Advanced - Physical Education

EXAM BOARD: OCR

AIM OF THE COURSE
Studying A Level PE gives our students a fantastic insight into the amazing world of sports performance.
Not only do they have the chance to perform or coach a sport through the non-exam assessment component,
they can also develop a wide-ranging knowledge into the how and why of physical activity and sport.
Our students learn the reasons why we do things and why some people outperform others – mentally and
physically. They’ll also delve into the ethical considerations behind the use of drugs and also the influence that modern technology is having on physical activity and sport.

COURSE SUMMARY
Physiological factors affecting performance (30% of total marks). This component will assess:
Applied anatomy and physiology, Exercise physiology
and Biomechanics.
Psychological factors affecting performance (20% of total marks). This component will assess:
Skill acquisition and Sports psychology.
Socio-cultural issues in physical activity and sport (20% of total marks). This component will assess:
Sport and society and Contemporary issues in physical activity and sport.
Practical Performances (15% of total marks). This component will assess:
either: core and advanced skills in performing one activity or core and advanced skills in coaching one
activity.
Evaluating and Analysing Performance for Improvement (15% of total marks)
This component draws upon the knowledge, understanding and skills a learner has learnt throughout
the course and enables them to analyse and evaluate a peer’s performance in one activity.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
PE opens doors to a number of careers and life options. Sport, nutrition and health are huge topics of
discussion today, and as the fight against obesity and sedentary lifestyle issues continues, the knowledge you
gain from a course such as this will only grow in importance and relevance. A-Level PE enables you to
apply for higher education courses in sports science, sports management, healthcare, or exercise and health.
It can also complement further study in subjects such as medicine, biology, human biology, physics, psychology,
nutrition and sociology.

BEYOND SIXTH FORM
There are many career opportunities including: sports development, sports coaching, physiotherapy, sports journalism, personal training or becoming one of the next generation of PE teachers. The transferable skills you learn, such as decision making and independent thinking, are useful in any career path you choose to take. Students considering Sports Science degrees should combine PE with at least one science subject. 

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