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Physical Education

What is A-Level Physical Education?

A-Level Physical Education is an ideal subject to study if you’re interested in Sport! It combines a range of topics which you will see come alive when watching and playing sport!

Other information

Physical Education is seen as a Science subject but compliments all disciplines and can be combined with any other subjects. It has some shared content with Psychology, Sociology and Biology, but the exam requires some essay writing, interpretation of graphs and data, and application of theories to practical examples, so the skills are transferable to a wide range of other subjects at both A level and BTEC.

What Will You Study in A-Level Physical Education?

The theory part of the course is split into 3 sections

Exercise Physiology which is concerned with how the body’s systems function during exercise. We study topics such as energy creation, biomechanics and the usual cardiovascular and muscular systems etc. It is interesting and applied and relates to real sport!
Sport Psychology which is concerned with aspects of the mind and how that affects sports performance. For example how confidence, stress and the presence of a crowd affect performance.
Sport Sociology & technology which is concerned with how sport reflects wider society. We look at issues such a racism and sexism in sport, drug use in sport and how advancements in technology have affected sport.

What Next after Completing A-Level Physical Education?

A large number of our students go to university to study on Sport related courses such as Sport Science and teaching. Studying A level PE is not a barrier to a career in medicine, dentistry and veterinary science; in fact many students study Biology, Chemistry and PE and go on to study medicine at university. We have strong links with a range of universities and a number of former students come back into college and speak to groups about their careers and experiences. Some students with exceptional performance backgrounds opt for scholarships at universities in the UK or USA.

What is the Exam Board for A-Level Physical Education?

AQA

As you progress through the course you will be assessed through homework, class tests and College Assessment Points (CAPs).

70% of your final mark comes from two exams on the theory part of the course. Paper 1 comes from year 12 work and paper 2 from year 13 work.

30% of the course is not assessed by an exam:

15% is an assessment of your practical performance in one sport. You will need to provide video evidence of your performance in a competitive situation. Assessment is ongoing throughout the course. If you don’t play any sport to a high level, there will be an option for you to offer rock climbing as a practical option.
15% is a piece of written coursework about your own performance, which will be completed in year 13.

What are the Entry Requirements for A-Level Physical Education?

At least five 5s at GCSE, including at least a 4 or a Merit in PE (if studied) and a 4 in English Language and Science. You don’t need to have studied GCSE PE at school to be able to study A level PE at college.

Have you considered studying a Mixed Programme (A-Levels and Btecs) Whether you’re on target to achieve five 5s in your GCSEs or not there may still be an option to study A-Levels alongside a BTEC qualification at Newman.

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