The New Zealand Curriculum - Health and physical education

Statement of official policy relating to teaching, learning and assessment of health and physical education in all English medium state and state-integrated schools in New Zealand.

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About this resource

Health and physical education is one of the learning areas in the New Zealand Curriculum, the official document that sets the direction for teaching, learning, and assessment in all English medium state and state-integrated schools in New Zealand. In health and physical education, students learn about their own well-being and that of others and society in health-related and movement contexts.

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The New Zealand Curriculum - Health and physical education

What is health and physical education about?

He oranga ngākau, he pikinga waiora.

Positive feelings in your heart will enhance your sense of self-worth.

In health and physical education, the focus is on the well-being of the students themselves, of other people, and of society through learning in health-related and movement contexts.

Four underlying and interdependent concepts are at the heart of this learning area:

Hauora¹: a Māori philosophy of well-being that includes the dimensions taha wairua, taha hinengaro, taha tinana, and taha whānau, each one influencing and supporting the others.
Attitudes and values: a positive, responsible attitude on the part of students to their own well-being; respect, care, and concern for other people and the environment; and a sense of social justice.
The socio-ecological perspective: a way of viewing and understanding the interrelationships that exist between the individual, others, and society.
Health promotion: a process that helps to develop and maintain supportive physical and emotional environments and that involves students in personal and collective action.

Footnotes

In health and physical education, the use of the word hauora is based on Mason Durie’s Te Whare Tapa Whā model (Durie, 1994). Hauora and well-being, though not synonyms, share much common ground. Taha wairua relates to spiritual well-being; taha hinengaro to mental and emotional well-being; taha tinana to physical well-being; and taha whānau to social well-being.

Why study health and physical education?
Learning area structure
Achievement objectives
Teaching time requirements

Through learning and by accepting challenges in health-related and movement contexts, students reflect on the nature of well-being and how to promote it. As they develop resilience and a sense of personal and social responsibility, they are increasingly able to take responsibility for themselves and contribute to the well-being of those around them, of their communities, of their environments (including natural environments), and of wider society.

This learning area makes a significant contribution to the well-being of students beyond the classroom, particularly when it is supported by school policies and procedures and by the actions of all people in the school community.

The learning activities in health and physical education arise from the integration of the four concepts above, the following four strands and their achievement objectives, 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
sexuality education
food and nutrition
body care and physical safety
physical activity
sport studies
outdoor education

All seven areas are to be included in teaching and learning programmes at both primary and secondary levels.

Note that:

it is expected that schools will consult with their communities when developing health and sexuality education programmes
it is expected that all students will have had opportunities to learn basic aquatics skills by the end of year 6 and practical cooking skills by the end of year 8
outdoor education programmes must follow safe practice and meet legal requirements.

Health and physical education encompasses three different but related subjects: health education, physical education, and home economics. These subjects share a conceptual framework and achievement objectives.

Level 1

Personal health and physical development – A

A1 Personal growth and development

Students will describe feelings and ask questions about their health, growth, development, and personal needs and wants.

A2 Regular physical activity

Students will participate in creative and regular physical activities and identify enjoyable experiences.

A3 Safety management

Students will describe and use safe practices in a range of contexts and identify people who can help.

A4 Personal identity

Students will describe themselves in relation to a range of contexts.

Movement concepts and motor skills – B

B1 Movement skills; B3 Science and technology

Students will develop a wide range of movement skills, using a variety of equipment and play environments.

B2 Positive attitudes; B4 Challenges and social and cultural factors

Students will participate in a range of games and activities and identify the factors that make participation safe and enjoyable.

Relationships with other people – C

C1 Relationships

Students will explore and share ideas about relationships with other people.

C2 Identity, sensitivity, and respect

Students will demonstrate respect through sharing and cooperation in groups.

C3 Interpersonal skills

Students will express their own ideas, needs, wants, and feelings clearly and listen to those of other people.

Healthy communities and environments – D

D2 Community resources

Students will identify and discuss obvious hazards in their home, school, and local environment and adopt simple safety practices.

D3 Rights, responsibilities, and laws; D4 People and the environment

Students will take individual and collective action to contribute to environments that can be enjoyed by all.

Level 2

Personal health and physical development – A

A1 Personal growth and development

Students will describe their stages of growth and their development needs and demonstrate increasing responsibility for self-care.

A2 Regular physical activity

Students will experience creative, regular, and enjoyable physical activities and describe the benefits to well-being.

A3 Safety management

Students will identify risk and use safe practices in a range of contexts.

A4 Personal identity

Students will identify personal qualities that contribute to a sense of self-worth.

