Sport and Recreation Experiences

Sport and Recreation Experiences Level 1 is designed as an introductory course within the Health and Physical Education Learning Area. Through practical involvement in selected sport and recreation activities (including preparation and competition in rosters or events at a suitable level) the learner will develop a variety of skills and knowledge.

Elements which are central to this course include:

• developing general and specific sport and recreation activity skills and techniques
• describing and using basic personal organisational skills
• communication and actions that contribute to building a culture and environment that is positive, inclusive and supportive
• exploring a range of motivating factors and opportunities for lifelong involvement in sport and recreation activities
• setting and reflecting on personal goals related to sport and recreation activities.

These elements help develop physical literacy and shape the way learners can develop the confidence and capacity to maintain lifelong positive involvement in sport and recreation.

Sport and Recreation Experiences Level 1 introduces learners to experiences across the Sport, and Health and Recreation course groups of the Health and Physical Education (HPE) course suite.

The term ‘sport’ is used to describe those activities that involve physical exertion and involve organised competition based on formal rules or patterns of behaviour. Sport activities are undertaken with the intent of taking part in competitions. While there is a focus on continually improving individual and/or team performance and achievement, most participants prioritise this below reasons of social connection, wellbeing and enjoyment.

The term ‘recreation’ is used to describe those activities that require physical exertion, but are predominantly engaged in for the purpose of enjoyment. The intention and purpose of engaging in recreation is focussed around the feelings and outcomes produced rather than the specific or chosen activity.

There is a logical connection between sport and recreation, and in fact sporting activities may fill a dual purpose for many participants.

Participation in sport and recreation activities can play a significant role as part of a balanced healthy lifestyle and it is important that young Australians are equipped and confident to engage in regular physical activity.

Many factors influence participation in physical activity in either a positive or negative way. The potential population health outcomes of increased participation in sport and physical activity have dominated public policy, but many other personal and social outcomes resulting from participation in sport and active recreation are gaining credibility. Developmentally appropriate physical recreation and sport (at all ages) is based upon three broad outcomes – fun, fitness, and friendship.*

Australian society has changed, and continues to change. Australians are not moving as much as we used to. This trend is leading to increases in preventable disease and poorer health across the nation. Sport and Recreation Experiences provides an opportunity for learners to connect with a range of community based recreational and competitive sports activities. These groups are a catalyst for social connection and a valuable support for maintaining lifelong physical activity and health. Tasmania is aiming to become the nation’s fittest state.** For this to occur our state will need to foster a generation of lifelong learners who embrace and enjoy active participation in regular physical activity.

Sport and Recreation Experiences can contribute to building a positive lifelong health culture in Tasmania and support physical literacy,*** both individually and across the wider community.

The development of physical literacy is a lifelong process that is ongoing and dynamic. It is not developed to a point of completion but requires continual refinement and re-focusing based on life stage and circumstances, paving the way for a healthy and physically active life.

Sport and Recreation Experiences provides opportunities for young adult learners to meet and progress through important stages of their physical literacy development outlined in the final 3 of 7 milestones (Refinement and Adaption, Consistency and Extension, and Lifelong Engagement and Participation.) ****

Sport and Recreation Experiences provides a seamless platform for a range of flexible and multiple paths to related study, community and lifelong sporting and recreational pursuits. The course targets any senior secondary learner and provides a valuable opportunity to young adults during their final years of compulsory education in recognising the need to encourage physical activity and balance other out of hours' time pressures associated with study, part time work and transition to adult life.

Refer to:

*Sport Participation in Australia, Clearing House for Sport

**Health Tasmania Strategic Plan 2015 - 2020, Tasmanian Department of Health and Human Services 

***Physical Literacy, Australian Sports Commission

****The Draft Australian Physical Literacy Standard - Developmental milestones for lifelong participation, Australian Sports Commission

Sport and Recreation Experiences is a Level 1 course in the Sport Group of the HPE Suite. It provides learning experiences that engage and develop learners through participation in physical activities that help the individual to refresh or recreate themselves and also to take part in organised sports competition.

Often a key intention for undertaking recreation activities is to achieve enjoyment and relaxation by taking time out for diversion from other tasks and areas of their life. “Active recreation activities are those engaged in for the purpose of relaxation, health and wellbeing or enjoyment with the primary activity requiring physical exertion, and the primary focus on human activity".* Sport is generally recognised as involving “…physical exertion and skill as the primary focus of the activity, with elements of competition where rules and patterns of behaviour governing the activity exist formally through organisations.” *

In a broader sense sport plays a unique role in our community in helping participants’ personal development through increased self-awareness in areas including:

• experiencing and dealing with pressure
• celebration of commitment, effort and individual milestones or achievements
• respect, inclusion and appreciation of others
• resilience and coping with winning, losing, success and disappointment, achievement
• connectedness & teamwork - squad and individual social connections, roles and developing a culture of collective effort and support
• experiencing various approaches, facilities and activities that can help to attain those goals.

