Healthy Active Learning | Sport New Zealand

To improve tamariki wellbeing

Healthy Active Learning is a joint government initiative between Sport NZ, Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand, and the Ministry of Education to improve the wellbeing of tamariki and rangatahi through healthy eating and drinking and quality physical activity.

Part of the Child and Youth Wellbeing Strategy, Healthy Active Learning is supported by a Government investment of $47.6m between 2020-2024.

Healthy Active Learning Value Proposition (PDF)

The joint initiative

Healthy Active Learning supports schools and kura to create healthy and active learning environments, and better connections to their local communities.

The joint initiative

What Sport NZ is working towards

The initiative involves co-design of local curriculum to improve tamariki wellbeing.

What we're working towards

Video: Healthy Active Learning in action

A great overview of the initiative, this video shows how its holistic and collaborative approach is encouraging schools and kura to support tamariki and rangatahi to be active and healthy in ways that suit them and their communities.

Watch the video

Two tamariki playing down by a lakes edge

Tapuwaekura

Led by Sport NZ Ihi Aotearoa in partnership with Ngā Pākura and supported by the Ministries of Health and Education, Tapuwaekura runs parallel to the Healthy Active Learning initiative.

Tapuwaekura is a Kaupapa Māori approach underpinned by the Atua Matua Framework (Māori Health and Wellbeing Framework) and connecting tamariki to te taiao (the environment) for better health and wellbeing outcomes.

Tapuwaekura

Stories of Impact

Active Healthy Tamariki Expo in Ashburton

Tamariki from nine Healthy Active Learning schools in and around Ashburton put on a day-long expo for other schools to take part in a huge range of fun activities and learning about out the importance of being active and eating healthy kai.

Active Healthy Tamariki Expo in Ashburton

Looking through the lens of tamariki

In the Bay of Plenty, two kaiako are benefiting from the tailored support of their local Healthy Active Learning team to deepen their practice and better support the wellbeing and learning of ākonga as a result.

Encouraging teachers to look through the lens of tamariki in the Bay of Plenty

Moonhoppers and marching in Christchurch

Our Lady of the Assumption, a Year 1–8 Healthy Active Learning school in Ōtautahi Christchurch, is undertaking a whole school three-year transformation into a more inclusive, active, and play-friendly environment that is more suited to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse school roll.

The changing face of physical activity

Healthy Active Learning at Randwick School, Lower Hutt

Since it began in 2020, Healthy Active Learning has grown to be in over 40 per cent of schools across the motu. To celebrate reaching this milestone, Minister for Sport and Recreation Hon Grant Robertson joined tamariki at Randwick School in Lower Hutt.

Healthy Active Learning at Randwick School, Lower Hutt

Whānau day shows the power of a connected community

Supported by the Hawkes Bay Health and Wellbeing Partnership Group, Napier's Richmond School held an Active Hub Whānau Day to bring together students, whānau and community health and physical activity providers for an afternoon of being active, sharing kai and connecting.

Whānau day shows the power of a connected community

More girls active with inclusive approach to PE

Girls at Waikowhai Intermediate are claiming their turf with the establishment of their own lunchtime walkers’ group. This is one result of the Healthy Active Learning school’s more inclusive approach to physical activity.

School embraces more inclusive mindset towards physical activity

Valued Health and PE curriculum boosts student engagement

At Papakura’s Edmund Hilary School, school-wide physical activity initiatives put student-voice and wellbeing at the centre of decision making.

Valued HPE curriculum boosts student engagement

Canterbury kids get active with take-home equipment

Students from St James Primary, a Healthy Active Learning School, have been taking play and sport equipment home and getting active after school with whānau and friends, as part of Sport Canterbury’s SportStart Home initiative.

Canterbury kids get active with take-home equipment

Manawakura: A focus on community wellbeing

Co-designed with the community, Manawakura is what Healthy Active Learning looks like for the people of Tairāwhiti.

Manawakura: A focus on community wellbeing

Healthy Active Learning at Sport Waitākere

The Healthy Active Learning team at Sport Waitākere has a strong focus on inclusiveness. The team hosts 'HALO-days' for teachers to enable them to create inclusive play environments for all students.

Healthy Active Learning at Sport Waitākere

Healthy Active Learning at Oturu School, Northland

Healthy Active Learning and Oturu School’s holistic approach to learning have played a key role in bringing to life the school’s values.

Healthy Active Learning at Oturu School Northland

Excited learners in Gore bring outdoor lessons home

In 2021, Dolamore Park set in the Hokonui Hills and featuring 95 hectares of native forest was the classroom for year 3 to 6 ākonga (students) at West Gore School on Fridays, as ākonga took part in a new environment initiative.

Excited learners in Gore bring outdoor lessons home

Healthy Active Learning Workforce

Healthy Active Learning workforce

Hear from some of the workforce around New Zealand and find out what motivates them to do them to contribute to improving the wellbeing of tamariki.

Healthy Active Learning workforce

Healthy Active Learning Hui

70 members of the physical activity workforce supporting teachers and schools in the delivery of Healthy Active Learning met for a three-day hui in Lower Hutt.

Healthy Active Learning hui - improving tamariki wellbeing

Healthy Active Learning Vacancies

Two cricket fielders cheering as they take a wicket

The origin of Healthy Active Learning

Healthy Active Learning evolved from the Play.sport pilot project, which was informed by the School Sport Futures Project.

Play.sport

School sport futures project

Resources

Te Hauora me Te Akoranga Koiri Health & Physical Education

To support teachers and kaikao of Health and Physical Education, find curriculum-focused policy and guidance, teaching and learning resources, professional development support, and a range of links for additional support.

Te Hauora me Te Akoranga Koiri Health & Physical Education

Healthy Active Learning Evaluation

Showing how well Healthy Active Learning is being implemented and progressing toward achieving its outcomes.

Healthy Active Learning Evaluation

Newsletters

Healthy Active Learning Newsletters

Highlighting some of the fantastic work by everyone involved in Healthy Active Learning across Aotearoa, New Zealand.

Healthy Active Learning Newsletters

Reviewing schools physical activity

A series of resources to help schools and kura create opportunities for year 1-8 students to engage in a range of physical activity that contributes to their wellbeing. These are based on lessons from our Play.sport pilot.

Supporting schools

Booklet

Movewell

A resource to support teachers, kaiako and others to implement activities that are appropriate to, and extend children’s learning, confidence, ability, and enjoyment in Physical Education.

Movewell

In Our Backyard

This project supports schools and kura, sporting organisations, and local communities to collaborate and develop new learning opportunities through sport, engaging tamariki in new, different and innovative ways, as New Zealand hosts a series of major sporting events over the next few years.

In our backyard

YOUTUBE

Videos

Video resources developed for teachers, kaiako and our partners.

Videos

Soundcloud

Podcast: More than sport

Explores the processes and approaches of enhancing quality physical education and physical activity in schools.

Podcast

MP3

Play.sport Q and A’s

Play.sport facilitators, activators and stakeholders share their thoughts.