Physical Education (Exam Board OCR)

What do I need to know or be able to do before taking this course?

If you possess an active interest in sport, with a desire to understand more about a wide range of issues and topics in Physical Education, then you will be ideally suited to applying that interest to this exciting area of academic and practical study.

Whilst it will be beneficial if you have completed GCSE Physical Education, it is not a pre-requisite for the AS/Advanced Level course.

Left: Mr. Huw Lewis, Director of Sport

What will I learn on this Advanced GCE course?

During the course you will have opportunities to:

• develop greater understanding of Physical Education facts, together with an appreciation of their practical application
• develop greater expertise in a variety of practical activities and understand their links to the application of theory
• continue to enjoy a personal interest in sport
• understand the origins of many modern sports
• recognise the importance and role of sport in society

What kind of pupil is this course suitable for?

This course will appeal to students who:

• enjoy practical, as well as theoretical, work
• are looking towards careers in sport, activity or health related professions, although it should emphasised at this point that the course is fully recognised as a university entry qualification

What examinations will I have to take to get my qualification?

AS Level
The AS course consists of a practical assessment of two different sports and a theoretical examination.
AS An Introduction to PE – G451

60% of AS (30% A level)
Two hour written paper

AS Acquiring, developing and evaluating practical skills in PE – G452

40% of AS (20% A level)
Two practical activities are internally assessed and externally moderated

 

Topics covered are:

Anatomy and Physiology

• The skeletal and muscular systems
• Motion and movement
• Information processing
• The cardiovascular and respiratory systems in relation to the performance of physical   activity.
  Acquiring Movement Skills
• Classification of motor skills and abilities
• The development of motor skills
• Information processing
• Motor control of skills in physical activity
• Learning skills in physical activity
  Socio-Cultural Studies
• Physical activity
• Sport and culture
• Contemporary sporting issues

A2 Level
A2 Principles and Concepts Across Different Areas of PE – G453
35% of A2
Two hours and fifty minutes written paper

A2 The Improvement of Effective Performance and the Critical Evaluation of Practical Activities in PE – G454
15% of A2
One practical activity is internally assessed and externally moderated

Topics covered are:

Historical Studies

• Popular recreation in pre-industrial Britain
• 19th Century public schools and their impact on the development of physical activities and young people
• The developmental stages of athleticism in 19th Century public schools Case Studies
• Drill, physical training and Physical Education in state schools.
  Sports Psychology
• Individual aspects of performance
• Group dynamics of performance and audience effects
• Mental preparation for physical activity.
  Section C: Scientific Option 2: Exercise and Sport Physiology
• Energy
• Health components of physical fitness
• Application of the principles of training
• Performance enhancement

What could I go on to do at the end of my course?

The subject has been fully accepted as a university entrance qualification and it does not, therefore, limit candidates to sport-related careers.