At Wellington College, Health and Physical Education is partially integrated. All Year 9 and Year 10 students experience practical and theory lessons that support them to “acquire a lifelong passion for learning” whilst developing their capacity to “become productive citizens”. Students are taught that all dimensions of their well-being – Taha Tinana (Physical),Taha Whānau (Social), Taha Hinengaro (Mental/Emotional), Taha Wairua (Spiritual), Taha Whenua (Connection to the Land) – are important in achieving this vision. Through participating in this programme students will be better equipped to not only enhance their own well-being, but that of others around them. The key competencies of the New Zealand Curriculum (Thinking; Relating to Others; Using Lanugage, Symbols and Text; Participating and Contributing; Managing Self) are embedded in all that we do. Students will be engaged in learning around topics including, but not limited to: mental health; sexuality education (including consent, promoting positive sexuality, safe sexual practices, and body images in media); personal care and hygiene; resiliency; assertiveness and decision making in situations involving drugs and alcohol; physical development; and promoting healthy active lifestyles. Units and lessons are developed that are responsive to students’ ever changing needs and are reflective of our core values of Community, Oranga, Learning Together and Leadership. All Wellington College health education is values based, in that the values, beliefs, and attitudes of each individual student are upheld in how we teach and learn. In addition to the compulsory Junior Health Curriculum, all students are presented with the opportunity to engage with Health studies in the Senior school, currently with opportunities to engage in full year level content in Years 11-13. No compulsory Health curriculum is taught beyond Year 10.
If you have any queries about the Health curriculum, please contact the HOD Junior Health and Physical Education: Nathan Frew n.frew@wc.school.nz
Any whānau/caregivers wanting to have their child excluded from any particular element of sexuality education in the health education programme may write to the Headmaster requesting exclusion. In such cases, self-guided alternative health education will be provided.