In the Junior School setting sport helps to develop co-ordination and balance, gross motor skills, emotional resilience, friendships, sportsmanship, co-operation and leaderships skills and a sense of belonging. We encourage participation in sport because physical activity contributes to physical, mental and social health.
Research also shows that children who are involved in sport from a young age are significantly more likely to be physically active later in life, have improved sleep and reduced risk of obesity and related illnesses. All children participate in one 45 minute PE lessons and an hour-long sport session each week. During this time children are exposed to fitness skills, swimming, athletics, basketball, netball, touch football, cricket, gymnastics, dance, sof-crosse, AFL and more.
Representative Sport
Children in the Upper Junior have the chance to represent the school in the sports listed below throughout the year.
IPSHA (Independent Primary Schools Heads Association) games are played on Saturday mornings and HZSA (Hills Zone Sports Association) games are played during weekly Stage Sport.
Children who are selected to represent Arden in swimming, cross country and athletics compete at the IPSHA carnivals. The representative pathway past IPSHA is NSW Combined Independent Schools, then NSW Primary School Sports Association (PSSA – State Competition) and then School Sport Australia Competition (National Competition).
| IPSHA | Boys | Girls | SQUADS |
| Term 1 | Basketball | Football | Swimming Cross Country |
| Term 2 | Football | Hockey / Minkey Netball | |
| Term 3 | Football | Athletics | |
| Term 4 | Basketball | Basketball | Gymnastics |
| HZSA | YEAR | BOYS | GIRLS |
| Semester 1 | Year 6 | Football | Netball |
| Semester 1 | Year 4 | Football | Football |
| Semester 2 | Year 5 | Basketball / Touch Football | Basketball / Touch Football |
| Semester 2 | Year 3 | Basketball / Touch Football | Basketball / Touch Football |