Sport and Recreation Experiences aspires to challenge and engage the learner, build positive lifelong attitudes and behaviours towards sport, recreation and physical activity. Through study of two defined units learners will explore the nature of sport and recreation activities and reflect on their own experiences.

Further aims of the Sport and Recreation Experiences course include learners:

• participating in a diverse range of selected recreation activities to experience the practical health benefits of active recreation
• demonstrating commitment to regular engagement in physical activity aligned to either sporting or recreational intentions and goals
• competing in organised sports competition
• building personal skills
• developing tactical knowledge
• showing respect and supporting others across various roles in competitive sport
• building positive attitudes and a supportive sports culture
• recognising and following accepted safety practices and managing of equipment
• identifying and selecting activities of greatest positive impact
• reflecting on life balance and incorporating sport and recreation as part of managing a healthy active lifestyle
• recognising physical, psychological, social, and cognitive capabilities developed through sport and recreation
• participating in post activity reflection and recording (Sport and Recreation Experiences journal)
• developing awareness of future pathway options for maintaining ongoing physical activity.

*National Sport and Active Recreation Framework, an agreement amongst all Commonwealth, State and Territory Ministers, 10 June 2011

On successful completion of this course, learners will be able to:

Learners must have the capacity to demonstrate fundamental movement skills applicable to selected sport and recreation activities to ensure that safety elements and educational challenges are aligned at an appropriate level.

The capacity to work in teams and interact with others are fundamental aspects of this course.

Learners with physical disabilities can access this course and receive an award commensurate with their ability to successfully meet the criteria and standards. 

Sport and Recreation Experiences Level 1 builds on foundation concepts emerging from the Australian Curriculum Health and Physical Education F-10.

The course may also extend on cross-curricular connections in Outdoor Learning.

These Curriculum Connections for Outdoor Learning are designed to address four dimensions:

1. Skills and knowledge
2. Human–nature relationships
3. Conservation and sustainability
4. Health and wellbeing.

Health and Physical Education F-10 also provides opportunities to develop the General Capabilities particularly:

• Personal and Social Capability
• Critical and Creative thinking
• Ethical Understanding.

Sport and Recreation Experiences is designed to assist learners from all starting points to develop their personal skillset, motivation and enjoyment of recreation activities, and a range of techniques and tactics appropriate to selected sport activities. The course provides all learners with opportunities to build their basic personal organisational skills and capacity to communicate to others involved in selected sport and recreation activities. Through their involvement in this course learners will gain valuable insights into building a supportive culture and positive sport environment. Further, learners will develop awareness of the intentions and nature of recreation. Learners will be able to reflect on their sport and recreation experiences and identify actions and pathways to lifelong involvement.

Learners completing Sport and Recreation Experiences may use it as a basis for a wide range of personal, vocational and further education and training options. Sport and Recreation Experiences Level 1 provides a pathway to HPE courses such as: Community Sport and Recreation Level 2; Athlete Development Level 2; Sport Science - Foundation Level 2; and Personal Health and Wellbeing Level 2; and VET Certificates I or II in Sport and Recreation.

After completing Sport and Recreation Experiences, vocational pathways may include any role where physical literacy, healthy lifestyle, communication and positive team skills are valued.

Health and Physical Education Course Suite

When planning and conducting outdoor adventure activities, providers of this course must address their school’s Risk Management procedures.

• DECYP schools can access this document via the DECYP intranet Off-Campus Activities Planning Procedures Review page
• Independent and Catholic schools should refer to the Outdoor Council of Australia’s Australian Adventure Activity Standards for relevant guidelines Australian Adventure Activity Standard – and associated Good Practice Guides

Providers should seek case-by-case advice when supporting learners with high or additional needs.

Providers must ensure that activity leaders have current qualifications appropriate to activities being offered.

This course has a complexity level of 1.

At Level 1, the learner is expected to carry out tasks and activities that draw on a limited range of knowledge and skills. The tasks and activities generally have a substantial repetitive aspect to them. Minimum judgment is needed as there are usually very clear rules, guidelines or procedures to be followed. VET competencies at this level are often those characteristic of an AQF Certificate I.

This course has a size value of 10.

Learners studying Sport and Recreation Experiences must undertake at least four (4) different activities (two (2) sport activities and two (2) recreation activities) in the year of study. In undertaking these practical activities learners will be given basic coaching and introduced to technical activity skills and associated safety practices. The course must be predominantly delivered through practical experiences appropriate to the learners’ sport and competition level, goals. personal attributes and fitness levels.

Learners will be provided with opportunities to reflect on their own performances.

