More than 30 passionate new PDHPE teachers gathered in Sydney on 6 June for the ACHPER NSW 2025 Early Career Teacher Conference. This annual event is designed to support and inspire teachers in the early stages of their careers—when encouragement, guidance and connection are needed most. 

“It’s always exciting to meet the next generation of PDHPE teachers,” said Tracy Puckeridge, CEO of ACHPER NSW. 

“We understand how challenging those first few years can be, so this conference is about providing practical professional learning and creating a space where new educators can connect, share and grow together. 

“We’re incredibly grateful to our presenters who generously shared their expertise and offered encouragement to help build confidence among early career teachers. 

“This year’s event was shaped with guidance from the ACHPER NSW Early Career Teacher Sub-committee; a group of students, pre-service teachers, experienced educators and academics, who provided valuable insights and direction.” 

A special thank you to our sponsors, Australian Catholic University and Tennis NSW, and our exhibitors—your support makes this event possible. 

The day began with a powerful keynote on Quality Physical Education (QPE), explored how the QPE principles of realism, repetition, and empowerment can transform classroom practice, offering practical strategies for building dynamic, inclusive and skill-rich learning environments. 

Keynote Speakers: 

• Dr Kelly Parry, ACHPER NSW Board Member and Lecturer, ACPE 

• Gareth Long, Australian College of Physical Education 

Following the keynote, delegates chose from a wide range of targeted workshops, including: 

• Game Changers: Designing Dynamic and Strategic Learning in PE 

• Empowering Educators with Generative AI (GenAI) 

• Hybrid Games to Boost Engagement and Movement Competency 

• Backward Mapping for Success in PDHPE 

• Trauma-Informed Practices in PDHPE 

• Developing Thinking Players 

• Effective Formative Assessment in the PDHPE Classroom 

• Teaching About Mental Health and Normalising the Conversation 

• Maximising Time in PE: Effective Classroom Management 

• Authentically Embedding Collaboration in Years 7–10 

The afternoon panel discussion was a standout session, providing valuable insights into creating dynamic, student-centred learning environments. Panellists shared strategies for managing workloads, building confidence, and continuing professional growth. 

Panel Speakers: 

• Clare Roden, Associate Lecturer, Health and PE, University of Wollongong 

• Ross Montague, Highly Accomplished PDHPE Teacher, Danebank 

• Elle Smith, Senior Learning Coach and PDHPE Teacher, St Andrew’s Cathedral School 

• Oliver Hookway, Casual Teacher, Ku-ring-gai High and 4th-year pre-service teacher, ACU 

• Sam Frazier, PDHPE Teacher, Deniliquin High School 

ACHPER NSW Early Career Teacher Sub-committee: 

• Dr Kelly Ann Parry, Lecturer, Australian College of Physical Education 

• Tracy Puckeridge, CEO, ACHPER NSW 

• Clare Roden, Associate Lecturer, University of Wollongong 

• Oliver Hookway, Casual Teacher, Ku-ring-gai High and 4th year pre-service teacher, ACU 

• Jasmine Kernaghan – Doonside Technology High School/Western Sydney University 

• Sam Frazier – Deniliquin High School 

• Kayla Jenkins – University of Wollongong 

• Cristy Budd 

• Ross Montague, Danebank  

• Emma Carr – Jannali High School 

• Carly McPherson – ACHPER NSW  

Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to the success of this year’s conference. We look forward to continuing to support our early career educators on their professional journey.