Teaching Health Education in Primary Schools
UndergraduateCUR-EDC4402026
Course information for 2026 intake
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Enrol by
- 23 Aug 2026
- Entry requirements
- Part of a degree
- Duration
- 13 weeks
- Start dates
- 31 Aug 2026
- Price from
- $766
- Upfront cost
- $0
- Loan available
- HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP available
Teaching Health Education in Primary Schools
About this subject
At the completion of this subject students will be able to:
- Evaluate a range of resources to create learning opportunities that promote the safe development of physical literacy for a diversity of children by applying discipline knowledge about movement and physical activity that embraces understandings of socio-cultural contexts and social justice
- Draw from a range of resources to apply knowledge and understanding of the research context, rationale, content, substance and structure of the Primary Physical Education in the HPE School curriculum
- Appraise safe, effective strategies to teach the PE curriculum including the capacity to apply theoretical knowledge to assessing children’s needs, and planning interventions
- Implement critical understandings of professional responsibilities regarding wellbeing and safety within the school, school system, curriculum and legislative requirements.
- Introduction and Overview of Unit structure, delivery and assessment
- Exploration of theories, practices and resources that inform Primary Health Education pedagogy, content and assessment
- Unit Design/Lesson planning for Primary Health Education
- Searching and evaluating HE teaching resources
- Exploring integration of HE with PE and other curriculum areas
- Health Education pedagogy and assessment
- HE Focus Area - relationships and sexuality
- HE Focus Area - alcohol and other drugs
- HE Focus Area - Safety
- HE Focus Area - food and nutrition
- HE Focus Area - mental health and wellbeing
- HE Focus Area - Health benefits of physical activity
This subject introduces students to primary health education in the contemporary Australian primary school curriculum, where emphasis is on developing children’s health literacies within safe and lifelong learning frameworks so they are able to flourish as healthy and active citizens. With attention to diversity and social justice, children’s rights to develop health literacies within their personal, physical and socio-cultural contexts are explored, and relevant teaching approaches identified. Given the emphasis on evidence-based curriculum design, students will investigate the research that underpins the contemporary Health Education curriculum rationale and focus.
The subject reviews ongoing, developmentally appropriate and explicit teaching about health, where children participate in developmentally appropriate learning activities to develop the knowledge, skills, dispositions and understandings so they can be empowered to make healthy choices for the wellbeing of themselves and others. Given the importance of health literacy skills in the primary years, effective pedagogies for teaching health content are addressed. Opportunities to integrate health education with physical education and other curriculum areas will also be explored in this subject. The subject will also address the need for inclusivity in Health Education and develop in students, practical ways of approaching inclusivity in planning and implementation of the curriculum, with focus on a strength-based approach.
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Find out more about the Academic Integrity module.
- Report and Practical Application (50%)
- Critical Review and Practical Application (50%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
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Entry requirements
Part of a degree
To enrol in this subject you must be accepted into one of the following degrees:
Elective
- CUR-BED-DEG-2026 - Bachelor of Education (Primary Education)
- CUR-FAST-DEG-2026 - Fast track your Curtin on campus study
Others
Completed at least 100 credit/4 subjects in the Bachelor of Education (Primary Education) course.
Additional requirements
No additional requirements
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.
Related degrees
Once you’ve completed this subject it can be credited towards one of the following courses
Bachelor of Education (Primary Education)
UndergraduateCUR-BED-DEG
Fast track your Curtin on campus study
UndergraduateCUR-FAST-DEG