North Rocks Public School

Truth and Knowledge

Telephone02 9871 1772

Emailnorthrocks-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Personal development, health and physical education

Personal development, health and physical education (PDHPE) is mandatory from Kindergarten to Year 10.

According to the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA), students are expected to participate in PDHPE for between 1.5 and 2.5 hours per week in Kindergarten to Year 6.

PDHPE provides students with opportunities to explore issues that are likely to impact on the health, safety and wellbeing of themselves and others – now and in the future. Students also participate in challenging and enjoyable physical activity, improving their capacity to move with skill and confidence.

School sporting program

The school sporting program offers for students not selected in a primary school sports association team a varied program of sports and skill development. The program is mandatory fro students in Years 3 to 6 and is run during the summer months as a morning program and in the afternoon in Terms 2 and 3.

The objective for the school sporting program is to develop students' skills and to expose them to a number of sporting opportunities. Sports included in the program are T-ball, softball, soccer, touch football, newcombe ball, netball, basketball, cricket, athletics, minor games and tabloid games. During the run up to the athletics carnival long jump, high jump, sprint training and shot put are concentrated upon.

From time to time major sporting groups including the Australian Football League (AFL), Cricket NSW and Parramatta Rugby League Club run clinics during the Friday sporting program. Some of these like the AFL's AusKick program attract a fee. North Rocks Public School has also traditionally offer tennis coaching as a paid sport as part of the Friday school sporting program.

School sports carnivals

Students are allocated to a sports house when they enrol at North Rocks Public School. Sports houses promote school spirit and sportsmanship as students compete in the annual swimming, cross country and athletics carnivals.

Sports houses

  • Bembul (green)         
  • Badu (blue)         
  • Guwarra (yellow)          
  • Gwianga (red)

Swimming carnival

Generally held at Waves Pool, Mileham Avenue, Baulkham Hills in late February or early March for students in Years 3 to 6 and for those students in Year 2 turning 8 and who are confident swimmers. Students compete in age freestyle races and in the form strokes as a junior (8 to 9, 10 years) or a senior (11 to 12 years). Students who qualify at this carnival will be eligible to compete at the Castle Hill PSSA swimming carnival held at the same venue.

Cross country carnival

Held at the beginning of Term 2, students again enter races in age groups. For students in Kindegarten to Year 2 races are organised on a grade basis rather than on age. Again students turning 8 and who are in Year 2 are eligible to race against students in Years 3 and 4 in the 8-9 age group. Other age groups include 10, 11, 12 to 13 years. The venue for the carnival is Don Moore Reserve and sections of our school playground. The top 6 runners in each age divison are eligible to represent the school at the Castle Hill PSSA Cross Country Carnival held at the Masonic Fields, Baulkham Hills.

Athletics carnival

This carnival is held in late July to early August at Gooden Drive Oval, Gooden Drive, Baulkham Hills. The carnival is generally a track event with the long jump, high jump and shot put events held at school in the weeks leading up to the carnival. This carnival is a Kindergarten to Year 6 event with a variety of activities to suit all students.