PE & Sport

PE is a core subject. In Years 7, 8 and 9 students having four periods per fortnight. Our students have the option to take GCSE PE or BTEC Sport in Years 10 and 11. Students are able to study A'Level PE in Years 12 and 13. Further details about the A'Level course are available on the Sixth Form website.

Vision

We are an innovative department that stimulates all pupils’ through our widely recognised sporting excellence. Our intense and dynamic curriculum, competitive inter-house and extra-curricular activities, allows students’ to experience PE in all its fullness. Our Sports Leaders will develop leadership skills to support our community partnerships through extended relationships within the wider community.

Physical Education Learning Journey

This is a visual representation of how students' knowledge and skills develop through the PE curriculum.

Physical Education Learning Journey

Physical Education Learning Journey yr 10 - 13

Why study PE at GCSE?

GCSE PE is an established course that offers routes to further education, such as A-levels, higher education in PE as well as other related career opportunities. There are also strong transferable links between PE and other similar subjects such as social science qualifications and Biology.

During this course you will be able to make use of your practical ability as 40% of the course is assessed based around your performance in three different sports. The course also involves studying for two separate exams known as “The human body and movement in physical activity and sport” and “Socio-cultural influences and well-being in physical activity and sport’’. This aspect of the course encourages you to make links between different muscles, bones and complete performance analysis of various movements and consider and discuss socio-cultural influences and basic sports psychology theories as well as interpreting and analysing data.

Outline of syllabus content: Each week you will be taught two theory lessons which will help develop your knowledge of the human body and socio-cultural influences. During these lessons you will learn about how the body moves and how to analyse and describe this movement. You will be encouraged to contrast and compare yourself with elite performers in sport in term of training methods and fitness components. During this section of the course you will cover some basic sports psychology (how we learn) and socio-cultural influences. These lessons will be taught in a practical manner whenever possible.

You will also be taught one lesson each week of practical and theory linked work. The practical side of the course involves you performing and being assessed in three different activities in sport (one individual sport, one team sport and one more of either type). You will be responsible for participating in sport outside of school and will use practical lessons to compile practical evidence of your level of performance. Due to the limited practical lesson time available in the curriculum time you should be participating in sport outside of school and should have a genuine all round ability in sporting activities. The practical weighting of the course is 40% including ‘an analysis of performance’ piece of coursework.

In each of your chosen activities you will be assessed upon your basic skills in isolation and also your ability to influence performance in the full recognised version of your activity.

GCSE Assessment

• Practical assessment: three different activities (One team game, one individual sport and one more of either type). Externally moderated 30% Final mark.

• Controlled Assessment Coursework: Performance Analysis (project work) 10% Final mark.

• Two Examinations: two 1hour 15 minutes ‘’The human body and movement in physical activity and sport’’ and “Socio-cultural influences and well-being in physical activity and sport’’ 60% Final mark.

GCSE PE Exam specification information

Why study SPORTS STUDIES?

This qualification is the vocational option when wanting to pursue Sport at Key Stage 4.  The Cambridge National qualification is equivalent to a GCSE and will culminate in a recognised qualification at the end of Year 11.  It provides an introduction to some of the key themes within the sport sector, enabling you to develop and apply your knowledge of sport, whilst also developing a range of relevant practical, communication and technical skills.  The Cambridge National Level 2 shows clear progression to Level 3 vocational qualifications in the sixth form, including A-Level PE and college for those who want to take study of this subject further. 

This qualification provides an engaging and relevant introduction to the world of sport.  It incorporates important aspects of the industry such as present-day issues in sport, sports leadership and sport and the media.  For this award you will study three separate units over Years 10 and 11. 

• Unit R184, Contemporary Issues in Sport, is a compulsory unit and is assessed externally via a written exam. 
• Unit R185, Performance and Leadership in Sports Activities, is also a compulsory unit, and is assessed internally via a number of practical and written assignments over the two years.  Including practical assessment of performance in an individual and team sport and practical leadership of sports sessions.
• Unit R186, Sport and the Media, is internally assessed via a number of written assignments, the unit focuses on the positive and negative impact the media has had on sport. 

sports studies Assessment

In total there are three modules; one exam module and two coursework modules of which include practical assessment.  R184 which is the exam unit, contributes towards 40% of the overall marks and 30% each for unit R185 and R186.  The exam is a one hour and fifteen-minute test totalling 70 marks and assesses all the work done in unit R184.  The test will consist of objective and short answer questions. 

A practical and theory coursework portfolio is also kept and regularly updated for your two other units.  This may include assignments produced by you which could take the form of a written essay, annotated video clips, PowerPoint presentations, posters, interviews, witness statements practical performance and practical leadership/coaching of skills.  All of these assignments are set by the exam board in charge of the course and marked internally.  Some of these assignments will then be sent off for external moderation. 

Sports Studies OCR Specification

PE curriculum maps