The PDHPE faculty have had a very busy, productive and enjoyable start to 2025. Overall, students have been keen and enthusiastic, working well in both practical and theory lessons. The PDHPE team is motivated and really looking forward to what lays ahead this year.
Across semester one, all students in Years 7-10 enjoy a wide variety of learning experiences in their theory and practical lessons.
Practical
Practical 7-10 PDHPE classes have focused on a variety of units this semester, including Fundamental Movement Skills (Y7), Hitting Skills (Y8), Throwing and Catching games (Y9) and Court Games (Y10). During these units, students have demonstrated some outstanding coordination and transferral of movement skills in a variety of contexts, including: volleyball, hockey, oz tag, ultimate frisbee, netball and basketball.
Term 2 will see all Year groups participating in the Athletics and Dance units of work, perfecting their skills and techniques in a range of track and field events, dance styles and genres.
Theory
In semester one, Year 7-10 PDHPE classes examine a range of key health and wellbeing issues in their theory units of work. These include ‘health, wellbeing and identity’ (Y7), ‘positive relationships and online safety’ (Y8), ‘the impact of digital/social media on our health and wellbeing’ (Y9) and ‘determinants of health and epidemiology’ (Y10). Students have engaged productively in lessons, thinking critically about health issues relevant to their lives.
Elective Courses
PDHPE electives have once again been very popular. These include: Y8 Analysing Sport/Human Movement and Y9/10 Physical Activity and Sport Studies (PASS).
Year 9 and 10 PASS classes have experienced a variety of engaging and practical-based learning activities that expand on the traditional 7-10 PDHPE programs and lead students into some exciting topics such as: Sports Coaching, Australia’s Sporting Identity and Nutrition and Physical Activity.
Students have been challenged by planning and delivering a coaching session in a sport of their choice. In this task they were required to coach their fellow peers in a training session they had designed. It was certainly very interesting to see how the students dealt with the “shoe being on the other foot”!
Swimming Carnival 2025
The rain could not keep the staff and students of Newcastle High School away from the pool for the 2025 Swimming Carnival! Thank you to everyone who participated and tried their personal best. Everyone was entertained by some seriously competitive races. This was particularly evident in the final event of the day - the staff v senior students relay - where the staff team continued their dominance in a close but deserving victory!
Athletics Carnival 2025
The Newcastle High School Athletics Carnival for 2025 will be held at the Fearnley Dawes Athletics track on Monday 19 May 2025 (T2, W4). It is always one of the most enjoyable days of the school calendar. We strongly encourage everyone to turn up in your house colours and get involved!
A friendly reminder of the houses:
Sport Report
Open Boys Football
Well done to the NHS Open Boys Football team!! NHS kicked off their campaign with two convincing wins: 11-0 over Scone High and 10-0 over Singleton High to progress to the next round of the competition. Well done boys!!
Senior AFL Gala Days
The NHS Senior Girls and Boys AFL sides participated in the Hunter Secondary Schools Cup at Teralba on Monday and Tuesday of Week 9. Both NHS teams put in excellent performances in the Tier 1 competition with each winning 3 of their 5 matches, placing 3rd in the Hunter region against public and private schools. In humid, slippery and at times stifling conditions, the NHS girls and boys showed their usual competitive and committed attitudes mixed with skill and brilliance. Outstanding contributors for the girls were Willow C. Brodie M, Mei O, Mary C and Ruby F. While for the boys Joaquin L, Will R, Kynan J, Archi P and Ben A, provided highlights to an all-round team effort. Well done to all students who competed at the gala days with the convenor and umpires making reference to the NHS students' competitive yet respectful spirit of competition.
Open Girls Basketball
The Open Girls basketball team played in the CHS Regional Gala Day in Term 1. The girls played extremely well, making it through to the semi finals where they unfortunately lost to Hunter Sports High. Their sportsmanship displayed on the day is to be commended. Well done girls!!
Open Girls Football
The Open Girls Football team won their first two rounds of the Puma Cup knockout, 10-0 and 3-0, to progress to the next stage of the competition. Well done!!
Dynamic Duo Recognised
Congratulations to brothers Nate and Kynan J. for receiving Hunter Excellence awards for their contribution to Hunter Schools Touch Football last year. Both boys were valuable members of the 15's and Open's successful teams. We wish them all the best for the NSW CHS trials this year!!
AFL Gala Days
Our Junior AFL Boys and Girls sides recently participated in gala days at Warners Bay and Teralba. The boys had two thumping wins and three defeats (only going down by 2 points in one match). They demonstrated great spirit and a willingness to take the game on throughout the day, especially against Hunter Sports - taking an early two goal lead and giving them their tightest clash for the day. Great contributors on the day were Nate J, Odin B, Rudy W, Ted F and Charlie B. The Girls side mostly featured students playing their first game of AFL. While the girls could not notch up a victory on the day their endeavour and spirit could not be questioned and was obvious in the beaming smiles on their faces. Lilly M, Sophie W, Stella C , Georgia A and Emily G were consistently skilled and determined across the day. Well done!!
Fast5 Netball Carnival
Towards the end of Term 1, Year 10, 11 and 12 students participated in the Netball NSW Y11/Y12 Fast5 Netball Carnival at Westlakes. All students had a fantastic, fun day, demonstrating true NHS spirit through their effort and participation!!
Bill Turner Trophy Win
The Girls Bill Turner Trophy football team won their first round game 11-0. Goals were scored by Imogen L (x4), Abby L (x2), Brodie M (x2), Tahlia S (x2) and Amaya M. Well done and good luck in the next round!!
Representative Sport Trials
Hunter Sport Trials
Any students wishing to participate in Hunter Representative Trials in 2025 are to complete the online nomination form through the 'DASH' platform. The majority of sports will require nominations to be made 2 weeks prior to the trial occurring, so please keep up to date with the Hunter Trial Calendar for your respective sports.
Please see Mr McCafferty in the PDHPE staffroom for more information.
The DASH login page is at https://nswschoolsportunit.dashapp.com.au/auth/login
We look forward to a fabulous and rewarding year ahead, where students are given every opportunity to grow and develop into respectful, hardworking, resilient and responsible young people, who enjoy the benefits and rewards of a healthy lifestyle.
Nick Johns – Head Teacher PDHPE
