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 300 hours per year in Years 7 to 10.
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.
At Cumberland High School, Year 7 students participate in compulsory in-school sport on Wednesday mornings with Year 8-12 participating in a either a Grade Sport or Recreational Sport on Wednesday afternoons. Grade Sport provides students with the opportunity to compete against other schools on the sporting field while Recreational Sport allows students to enjoy sport in a less competitive environment here at the school.
Many other opportunities exist for our students to shine in the sporting arena including our Year 7 Gala Day, a longstanding tradition with James Ruse Agricultural High School that sees Year 7 students from both schools compete in a variety of sports while Year 9 and 10 students act as team managers and referees.
Another longstanding tradition at Cumberland High School is the annual interschool Wauchope Carnival. Each year since 1976 there has been an annual sporting/cultural/social exchange between the students and staff of Cumberland and Wauchope High Schools. Wauchope is a small country town about 20 km inland from Port Macquarie on the North Coast. Each year 100 students are selected from each school to make up the various teams that will compete for the Jack Parsons Memorial Shield.
In Year 11 and 12, courses available include:
- Community and Family Studies
- Exploring Early Childhood
- Personal Development, Health and Physical Education
- Sport, Lifestyle and Recreation Studies.