Movement concepts and motor skills – B

B1 Movement skills

Students will practise movement skills and demonstrate the ability to link them in order to perform movement sequences.

B2 Positive attitudes

Students will participate in and create a variety of games and activities, and discuss the enjoyment that these activities can bring to them and others.

B3 Science and technology

Students will use modified equipment in a range of contexts and identify how this enhances movement experiences.

B4 Challenges and social and cultural factors

Students will develop and apply rules and practices in games and activities to promote fair, safe, and culturally appropriate participation for all.

Relationships with other people – C

C1 Relationships

Students will identify and demonstrate ways of maintaining and enhancing relationships between individuals and within groups.

C2 Identity, sensitivity, and respect

Students will describe how individuals and groups share characteristics and are also unique.

C3 Interpersonal skills

Students will express their ideas, needs, wants, and feelings appropriately and listen sensitively to other people and affirm them.

Healthy communities and environments – D

D1 Societal attitudes and values

Students will explore how people’s attitudes, values, and actions contribute to healthy physical and social environments.

D2 Community resources

Students will identify and use local community resources and explain how these contribute to a healthy community.

D3 Rights, responsibilities, and laws; D4 People and the environment

Students will contribute to and use simple guidelines and practices that promote physically and socially healthy classrooms, schools, and local environments.

Level 3

Personal health and physical development – A

A1 Personal growth and development

Students will identify factors that affect personal, physical, social, and emotional growth and develop skills to manage changes.

A2 Regular physical activity

Students will maintain regular participation in enjoyable physical activities in a range of environments and describe how these assist in the promotion of well-being.

A3 Safety management

Students will identify risks and their causes and describe safe practices to manage these.

A4 Personal identity

Students will describe how their own feelings, beliefs, and actions, and those of other people, contribute to their personal sense of self-worth.

Movement concepts and motor skills – B

B1 Movement skills

Students will develop more complex movement sequences and strategies in a range of situations.

B2 Positive attitudes

Students will develop movement skills in challenging situations and describe how these challenges impact on themselves and others.

B3 Science and technology

Students will participate in and describe how their body responds to regular and vigourous physical activity in a range of environments.

B4 Challenges and social and cultural factors

Students will participate in cooperative and competitive activities and describe how cooperation and competition can affect people’s behaviour and the quality of the experience.

Relationships with other people – C

C1 Relationships

Students will identify and compare ways of establishing relationships and managing changing relationships.

C2 Identity, sensitivity, and respect

Students will identify ways in which people discriminate and ways to act responsibly to support themselves and other people.

C3 Interpersonal skills

Students will identify the pressures that can influence interactions with other people and demonstrate basic assertiveness strategies to manage these.

Healthy communities and environments – D

D1 Societal attitudes and values

Students will identify how health care and physical activity practices are influenced by community and environmental factors.

D2 Community resources

Students will participate in communal events and describe how such events enhance the well-being of the community.

D3 Rights, responsibilities, and laws

Students will research and describe current health and safety guidelines and practices in their school and take action to enhance their effectiveness.

D4 People and the environment

Students will plan and implement a programme to enhance an identified social or physical aspect of their classroom or school environment.

Level 4

Personal health and physical development – A

A1 Personal growth and development

Students will describe the characteristics of pubertal change and discuss positive adjustment strategies.

A2 Regular physical activity

Students will demonstrate an increasing sense of responsibility for incorporating regular and enjoyable physical activity into their personal lifestyle to enhance well-being.

A3 Safety management

Students will access and use information to make and action-safe choices in a range of contexts.

A4 Personal identity

Students will describe how social messages and stereotypes, including those in the media, can affect feelings of self-worth.

Movement concepts and motor skills – B

B1 Movement skills

Students will demonstrate consistency and control of movement in a range of situations.

B2 Positive attitudes

Students will demonstrate willingness to accept challenges, learn new skills and strategies, and extend their abilities in movement-related activities.

B3 Science and technology

Students will experience and demonstrate how science, technology, and the environment influence the selection and use of equipment in a variety of settings.

B4 Challenges and social and cultural factors

Students will participate in and demonstrate an understanding of how social and cultural practices are expressed through movement.

Relationships with other people – C

C1 Relationships

Students will identify the effects of changing situations, roles, and responsibilities on relationships and describe appropriate responses.

C2 Identity, sensitivity, and respect

Students will recognise instances of discrimination and act responsibly to support their own rights and feelings and those of other people.

C3 Interpersonal skills

Students will describe and demonstrate a range of assertive communication skills and processes that enable them to interact appropriately with other people.