Learners will undertake study in two (2) Units:

• UNIT A: Sport Experiences
• UNIT B: Recreation Experiences

The Units may be delivered in any order. Activities drawn from each unit may be delivered in any sequence.

UNIT A: SPORT EXPERIENCES

Learners will develop and apply their learning through experiences in two or more sport activities.

Within each sport activity undertaken, learners will undertake learning in the:

• basic skills and techniques associated with the activity
• appropriate use of resources, equipment and procedures
• application of appropriate safety processes.

More specifically, in each activity learners will:

• complete checklists detailing personal organisational requirements (e.g. equipment, clothing, monetary and transport requirements)
• set personal goals related to their involvement in the activity and reflect on the degree to which they achieve these goals (e.g. factors which contributed to success/lack of success, how realistic the goals were)
• record the experience, and their reflections on it, in their Sport and Recreation Experiences Journal – (see Appendix for details)
• communicate simple information in various sporting contexts (e.g. discussing tactics and forming plans during a team huddle)
• follow directions of leaders regarding engagement in the activity and safety procedures
• identify some personal and group risks associated with the activity
• identify patterns in results and areas of strength and weakness to work on to improve in future competitions
• demonstrate fair play and positive sporting culture, and identify actions and opportunities for support, inclusion and encouragement of others
• verbally contribute to debriefing sessions in a meaningful and constructive manner
• cooperate in a manner which facilitates the attainment of group goals.

Learners must undertake at least 50 hours of sport activity utilising at least two (2) sport activities from at least two categories.

UNIT B: RECREATION EXPERIENCES

Learners will develop and apply their learning through experiences in two or more recreation activities.

Within each recreation activity, learners will undertake learning in the:

• basic skills and techniques associated with the activity
• appropriate use of resources, equipment and procedures
• application of appropriate safety processes.

More specifically, in each activity learners will:

• complete checklists detailing personal organisational requirements (e.g. equipment, clothing, monetary and transport requirements)
• set personal goals related to their involvement in the activity and reflect on the degree to which they achieve these goals (e.g. factors which contributed to success/lack of success, how realistic the goals were)
• record the experience, and their reflections on it, in their Sport and Recreation Experiences Journal – (see Appendix for details)
• communicate simple information in field-based contexts (e.g. receiving and passing on instructions to safely apply practical activity skills)
• follow directions of leaders regarding engagement in the activity and safety procedures
• identify some personal and group risks associated with the activity
• identify ways to publicly access recreation activities
• connect the activity to healthy lifestyle benefits and outcomes
• verbally contribute to debriefing sessions in a meaningful and constructive manner
• cooperate in a manner which facilitates the attainment of group goals.

Learners must undertake at least 50 hours of recreation activity utilising at least two (2) recreation activities from at least two categories.

These may include (but are not limited to) the list below, based on learner interest and capacity, logistics and resources of the provider.

Learners are required to create and maintain a Sport and Recreation Experiences Journal (see Appendix) consisting of a record of each activity session undertaken giving the date and time, and the venue and people involved in the activity. The log will also contain learner reflections on their experiences and learning. These reflections may comprise word lists, images (e.g. collages, sketches, and diagrams), photos and/or brief paragraphs.

Sport and Recreation Experiences requires all learners to maintain and regularly submit their Sport and Recreation Experiences Journal for ongoing feedback and overall assessment purposes.

* Work and specific activities undertaken in this course may not be used by a learner as evidence of meeting the requirements or standards of any other course.

Criterion-based assessment is a form of outcomes assessment that identifies the extent of learner achievement at an appropriate end-point of study. Although assessment – as part of the learning program – is continuous, much of it is formative, and is done to help learners identify what they need to do to attain the maximum benefit from their study of the course. Therefore, assessment for summative reporting to TASC will focus on what both teacher and learner understand to reflect end-point achievement.

The standard of achievement each learner attains on each criterion is recorded as a rating of ‘C’ (satisfactory standard) according to the outcomes specified in the standards section of the course document.

A ‘t’ notation must be used where a learner demonstrates any achievement against a criterion less than the standard specified for the ‘C’ rating. The ‘t’ notation is not described in course standards.

A ‘z’ notation is to be used where a learner provides no evidence of achievement at all.

Providers offering this course must participate in quality assurance processes specified by TASC to ensure provider validity and comparability of standards across all awards. To learn more, see TASC's quality assurance processes and assessment information on the website.

Internal assessment of all criteria will be made by the provider. Assessment processes must gather evidence that clearly shows the match between individual learner performance, the standards of the course and the learner’s award. Providers will report the learner’s final rating for each criterion to TASC.

The following processes will be facilitated by TASC to ensure there is:

• a match between the standards of achievement specified in the course and the skills and knowledge demonstrated by individual learners
• community confidence in the integrity and meaning of the qualification.

