Physical Education

The PE Department follows the National Curriculum. During Key Stage 3 pupils become more expert in their skills and techniques and in their application to different activities. They start to understand what makes a performance effective and how to apply these principles to their own and others' work. They learn to take the initiative and make decisions for themselves about what to do to improve performance. They start to identify the types of activity they prefer to be involved with, and to take a variety of roles such as leader and official.

What will your child study?
Students will be taught through the medium of Games, Athletics, Gymnastics and Swimming. This will be in structured lessons with the reinforcement of skills in games and fixtures. Below is a detailed overview of what will be covered at Key Stage 3.

Knowledge, skills and understanding
The PE Department ensures that, when evaluating and improving performance, connections are made between developing, selecting and applying skills, tactics and compositional ideas, and fitness and health.

Acquire and develop skills
Your child will be taught to:
refine and adapt existing skills
develop them into specific techniques that suit different activities and perform those with consistent control

Select and apply skills, tactics and compositional ideas
Your child will be taught to:
use principles to plan and implement strategies and compositional ideas in individual, pair, group and team activities
modify and develop plans
apply rules and conventions for different activities

Evaluate and improve performance
Your child will be taught to:
be clear about what they want to achieve in their own work and what they have actually achieved
take the initiative to analyse their own and other's work using this information, to improve its quality

Acquire knowledge and understanding of fitness and health
Your child will be taught to:
how to prepare for and recover from specific activities
how different types of activity affect specific aspects of their fitness
the benefits of regular exercise and good hygiene
how to go about getting involved in all activities that are good for their personal and social health and well being

How will your child be assessed?
Your child will be assessed against government guidelines
They will be observed and a professional judgement by PE teachers will be made about progress and ability
Your child will be praised with constructive comments from teachers at every opportunity

Lessons will be differentiated by:
Using small groups for optimum teaching time
Appropriate groupings to ensure all students are stretched
Games sessions where all abilities can compete at an appropriate level
Making use of the expertise of GAP students and other teachers where possible

What other opportunities are available for students?
Weekly fixtures against other schools
Occasional Saturday fixtures
After school sports activities from 4.15 pm to 5.15pm
Connections with local sports clubs to encourage students to play at a higher level
Opportunities for able students to attend county trials

Sports Science encompasses practical involvement in a broad range of individual and team sports and also examines theoretical areas related to Physical Education. These include study of the skeletal, muscular and circulatory system as well as reasons for participation, training, fitness, diet and injury.

If you have good skills across a range of sports and you are interested in understanding how your body works and, perhaps, how to make it work better, then this could be the subject for you.

The course enables students to gain knowledge and understanding of:
The human body
The effects of exercise on the human body and its performance
The principles and methods of training
Health, diet, drugs and injuries
Rules, tactics and safety aspects of selected physical activities
The skills and abilities for effective participation in selected activities
The assessment and evaluation of these activities.
Students will also plan and carry out a personal exercise programme (PEP) which will be directly related to their chosen sport for analysis of performance.

Scheme of Assessment
Unit 1  The Theory of Physical Education - written paper of 1.5 hours -  40% of GCSE
Covers: 'Healthy active lifestyles' and 'Your healthy, active body'.

Unit 2  Performance in Physical Education
Covers 'Practical performance' and 'Analysis of performance'.
Analysis of performance 10% of GCSE
Course assessment of practical work 25% of GCSE
Practical examination 25% of GCSE
Students must select 4 activities for their practical work, either in games or PE. Being a leader (coach) or an official (umpiring, ref) is also an option if the student is deemed to be a suitable candidate to carry this out.

NB: Not all the activities available will be offered. It will depend on time and facilities available and also on student expertise.

Each practical is marked out of 10
9/10 = exceptional, 7/8 = good/very good, 5/6 = average/above average, 3/4 = below average, 1/2 = poor

Specification: EdExcel  Physical Education 2PE01
Click here to download the current specification for this GCSE course.

The Future
The health and leisure industry is the fourth largest employer in this country. If you are thinking of coaching, teaching, leisure management, sports science, physiotherapy, sports journalism or sports development, then this subject could help.

AS and A Level

Physical Education at AS and A level would be a suitable course of study for anyone interested in the area of Physical Education and sport. The two years of study cover the psychological and social aspects of PE and sport. The aim is to apply theoretical knowledge learnt in class to practical and sporting situations therefore improving overall performance. .

At AS two units are covered:

Unit 1: Participation in sport and recreation
The unit content is divided into two sections:

The first section will develop your knowledge and understanding of what constitutes a healthy and active lifestyle. You will investigate how the body responds and adapts to exercise, the components of physical and skill fitness and different methods of fitness training. The rationale behind carrying out fitness assessments and the protocols associated with recognised fitness tests will also be considered.

The second section encourages you to develop your knowledge and understanding of how competitive sport has developed over time. You will learn how a lifelong involvement in sport is encouraged.

This unit makes up 50% of the AS course (25% of A2), and is assessed by a 1.5 hour exam in June. The paper will contain short-answer and extended-writing type questions, all of which are compulsory.

Unit 2: Coursework - The Critical Sports Performer
This unit requires you to take on the roles of performer, leader and official, and apply this to your chosen sport through four assignments.
Coursework makes up 50% of the AS course (25% of A2).

The A2 course comprises two units:

Unit 3: Preparation for Optimum Sports Performance
In this unit you will develop a knowledge and understanding of the short- and long-term physiological and psychological preparations made by elite athletes. You will consider the short- and long-term technical preparations required, eg selection of appropriate kit and equipment, the use of training camps, different types of ergonomic aids.

The assessment of this unit is through a 2-hour examination paper consisting of short-answer and extended-writing type questions, all of which are compulsory. This unit counts for 25% of the A2 marks.

Unit 4: Coursework - The Developing Sports Performer
The tasks undertaken in the AS Unit 2 above: The Critical Sports Performer lay the foundation for you to specialise in one practical performance role and progress this performance, and undertake three further tasks.

You will construct a development plan to further progress your performance as performers, leaders or officials.

You will also research one of these roles in an international context, taking in grassroots participation, elite performance and other factors.
You will then continue to refine your performances in one chosen role.

Lastly, you will plan your life in physical activity, from the AS course to the potential opportunities and performance structure open to you, thereby outlining a ‘time line’, through school, college, university, club, veterans and future roles.

You must undertake four tasks for assessment in this unit. You will be assessed internally and moderated externally by means of a CD. This unit counts for 25% of the A2 marks.

Specification:  Edexcel Physical Education  AS 8PE01 A level 9PE01
Click here to download the current specification for this A level course.

After AS/A level
This course provides an excellent base for students who wish to study PE and sport related courses at university whilst being practical enough for students who would just like to work in a local gym. A level PE opens many doors to many interesting and rewarding career opportunities.

Student Comments
“I love playing sport, and with A level PE I can understand what is happening physiologically.”

“I like the combination of practical and theory work.”