GCSE and A-level

GCSE Physical Education

Pupils who opt to study a GCSE in Physical Education will also have five lessons in the cycle. The specification provides candidates with an opportunity to study both the practical and theoretical aspects of Physical Education.

The Course Content

• Applied anatomy and physiology
• Physical training
• Socio-cultural influences
• Sport Psychology
• Health, fitness & wellbeing

Assessment of the Course

• Written Examination 60%
• NEA/Coursework 40%

The aims of the course are to enable candidates to:

• Develop theoretical knowledge and understanding of the factors that underpin physical activity and sport and use this knowledge to improve performance
• Understand how the physiological and psychological state affects performance in physical activity and sport
• Perform effectively in different physical activities by developing skills and techniques and selecting and using tactics, strategies and/ or compositional ideas
• Develop their ability to analyse and evaluate to improve performance in physical activity and sport
• Understand the contribution which physical activity and sport make to health, fitness and well-being
• Understand key socio-cultural influences which can affect people’s involvement in physical activity and sport.

Analysis and Evaluation of Performance – written coursework (10% of the overall grade)

This component draws upon the knowledge, understanding and skills a student has learnt and enables them to analyse and evaluate their own or a peer’s performance in one activity.

Practical Performances (30% of the overall grade)

This component will assess core and advanced skills in THREE activities taken from the approved lists:

• one from the ‘individual’ list
• one from the ‘team’ list
• one other from either list

Individual list:

• Athletics
• Badminton – cannot be assessed with doubles
• Amateur Boxing
• Boccia
• Canoeing – cannot be assessed with kayaking, rowing or sculling
• Cross Country Running – cannot be assessed with athletics
• Cycling Track or Road or BMX (racing, not tricks) only
• Dance – cannot be used as both a team and individual activity
• Diving: Platform diving
• Equestrian
• Figure Skating – this can only be used for one activity, cannot be assessed with dance
• Golf
• Gymnastics – floor routines and apparatus only
• Kayaking – cannot be assessed with sculling, canoeing or rowing
• Polybat
• Rock Climbing – can be indoor or outdoor
• Sailing – candidates must be assessed within full competitive situations as the helmsperson in one of the following Royal Yachting Association (RYA) sailing boat classifications: Optimist; RS terra sport; Topper; ILCA 4 (laser 4.7). This can only be one activity
• Sculling – cannot be assessed with kayaking, canoeing or rowing. Cannot be assessed with team sculling
• Skiing – assessment can take place on real snow, artificial (indoor) snow, artificial (outdoor) snow slope. Cannot be assessed with snowboarding
• Snowboarding – assessment can take place on real snow, artificial (indoor) snow, artificial (outdoor) snow slope. Cannot be assessed with skiing
• Squash – cannot be assessed with doubles
• Swimming – cannot be synchronised, personal survival or lifesaving
• Table Tennis – cannot be assessed with doubles
• Tennis – cannot be assessed with doubles
• Trampolining
• Windsurfing – candidates must be assessed in full competitive situations in either of the following Royal Yachting Association Windsurfing classifications: Bic Techno 2930D or iQ foil.

Team list:

• Acrobatic Gymnastics – cannot be assessed with gymnastics
• Association Football – cannot be five-a-side. Cannot be assessed with futsal
• Badminton – cannot be assessed with singles
• Basketball – cannot be street basketball
• Blind Cricket
• Camogie – cannot be assessed with hurling
• Cricket
• Dance – cannot be used as both a team and individual activity
• Figure Skating – this can only be used for one activity, it cannot be assessed with dance
• Futsal – cannot be assessed with football
• Gaelic Football
• Goalball
• Handball
• Hockey – must be field hockey
• Hurling – cannot be assessed with camogie
• Ice Hockey – cannot be assessed with inline roller hockey
• Inline Roller Hockey – cannot be assessed with ice hockey
• Lacrosse
• Netball
• Powerchair Football
• Rowing – cannot be assessed with sculling, canoeing or kayaking
• Rugby League – cannot be tag rugby. Cannot be assessed with sevens or union
• Rugby Union – cannot be tag rugby. Can be assessed as sevens or fifteen-a-side. Cannot be assessed with rugby league
• Sailing – candidates must be assessed within full competitive situations as the helmsperson in one of the following Royal Yachting Association (RYA) sailing boat classifications: RS Feva XL; Cadet – this can only be used for one activity
• Sculling – cannot be assessed with rowing, canoeing or kayaking. Cannot be assessed with individual sculling
• Squash – cannot be assessed with singles
• Table Cricket
• Table Tennis – cannot be assessed with singles
• Tennis – cannot be assessed with singles
• Volleyball
• Water Polo
• Wheelchair Basketball
• Wheelchair Rugby

