Sunshine Beach State High School’s Physical Education Department aims to provide opportunities for students to improve as intelligent performers and as life-long learners.
All students in Years 7, 8 and 9 study two semesters of Core Physical Education which is undertaken with a "play practice" approach, focussing on both tactical and technical development. Health lessons are also inclusive in the core program, designed to teach and motivate students towards choosing healthy lifestyle practices. Students focus on resilience, careers, safe choices, sexual health, alcohol and drugs, diet, nutrition and fitness and are equipped to discern between good nutrition and poor nutrition and the link between this and fitness levels. These lessons are designed to equip students with making informed decisions and contributing positively to both Sunshine Beach State High School and the wider communities.
Students in Year 10 have the opportunity to complete the Royal Surf Life Saving Certificate in Semester 1, while extension Physical Education units are offered in Semester 2 with the emphasis on providing students with the opportunity to develop skills and fitness to be able to participate in and enjoy a range of activities and develop both physical and literacy skills to enhance their studies in Years 11 and 12 Physical Education.
In Year 10 Semester 2, students also have the opportunity to study a variety of other HPE related subjects including Health, Fitness and Recreation. Health, as a subject in its entirety, focusses on health promotion.
The subject strongly enhances essential skills for students continuing into Year 11 and 12 OP subjects, aiming for university studies. Health lessons are designed to extensively develop many key research skills and motivate students towards choosing healthy lifestyle practices. Students investigate a wide range of health issues including organ transplants, body image, road trauma, sun safety, domestic violence, smoking, nutrition and drug use and abuse.
Fitness prepares students for Certificate III in Fitness whilst Recreation aims to develop skills in Aquatics, Sports and coaching.
In the Senior School, students have a range of study options including: Physical Education, Health, Recreational Pursuits and gaining a Certificate III in Fitness.
ATAR: General Subjects
Physical education
In Physical Education, teamwork and acceptance of individual’s strengths and weaknesses still remain a major focus. To enable the further development of intelligent performance, sports have been categorised with similar tactical requirements.
The sports categories are currently:
invasion games – including the mixing of people in the ball sport e.g. Touch - target types e.g. Basketball, and in varying mediums e.g. Water Polo
court divided games - e.g. Volleyball, Badminton
individual performance e.g. Swimming and Triathlon.
It can be seen that despite the differences in sports, the first three categories have similar tactical and technical requirements. However the individual performance sports depend more upon fitness and technical or skill development than tactical abilities.
Theoretical tasks are also completed in the course developing the concept of entwining theoretical and practical units. These theory tasks aim to increase student's awareness of physical, sociological, physiological and biomechanical principles as well as preparing students for entry into the Board course.
This OP subject involves the integration of practical and theoretical topics across three lessons per week. This course has seen Sunshine Beach SHS students receive excellent results in the past, on average scoring above the number of Very High Achievements compared to the State.
Health Education
Senior Health Education continues developing skills essential for senior studies whilst enhancing students’ understanding of the need to visualise the concept of health through the understanding of issues, critical thinking and the creation of opportunity for change.
Topic categories include:
individual e.g. personal stress
peers e.g. sexual health, body image
families e.g. domestic violence
community e.g. road trauma, sun safety
extension e.g. organ donation, Schoolies.
Students participating in Health Education have the opportunity to develop a wide range of skills for their QCS exam, and research skills in preparation for university.
VET subjects
Certificate III in Fitness (SIS30321) + Certificate II in Sport and Recreation (SIS20115)
RTO: Binnacle Training TRO Code: 31319
This course focuses on students wishing to pursue a career in fitness or in an aligned area, and when completed, will result in 8 credits towards their QCE.
Benefits for students:
8 credits towards the QCE
excellent career opportunities
web based program – Online assessments marked instantly with feedback on every answer
affordable – with payment options
Nationally recognised qualifications upon completion
excellent career opportunities.
The Certificate III in Fitness + Certificate II in Sport and Recreation is referred to as the ‘entry level requirement’ for the fitness industry and results in a Gym Instructor qualification. This qualifies graduates to work in health and fitness centres as a gym floor supervisor and programmer.
What does the course cover?
anatomy and physiology
how to design fitness programs
how to build rapport with clients
how to conduct a pre-exercise health screens
basic nutrition
how to test fitness levels
how to identify clients with special needs
how to conduct recreational programs.
work placement 20 hours
Applied subjects
Excellence in Surfing
The primary aim of the Sunshine Beach High Excellence in Surfing Program is to equip students for success in life through the sport of surfing. The Excellence in Surfing Program has been developed due to the popularity of surfing in our school region. The Junior Excellence in Surfing Program aims to introduce and develop surfing related concepts that students might otherwise not have the opportunity to experience.
These concepts include individual skills and competition tactics, sports psychology, surfing video analysis, editing and focuses on the students’ physical performance.
More specifically, students participating in the Senior Excellence in Surfing Program will investigate coaching principals, fitness strategies through a Certificate II in Aquatic Practices with ASLS. The Excellence in Surfing Program is more than a series of physical training sessions. Students involved in the Excellence in Surfing Program are required to attend sports related theory sessions and develop an extensive knowledge, including fitness development, organizational skills, judging, marketing and managerial aspects of the sport.
The overall objective of the Excellence in Surfing Program is not simply to develop good surfers, but also the education of students about personal development and strategies of hard work and determination for success.
Recreational students study a wide range of activities in recreational and outdoor pursuits. Being a QCAA registered subject, it provides four points for the Senior Certificate.
In addition to participating in a range of sports, students will complete an introductory coaching and officiating course. Our Recreation students are then able to coach the primary students from Sunshine Beach State School in a series of lessons. Also, they are able to take on a leadership roles in the running of our school carnivals.
Recreation students have an enjoyable course, learn lifelong skills and develop strong community relationships and partnerships.
The aim of recreation is to develop skills in a wide variety of sports including Surf Lifesaving and develop skills in coaching and healthy choices.
Contact Details
Head of Physical Education - Ben Oliver
Sport Co-ordinator - Tom Ferguson
Surfing contacts:
Surfing Excellence Coordinator - Kurt Barrow