Physical Education
Course Overview
The sports industry is one of the fastest growing sectors of modern society. You only have to look at the rise of performance analysis in Premier League football or at the growth of the Olympic and Paralympic movements to see that with the right qualifications and a passion for sport, there are a huge number of exciting opportunities open to talented young people.
The specification provides breadth and balance; giving students the chance to study a wide array of theoretical areas that underpin Physical Education, whilst also getting the chance to experience and develop an interest in a variety of roles and performances.
Entry Requirements
A grade 6 in GCSE PE is a minimum requirements, if taken. It is also strongly recommended that students have at least a grade 6 in GCSE Biology.
A Level Topics and Assessment
Component 1 – Factors affecting participation in physical activity and sport.
· Applied anatomy and physiology
· Skill acquisition
· Sport and society
· Written exam 2 hours
Component 2 –Paper 2: Factors affecting optimal performance in physical activity and sport.
· Exercise physiology and biomechanics
· Sports psychology
· Sport and society and technology in sport
Component 3—Non exam assessment: Practical performance in physical activity and sport.
· Students assessed in one activity.
· Written/Verbal analysis and evaluation of performance
30% of A level
|
AQA Exam |
Component 1 |
Component 2 |
Component 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Length |
2 Hour written paper |
2 Hour written paper |
Practical Assessment |
|
Weighting |
35% of A Level |
35% of A Level |
30% of A Level |
Beyond the Classroom and Future Prospects
A Level PE represents the first steps towards many opportunities. With a good grounding in a wide range of sports disciplines our students go on to study sport related courses at a number of the UK's leading universities. Possible career pathways for those with A Level PE include Match Analyst, Nutritionist, Journalist, Sports Development Officer, Physiotherapist , Sports scientist and many more. It is complemented well by Biology, Psychology, History and to a lesser extent Maths and Physics.
Student Experience
I enjoyed taking PE as it allowed me to take the physical, historical and psychological concepts of sport from the classroom and apply them to everyday life.