For further information, please contact Mrs Laura Goddard at goddardl@stockportgrammar.co.uk or visit the OCR website for more information relating to the course.

A-level Physical Education

The two year OCR A-level Physical Education course will increase pupils depth and breadth of knowledge, understanding and skills relating to scientific, socio-cultural and practical aspects of physical education.

Over the two years pupils will develop:

• Theoretical knowledge and understanding of the factors that underpin physical activity and sport and use this knowledge to improve performance
• Understanding of how physiological and psychological states affect performance
• Understanding of the key socio-cultural factors that influence people’s involvement in physical activity and sport
• Understanding of the role of technology in physical activity and sport
• Refine and develop their ability to perform effectively in physical activity and sport by developing skills and techniques and selecting and using tactics, strategies and/or compositional ideas
• Develop their ability to analyse and evaluate to improve performance
• Understanding of how important physical activity is for health and fitness
• Develop as an independent learner and as a critical and reflective thinker with a curious and enquiring mind.

The theory content covers (70%):

• Physiological factors affecting performance, focuses on developing the learner’s knowledge of the science behind physical activity. This includes the structure and function of key systems in the human body, the forces that act upon us and the adaptations we make to our bodies through diet and training regimes.
• Psychological factors affecting physical activities and sports. This includes models and theories that affect learning and performance in physical activities, how different methods of training and feedback work and why their effectiveness differs from person to person. It also includes psychological factors affecting group dynamics and the effects of leadership and stress on performers.
• Learners will gain a deeper understanding of the underlying psychological factors that influence our performance in physical activity and sport. They will learn how to apply the theories to practical examples, giving guidance and feedback in constructive ways that are suited to that individual’s personality; therefore assisting in developing practical performance in physical activities and sports.
• Sociological and contemporary issues that influence and affect physical activity and sport for both the audience and the performer and how sport affects society.
• The emergence and evolution of modern sport and how social and cultural factors shaped the characteristics of sports and pastimes in pre-industrial and post-industrial Britain.
• The impact of the modern Olympic Games will be understood as well as the impact on society of hosting global sporting events. The ever-evolving modern technology and its influence on sport performers and spectators will be understood and practical examples will be used by learners to show the effect of modern technology.

Paper 1 (30%) Physiological factors affecting performance
90 marks/2 hour written paper

Topics covered: Applied anatomy and physiology, Exercise physiology and Biomechanics.

Paper 2 (20%) Psychological factors affecting performance
60 marks/1 hour written paper

Topics covered: Skill acquisition and sports psychology.

Paper 3 (20%) Socio-cultural issues in physical activity and sport
60 marks/1 hour written paper

Topics covered: Sport and society and contemporary issues in physical activity and sport.

Non-exam assessment (NEA – 30%) Performance in physical education
60 marks

Topics covered: Performance or coaching in one sport, Evaluation and Analysis of performance for improvement (EAPI).

The physical activities are:

This course will prepare pupils for the further study of Physical Education or Sports Science courses as well as other related subject areas such as Psychology, Sociology and Biology.

Learners will also develop the transferable skills that are in demand by further education, Higher Education and employers in all sectors of industry. Over the years Stockport Grammar School pupils who studied A-level Physical Education went onto university to study:

• English
• Psychology
• Physiotherapy
• Forensic Science
• Paramedic Science
• Teaching
• History
• Nutrition

Please consult the Sixth Form Handbook (pdf) for further information