Thorney Road
Fairfield West NSW 2165
Telephone: 02 9604 3118 Fax No: 02 9725 5246
Education District: Fairfield
School Sport Area: Sydney South West
School Sport Zone: Landsdowne

SCHOOL DESCRIPTION

Fairvale High School is a coeducational secondary school centrally located in the City of Fairfield in southwestern Sydney. The school has a population of 1372 and serves the needs of a varied and diverse community. The school has an IO/IM Support Unit for students with special needs as well as housing the Canley Vale Tutorial Centre (located on a different site) for students who have difficulty completing their education in a mainstream school. The schools motto is "I Learn to Live". The school offers a comprehensive sporting program consisting of an integrated program with the PDHPE curriculum for Years 7-11. This is supplemented by a variety of extra-curriculum sporting activities including Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, involving staff and students across the school. The school had a range of sporting success in 2000 with outstanding achievements by the 15 years Rugby League Team making the final of the Parramatta District Knockout Competition and the Australian Rules 14 years team winning the area title and qualifying for a place in the Grand Final. A large number of students represented the school at Zone, Area and State Championships in Swimming, Cross Country and Athletics. 2000 also saw the revival of the schools Rugby Union Team.

SPORTS ORGANISATION

Sports Program

Contact Julie Parker, Head Teacher PDHPE or Jeff Bromage, Principal

Fairvale High School has run an integrated sports program since the school was opened in 1969. The sports program is one where PDHPE and Sport compliment each other.

Year 10 and 11 Sport – Rotation each week in Friendship Groups

Slide-A-Hockey, Softball, Basketball, Bowling, Volleyball, Cricket, Basketball

Scope and Sequence Example Year 10 2001 – PDHPE – Practical and Theory Units.

Year 10 Sport Sample – Term 1 2001

Students

Practical classes (Years 7-9) are grouped together in lots of four (4) classes. The PDHPE/Sport classes operate on other subjects core classes. Sports are selected for them and are developed in a sequence. Year 9 is given some choice during Term 2 and Term 4. Years 10 and 11 are given some choice of forming their own (friendship) groups and then rotating through activities within these groups. Year 10 is in core classes for three (3) periods and friendship groups for Three (3) periods (triple). Year 11 are in friendship Groups for three periods (triple). PDHPE programs are integrated units of study combining theory and practical lessons to reflect an overall theme within all units.

Staff

Members of the PDHPE faculty take all sport. Staff are allocated to a Class/Group. When allocations are done there is an attempt made to ensure that classes are not split between staff. PDHPE staff members develop the PDHPE/Sport program.

All staff members are given the opportunity to coach knockout teams take on conveners positions or manager/coach positions for Zone, Area or State teams. Staff members who wish to be involved in sporting programs, other than those conducted as part of the weekly school sport program, are fully supported in their endeavours.

OTHER SPORT INVOLVEMENT

Knockouts and Gala Days

The school competes in the majority of Combined High Schools knockouts. As well as these, the school takes part in a number of other knockouts or competitions run by outside sporting organisations: Indoor Soccer FUTSAL /FIFA; Aerobics competitions; European Handball; Australian Football; Rugby Union and the Parramatta Rugby League Competition. Approximately 10-15% of students and about 15% of staff take part in these competitions. All teams are involved in training with their coach before school or during lunchtime.

The school competes in the Zone Year 7 and Year 8 Gala Days in a variety of sports. This involves competition against five other schools.

Other Student Participation

The school offers Board Endorsed Courses in Sports Science, Dance and Human Movement for Years 9-10, and Board Courses in PDHPE 2unit, Sports Lifestyle and Recreation 2 unit and Dance 1 unit in Years 11-12. Sports Science and Human Movement classes help in school carnivals. They also coach Years 7 and 8 teams involved in Gala Days as well as assisting with Refereeing and Umpiring.

Community Involvement

Community members assist with transportation of teams and are asked to assist with refereeing and umpiring of Knockout competitions. The school has a very strong relationship with the Fairvale Old Boys Rugby Union Football Club who maintain the school’s playing fields and have built sporting facilities for the school. They assist with coaching, refereeing and the general promotion of Rugby Union in the school and district.

SUCCESS OF THE PROGRAM

Qualified professionals who are passionate about their subject area conduct the Sport/PDHPE program. Sport is treated as any other subject in the school. Staff members know their students because they see them more frequently than they would if involved in a one afternoon per week program. The outcome of this is that there is less conflict between students and a much lower truancy rate, as truancy is seen as part of the subject policy and practices. Sport is reported on as part of the schools assessment and reporting process. The school has access to a much wider range of venues and availability of buses as it is not competing with other schools at the same time. This has allowed the school to negotiate good venue cost and quality cooperation of venue staff.

The school enters all knockout sport competitions run by Combined High Schools and other outside bodies. This caters for those students who wish to participate in interschool competitions. Some recreational sport is offered to Years 9-11 to give them experience in activities at facilities in their local area that they might not have tried.