The seven key areas of learning are:

mental health
food and nutrition
body care and physical safety
physical activity
sport studies
outdoor education
relationships and sexuality education

Our Health and Physical Education programme is planned and taught by teachers and supported where appropriate by external agencies and programmes. Below are some examples of how the seven areas of HPE are taught at Windy Ridge School.

Allows ākonga to

Ākonga in Year 0-2

Ākonga in Year 3-4

Ākonga in Year 5-6

Mental

Health

develop their knowledge, understanding, and skills to: strengthen their identity and build resilience and self-advocacy skills.

Life Education (Life Ed is facilitated by an external agency every second year)

School Values

Mitey - to be introduced in 2025

Positive Behaviour 4 Learning (PB4L)

Life Education (Life Ed is facilitated by an external agency every second year)

School Values

Mitey - to be introduced in 2025

Positive Behaviour 4 Learning (PB4L)

Life Education (Life Ed is facilitated by an external agency every second year)

School Values

Mitey - to be introduced in 2025

Positive Behaviour 4 Learning (PB4L)

Food &

Nutrition

make informed decisions about food that will contribute to their well-being and that of others.

Life Education

Breakfast Club

Brain Breaks and water

Healthy Lunch options

Life Education

Breakfast Club

Brain Breaks and water

Healthy Lunch options

Life Education

Breakfast Club

Brain Breaks and water Healthy Lunch options

Garden to Table

Body Care

& Physical

Safety

develop knowledge, understanding, and skills for personal body care, e.g., hygiene, recognising hazards

Life Education

Road Safety

Firewise

Water safety from Year 2 (odd years)

Learning Through Play

Life Education

Road Safety

Kaipatiki Community Facility Trust - Firewise & Emergency Help

Water safety (odd years)

Learning Through Inquiry

Kapa Haka

Life Education

Road Safety

Kaipatiki Community Facility Trust - Firewise & Emergency Help

Water safety (odd years)

Road Patrol & Travel Wise

Learning Through Inquiry

Kapa Haka

Physical

Activity

develop movement skills; enjoy physical activity; and develop positive attitudes toward regular participation in physical activity

Jump Jam, Swimming (odd years), athletics, bat and ball skills, striking games, cross country, Inter school sports.

‘Taster sessions’ are also run: Girls Got Game (Yr 3-6); Tuatara Basketball (Yr3-6); North Harbour Touch (NE-Yr6); Playball (NE-Yr4); American Football (Yr3-6).

Yr 0-1: All day access to the outside play space. Gross and fine motor skills are refined as part of pre-literacy skills.

Sport

Studies

develop skills to investigate and critically appraise the educative value of sport and consider the effects of sport from social, cultural, and scientific perspectives.

Life Education

Cross Country

Athletics

Inter-school tournaments

Life Education

Cross Country

Athletics

Inter-school tournaments

Life Education

Cross Country

Athletics

Outdoor Education

develop skills in specific outdoor activities. Ākonga develop an appreciation of the local area, stories, and how the environment is connected to where they live.

Local walks

Enviroschools

Aotearoa NZ Histories Curriculum

Kaitiaki of Eskdale Reserve & Windy Ridge Reserve

Community Events

Local walks

Enviroschools

Aotearoa NZ Histories

Kaitiaki of Eskdale Reserve & Windy Ridge Reserve

Community Events

Camp (even years)

Enviroschools

Aotearoa NZ Histories

Garden to Table

Kaitiaki of Eskdale Reserve & Windy Ridge Reserve

Community Events

Relationships & Sexuality Education

learn about themselves and develop knowledge and skills about acting in positive and respectful ways with others

This is not Sex Education.

Keeping Ourselves Safe (A specific scheme delivered by classroom teachers- biannual)

School Values

Keeping Ourselves Safe (A specific scheme delivered by classroom teachers- biannual)

School Values

Keeping Ourselves Safe Positive Puberty (external provider)

School Values