Consent in Movement: Integrating consent education in HPE practice

Session Description

Recent findings indicate that Australian adolescents are experiencing concerning rates of intimate partner violence and unwanted sexual experiences (Power et al., 2026), highlighting the urgency for schools to provide safe and supportive opportunities for students to explore consent, communication, respect and body autonomy. Health and Physical Education (HPE) classrooms are uniquely positioned to support this work, with activities and social interactions offering valuable moments for meaningful learning about relationships and consent. However, with a crowded curriculum and HPE teachers balancing both the Health and PE outcomes, integrating consent education in sustainable ways can be challenging. Recognising the importance of movement, this presentation from Sexual Health Victoria (SHV) explores how educators can embed consent and respectful relationships education into the teaching of movement-based skills, including contact sports and tasks requiring interpersonal communication and negotiation. Drawing on SHV’s work in the primary prevention of gendered violence, this session provides practical, context-specific strategies that align with HPE curriculum outcomes while supporting schools to meet Child Safe Standards, consent education requirements and broader student wellbeing commitments. Participants will explore the complexities young people face in navigating relationships and consent, and consider how lesson design, movement activities and everyday interactions can foster meaningful learning. The session encourages teachers to rethink existing practice in accessible and engaging ways, creating more opportunities for nuanced conversations about relationships throughout HPE. Participants will leave with practical ideas, adaptable teaching strategies and increased confidence to integrate consent education into movement-based learning, classroom practice and other curriculum areas.

Learning Outcomes

Participants will:
• Explore ways consent education can complement the HPE Curriculum.
• Identify links to primary prevention of gendered and sexual violence.
• Build confidence in delivering consent education.
• Workshop activities which can be used to deliver consent education in their teaching practice.

Curriculum Level

F - 10

Keywords

Consent and Respectful Relationships, Mental Health and Wellbeing, Relationships and Sexuality, Safety

Presentation Type

Classroom Workshop
B
7