GDHR links to WA curriculum

 

The aim of the Growing and Developing Healthy Relationships (GDHR) resource is to support Western Australian schools to provide comprehensive relationships and sexuality education (RSE). GDHR content is constantly reviewed and updated to align with the current Western Australian Curriculum and international evidence.

The background teaching notes offer cross curricular suggestions for the implementation of whole school RSE initiatives. 

The GDHR learning activities help students to explore their attitudes and values and develop knowledge and skills within 8 topic areas. These topic areas are based on the International Technical Guidance for Sexuality Education and relate directly WA Curriculum strands, substrands and General Capabilities: Staying safe; Growing bodies; Communication skills;  Relationships; Understanding gender; Values, rights, culture; Sexual health; Sexuality and sexual behaviour.

The learning activities list relevant descriptors from the WA Health and Physical Education Scope and Sequence. 

 

2023 Curriculum update

The revised curriculum content for HPE for consent is available for implementation in 2024. 

GDHR lessons and support materials for teachers and parents aligned to new consent curriculum:

 

Guiding principles

The WA Curriculum has 5 Guiding Principles that promote equity and excellence. GDHR relates to each of these as follows:

Western Australian values of schooling

Values education is a large part of RSE and the GDHR learning experiences. Teaching and learning about sensitive topic areas requires both teachers and students to think about their own values, beliefs and attitudes. The learning activities and background teaching notes offer opportunities to explore these values in a safe, respectful space. 

Principles of teaching, learning and assessment

GDHR offers scaffolded learning activities within each year group and across the phases of schooling to ensure key foundational understanding and development. Learning activities use real life examples that are age and stage appropriate to engage and motivate students. They use hands-on activities that encourage discussion and critical analysis and cater to a range of learning styles and needs.

Each learning activity provides opportunity to reflect and assess learning and provide opportunities to extend learning in the wider school environment and with parents through 'take home activities'. 

The Essential information section provides teachers with the knowledge and skills required to create a safe and supportive learning environment. 

Phases of schooling

GDHR learning activities are organised by year level (K-10) and by topic, providing guidance to teachers through the priority differences across all phases of schooling as outlined below:

  • Early childhood (Kindergarten - Year 2): emotional literacy (feelings, strengths), friendships, families, bodily autonomy, protective behaviours.

  • Middle to late childhood (Years 3  -6): emotional literacy (managing change, resilience, conflict resolution), friendships, online communication, body image, puberty, media literacy.

  • Early adolescence (Years 7- 8): respectful relationships (friendships, romantic), puberty, pregnancy and birth, gender stereotypes, image based abuse, media literacy, help seeking behaviours, informed decision making, critical analysis. 

  • Middle adolescence (Years 7-10): respectful relationships (romantic, intimate), gender stereotypes, media literacy, image based abuse, sexual health, sexual behaviours.

Student diversity

GDHR resources aim to develop an understanding of the diverse range of personal identities in our society. Culture, gender, socioeconomic status, disability, sexual identity and geographic location are all elements that are considered when developing GDHR learning activities and teachers are encouraged to adapt the resources to suit the individual needs of their demographics. 

Background teaching notes provide teachers with professional reading on how to create and improve inclusion and celebration of diversity in their school. 

Kindergarten and pre-primary statement

K-P activities on GDHR align with the Western Australian Early Years Learning Framework.

Children's learning in these early years provides a solid foundation for the social and emotional skills; knowledge and understandings needed to keep them safe, healthy and to establish and manage respectful relationships. This learning occurs when they participate in everyday life, develop interests and construct their own identities and understandings of the world.

 

Reference:

School Curriculum and Standards Authority. http://www.scsa.wa.edu.au