Healthy communities and environments – D

D1 Societal attitudes and values

Students will investigate and describe lifestyle factors and media influences that contribute to the well-being of people in New Zealand.

D2 Community resources

Students will investigate and/or access a range of community resources that support well-being and evaluate the contribution made by each to the well-being of community members.

D3 Rights, responsibilities, and laws; D4 People and the environment

Students will specify individual responsibilities and take collective action for the care and safety of other people in their school and in the wider community.

Level 5

Personal health and physical development – A

A1 Personal growth and development

Students will describe physical, social, emotional, and intellectual processes of growth and relate these to features of adolescent development and effective self-management strategies.

A2 Regular physical activity

Students will experience a range of personally enjoyable physical activities and describe how varying levels of involvement affect well-being and lifestyle balance.

A3 Safety management

Students will investigate and practise safety procedures and strategies to manage risk situations.

A4 Personal identity

Students will investigate and describe the ways in which individuals define their own identity and sense of self-worth and how this influences the ways in which they describe other people.

Movement concepts and motor skills – B

B1 Movement skills

Students will acquire and apply complex motor skills by using basic principles of motor learning.

B2 Positive attitudes

Students will develop skills and responsible attitudes in challenging physical situations.

B3 Science and technology

Students will investigate and experience ways in which scientific, technological, and environmental knowledge and resources assist in and influence people’s participation in regular physical activity.

B4 Challenges and social and cultural factors

Students will investigate and experience ways in which people’s physical competence and participation are influenced by social and cultural factors.

Relationships with other people – C

C1 Relationships

Students will identify issues associated with relationships and describe options to achieve positive outcomes.

C2 Identity, sensitivity, and respect

Students will demonstrate an understanding of how attitudes and values relating to difference influence their own safety and that of other people.

C3 Interpersonal skills

Students will demonstrate a range of interpersonal skills and processes that help them make safe choices for themselves and other people in a variety of settings.

Healthy communities and environments – D

D1 Societal attitudes and values

Students will investigate societal influences on the well-being of student communities.

D2 Community resources

Students will investigate community services that support and promote people’s well-being and take action to promote personal and group involvement.

D3 Rights, responsibilities, and laws

Students will identify the rights and responsibilities of consumers and use this information to evaluate health and recreational services and products in the community.

D4 People and the environment

Students will investigate and evaluate aspects of the school environment that affect people’s well-being and take action to enhance these aspects.

Level 6

Personal health and physical development – A

A1 Personal growth and development

Students will investigate and understand the reasons for the choices people make that affect their well-being and explore and evaluate options and consequences.

A2 Regular physical activity

Students will choose and maintain ongoing involvement in appropriate physical activities and examine factors influencing their participation.

A3 Safety management

Students will demonstrate understanding of responsible behaviours required to ensure that challenges and risks are managed safely in physical and social environments.

A4 Personal identity

Students will demonstrate an understanding of factors that contribute to personal identity and celebrate individuality and affirm diversity.

Movement concepts and motor skills – B

B1 Movement skills

Students will acquire, apply, and refine specialised motor skills by using the principles of motor skill learning.

B2 Positive attitudes

Students will demonstrate and examine responsible attitudes in challenging physical situations.

B3 Science and technology

Students will apply scientific and technological knowledge and resources to enhance physical abilities in a range of environments.

B4 Challenges and social and cultural factors

Students will demonstrate understanding and affirmation of people’s diverse social and cultural needs and practices when participating in physical activities.

Level 7

Personal health and physical development – A

A1 Personal growth and development

Students will assess their health needs and identify strategies to ensure personal well-being across their lifespan.

A2 Regular physical activity

Students will plan, implement, and evaluate a physical activity programme and examine factors used to justify physical activity as a means of enhancing well-being.

A3 Safety management

Students will analyse the difference between perceived and residual risks in physical and social environments and develop skills and behaviour for managing responsible action.

A4 Personal identity

Students will critically evaluate societal attitudes, values, and expectations that affect people’s awareness of their personal identity and sense of self-worth in a range of life situations.

Movement concepts and motor skills – B

B1 Movement skills

Students will appraise specialised motor skills and adapt them to extend physical competence and recreational opportunities.

B2 Positive attitudes

Students will adapt skills and appraise responsible attitudes in challenging physical situations and unfamiliar environments.

B3 Science and technology

Students will apply relevant scientific, technological, and environmental knowledge and use appropriate resources to improve performance in a specialised physical activity.

B4 Challenges and social and cultural factors

Students will appraise, adapt, and use physical activities to ensure that specific social and cultural needs are met.

