School Sport

Regular participation in physical activity is associated with a range of physical and mental health benefits both in childhood and adulthood. Active children become healthy adults and schools play a key role in contributing to that outcome.

Sport is a compulsory and valued part of the school's curriculum and is an integral part of a child's development. It requires physical involvement in organised games or activities within an accepted set of rules.

Sports programs include inter and intra-school competitive sport, outdoor recreational or adventure sports, fitness, sport development and physical recreation activities. The range of activities is immense, from the traditional and popular sports such as cricket, rugby league and union, netball, hockey, softball and swimming, to the newer favourites such as abseiling, canoeing, ice skating, ropes courses, martial arts, trampolining and skateboard riding.

School sport provides a vehicle for learning a number of skills - physical, emotional and moral - and is an important expression of our culture. In school sport our prime concern is to give all students the opportunity for participation, enjoyment and skills development.

Students are encouraged to participate in a way that suits their interests and abilities. During school sport students will develop a variety of skills that will equip them for lifelong participation in regular sport and recreation activities.

Physical activity in the school setting takes place in a variety of contexts from formal inter and intra-school competitions to physical education, recreation, general leisure and fitness activities, and the safety of students is a priority for all staff.

The types and rates of injury vary markedly between sports. Injury prevention measures are based on the nature of the activity or sport, its players or participants and the external environment, and play a significant role in reducing injuries.

Children are required to wear protective equipment, which may range from helmets, eyewear and mouthguards to shin padding, gloves and genital protectors. In sports such as cricket and baseball, the use of protective equipment is part of the culture and well accepted, in other sports, the use of protective equipment is increasingly being adopted.

Students have opportunities to participate at school, zone, area, state and national levels in 18 sports at the primary school level and 28 at the high school level.

Students with outstanding skills may be selected for national teams to compete at international level, or to attend a NSW Sports High School. The NSW Primary and High Schools Sports Associations, together with 10 area and 200 zone associations all operate as part of the School Sport Unit.