The National Physical Activity Guidelines recommend that young people should be active on most or all days and engage in activity of moderate intensity for about an hour as part of a preventative health care program. To assist our students to develop a positive approach to physical activity, we are a member of the Girls Sport Victoria (GSV) sporting program and we conduct physical activity sessions for all Year 7 girls one afternoon per week.  These activities are both competitive and non-competitive in nature. Various sporting House competitions are conducted throughout the year. All of our students have access to our ‘gentle jogging club’ twice a week, with our students from Year 9 – 12 having access to the Tan running track at lunchtimes. We have a weights room that includes spinning cycles for our older students to continue with their training before school or at lunchtimes.

Our Physical Education staff are highly trained in both the physical and nutritional requirements of young people, and work with a committed team to ensure a balanced physical program, as well as contributing to food policy decisions. Specialist sporting staff are employed to ensure a ‘cutting edge’ approach to training, including maximising skill development and tactical awareness.

Healthy nutrition, which is addressed in both the Science and Body, Mind and Spirit courses, is vital in enhancing the physical, emotional and mental health of our students. To this end, we aim to:

Our Body, Mind and Spirit and Science courses undertake to impart knowledge on reproductive health, including a visit to the Action Centre – a sexual health centre for adolescents in the city of Melbourne – at Year 9 level.

A harm minimisation approach to drug education acknowledges that young people may use drugs at some stage and that all drugs have the potential to cause harm, not just the illegal ones. This approach considers the relationships between the person, the drug, the environment and circumstances in which they are using it. Harm minimisation involves a range of approaches to prevent and reduce drug related harm, including prevention, early intervention, abstinence, specialist treatment, supply control and safer drug use.

Our students in Years 7 – 9 participate in a compulsory outdoor education program. Our Year 7 girls stay at Valley Homestead at the beginning of Term 1 to engage in a variety of team building and lateral thinking exercises, while getting to know other students within the year level. Our Year 8 and 9 students attend camp late in Semester 2, and choose from a range of options including white water rafting, hiking, rock climbing and abseiling, surfing, canoeing and cycling.  As well as promoting a greater awareness of self and others, there is an emphasis on an enhanced level of understanding of environmental concerns and issues. Our girls from Years 9 – 12 are able to participate in a variety of outdoor pursuits, including overseas travel and exchange programs.

“Australia has the highest incidence of skin cancer in the world, with two out of three Australians developing some form of skin cancer during their lifetime. It is estimated that more than 75 per cent of all skin cancers could be prevented by practising sun protection during early childhood and adolescence.” (Cancer Council Victoria). Our Sun Protection Policy, which has been endorsed by the Cancer Council Victoria, encourages SunSmart behaviour through education, role modelling and the incorporation of shade where possible at outdoor venues.