Relationships with other people – C

C1 Relationships

Students will analyse the nature and benefits of meaningful interpersonal relationships.

C2 Identity, sensitivity, and respect

Students will analyse the beliefs, attitudes, and practices that reinforce stereotypes and role expectations, identifying ways in which these shape people’s choices at individual, group, and societal levels.

C3 Interpersonal skills

Students will evaluate information, make informed decisions, and use interpersonal skills effectively to manage conflict, competition, and change in relationships.

Healthy communities and environments – D

D1 Societal attitudes and values

Students will analyse ways in which events and social organisations promote healthy communities and evaluate the effects they have.

D2 Community resources

Students will evaluate school and community initiatives that promote young people’s well-being and develop an action plan to instigate or support these.

D3 Rights, responsibilities, and laws

Students will evaluate laws, policies, practices, and regulations in terms of their contribution to social justice at school and in the wider community.

D4 People and the environment

Students will analyse ways in which the environment and the well-being of a community are affected by population pressure and technological processes.

Level 8

Personal health and physical development – A

A1 Personal growth and development

Students will critically evaluate a range of qualitative and quantitative data to devise strategies to meet their current and future needs for well-being.

A2 Regular physical activity

Students will critically examine commercial products and programmes that promote physical activity and relate this to personal participation in programmes intended to meet their current well-being needs.

A3 Safety management

Students will critically analyse dilemmas and contemporary ethical issues that influence their own health and safety and that of other people.

A4 Personal identity

Students will critically analyse the impacts that conceptions of personal, cultural, and national identity have on people’s well-being.

Movement concepts and motor skills – B

B1 Movement skills

Students will devise, apply, and evaluate strategies to improve physical activity performance for themselves and others.

B2 Positive attitudes

Students will devise, apply, and appraise strategies through which they and other people can participate responsibly in challenging physical situations.

B3 Science and technology

Students will critically analyse and experience the application of scientific and technological knowledge and resources to physical activity in a range of environments.

B4 Challenges and social and cultural factors

Students will devise and apply strategies to ensure that social and cultural needs are met in personal and group physical activities.

Relationships with other people – C

C1 Relationships

Students will critically analyse the dynamics of effective relationships in a range of social contexts.

C2 Identity, sensitivity, and respect

Students will critically analyse attitudes, values, and behaviours that contribute to conflict and identify and describe ways of creating more harmonious relationships.

C3 Interpersonal skills

Students will analyse and evaluate attitudes and interpersonal skills that enable people to participate fully and effectively as community members in various situations.

Healthy communities and environments – D

D1 Societal attitudes and values

Students will critically analyse societal attitudes and practices and legislation influencing contemporary health and sporting issues, in relation to the need to promote mentally healthy and physically safe communities.

D2 Community resources

Students will establish and justify priorities for equitable distribution of available health and recreational resources and advocate change where necessary.

D3 Rights, responsibilities, and laws

Students will demonstrate the use of health promotion strategies by implementing a plan of action to enhance the well-being of the school, community, or environment.

D4 People and the environment

Students will critically analyse the interrelationships between people, industry, technology, and legislation on aspects of environmental health.

Reading, writing, and maths teaching time requirements

The teaching and learning of reading, writing, and maths¹ is a priority for all schools. So that all students are getting sufficient teaching and learning time for reading, writing, and maths, each school board with students in years 0 to 8 must, through its principal and staff, structure their teaching and learning programmes and/or timetables for delivering the National Curriculum Statements, including this one, to provide:

10 hours per week of teaching and learning focussed on supporting their progress and achievement in reading and writing in a typical school week, recognising the important contribution oral language development makes, particularly in the early phases of learning.
5 hours per week of teaching and learning focussed on supporting their progress and achievement in maths in a typical school week.

Where reading, writing, and/or maths teaching and learning time is occurring within the context of National Curriculum Statements other than English or mathematics and statistics, progression of students’ reading, writing, and/or maths dispositions, knowledge and skills at the appropriate level must be explicitly and intentionally planned for and attended to.

While the terms reading and writing are used, these expectations are inclusive of alternative methods of communication, including New Zealand Sign Language, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and Braille.

¹ For simplicity, ‘maths’ is used as an all-encompassing term to refer to the grouping of subject matter, dispositions, skills, competencies, and understandings that encompass all aspects of numeracy, mathematics, and statistics.

These teaching time requirements came in for most schools and kura with students in years 0 to 8 at the start of Term 1, 2024. Specialist schools with students in years 0 - 8 must ensure this from the start of 2025. Kura with a specified kura board must ensure this from Term 3, 2024.