Process

TASC will verify that the provider’s course delivery and assessment meet the course requirements and community expectations for fairness, integrity and validity of qualifications TASC issues. This will involve checking:

• Provider standard 1: scope and sequence documentation:
  • course delivery plan
  • course assessment plan, assessment matrix
• Provider standard 2: student attendance records
• Provider standard 3: examples of assessments tools and instruments and associated rubrics and marking guides
• Provider standard 1 and 3: examples of student work including that related to any work requirements articulated in the course document
• Provider standard 4: class records of assessment

This process will be scheduled by TASC using a risk-based approach.

The assessment for Sport and Recreation Experiences Level 1 will be based on whether the learner can:

• 1. apply basic skills, techniques and safety practices appropriate to selected sport and recreation activities
• 2. describe and use basic personal organisational skills
• 3. communicate basic information and ideas about sport and recreation experiences
• 4. recognise and contribute to building a sporting culture and environment that is positive, inclusive and supportive
• 5. identify a range of motivating factors and actions that build and support lifelong involvement recreation activities
• 6. identify and access a range of sport and recreation options for maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle
• 7. identify and reflect on personal goals related to selected sport and recreation activities

Sport and Recreation Experiences, Level 1 (with the award of):

SATISFACTORY ACHIEVEMENT

PRELIMINARY ACHIEVEMENT

The minimum requirements for an award in Sport and Recreation Experiences Level 1, are as follows:

SATISFACTORY ACHIEVEMENT: >C rating (satisfactory standard) in six (6) Criteria

PRELIMINARY ACHIEVEMENT: C rating (satisfactory standard) in four (4) Criteria

A student who otherwise achieves the ratings for an SA (Satisfactory Achievement) award but who fails to show any evidence of achievement in one or more criteria (‘z’ notation) will be issued with a PA (Preliminary Achievement) award.

The Department for Education, Children and Young People (DECYP) will develop and regularly review and revise the curriculum. Course evaluation is informed by the experience of the course’s implementation, delivery and assessment. More information about course evaluation can be found on the Years 9 to 12 website.

The Department for Education, Children and Young People acknowledges the significant leadership of Darren Perry, Dominique Emmett, Joel Beveridge, Holly Butler, Jamieson Smalley, Cameron Lynch and Chris Jacobsen in the development of this course.

The accreditation for this course has been renewed from 1 January 2026. 

Version 1: Accredited on 8 December 2017 for use from 1 January 2018. Accreditation renewed on 22 November 2018 for the period 1 January 2019 until 31 December 2021.

Version 1a: Accreditation renewed without amendment on 14 July 2021 for the period 31 December 2021 until 31 December 2024.

Version 1b: Accreditation renewed without amendment on 22 June 2023 for the period 1 January 2025 until 31 December 2025.

Version 2: Minor amendments on 31 March 2025 to update the Resource Requirements to identify the relevant Risk Management procedures that must be addressed by DECYP schools and Independent and Catholic schools.

Version 2a: Accreditation renewed without amendment on 25 September 2025. Minor administrative updates have been made to the Course Evaluation section. Course available from 1 January 2026.

Throughout the course of study all learners undertaking the Sport and Recreation Experiences Level 1 course must use and submit a Journal as a source of evidence for assessment.

Content must be regularly updated and the learner is responsible for ensuring content is current and appropriately organised.

JOURNAL USE

The learner is typically expected to update entries within 48 hours of activities and events.

The Sport and Recreational Experiences Journal is a tool to record and support personal reflection, information sharing and collation of relevant resources and materials. Details of specific activities, events, contacts and supporting resources should be recorded in the relevant sections.

JOURNAL CONTENT

The Sport and Recreation Experiences Journal must contain (but is not limited to) sections that address the following content:

• Sport and Recreation Activities
• Activity name
• Venue
• Date and Time
• People involved
• Results
• Short personal evaluation/reflection:

- Visual resources (e.g. collages, sketches, maps, photographs)
- Reflection and Evaluation - (end of phase/roster/season reviews - impact on experiences and learning
- Learner self-evaluations

• Personal Lifestyle Plan relating to time both during and beyond the course
• Learners will identify activities they plan to do now, and in the future.

Other information that may appear in the Sport and Recreational Experiences Journal:

• Teacher feedback
• Local contacts, medical, coaching, facilities, weather and other useful numbers or links
• Resources, articles, and links

JOURNAL FORMAT

 Content for the Journal may be maintained in a traditional paper-based ledger or folder, stored digitally online, or a combination of both. Tools such as Googledocs/sheets, Office 365 and OneNote are recommended as some examples of options to consider to help in creating and maintaining digital Journal entries. Providers and learners must ensure processes are in place to secure and back up this important assessment material.