National 4 and National 5

Course Assessment

At National 4 and 5, candidates will be assessed in the following two units:

• Practical Performance - Candidates will work to improve their performance in a variety of activities. To achieve an overall pass in this unit, National 5 candidates must reach the national standards in two activities.

• Factors Impacting Performance (FIP) - The FIP knowledge is assessed through a workbook completed in class. Candidates are required to pass all outcomes in the workbook, and this will be marked as a pass or a fail.

National 4 Added Value Unit

The assessment method for the Physical Education Added Value Unit is a single performance in which candidates will prepare for and perform a single physical activity.

Candidates will be assessed against set criteria and must meet all criteria standards to achieve a pass at that level. Evidence will be internally marked in line with SQA guidelines and will be externally verified.

National 5 Added Value Unit

At National 5, the course assessment will consist of two components: Two one-off performances, both worth 30 marks each (scaled down to 50%).

National 5 candidates will prepare for and carry out a performance in two separate physical activities. This will be internally marked in the centre and externally verified. Candidates will be assessed against set criteria and must meet all criteria standards to achieve a pass at that level. 

Portfolio (50%). 

At National 5, a portfolio will be compiled over a period of time and is externally marked by the SQA. Portfolio Course assessment will be out of a total of 60 marks.

Higher

Course assessment structure:

Component 1: question paper 50 marks (2 hours and 30 minutes exam)

Component 2: performance assessment in two different physical activities - 60 marks (scaled to 50%)

The Physical Education course enables candidates to:

• develop a broad and comprehensive range of complex movement and performance skills, and demonstrate them safely and effectively across a range of challenging contexts

• select and apply skills and make informed decisions to effectively perform physical activities

• analyse mental, emotional, social and physical factors that impact on performance

• understand how skills, techniques and strategies combine to produce an effective performance

• analyse and evaluate performance

National 4 Physical Education

This Course has two mandatory Units and an Added Value Unit:

• Performance Skills

• Factors Impacting on Performance

• Added Value Unit: Performance

National 5 Physical Education

This Course has two mandatory Units and an assignment:

• Performance

• Factors Impacting on Performance

Unit Summary

Physical Education: Performance Skills

In this Unit, the learner will be required to demonstrate their ability to perform in physical activities by developing a broad range of movement and performance skills. Learners will develop consistency in their control, fluency of movement and body and spatial awareness. They will also learn how to meet the physical demands of performance safely and effectively.

Physical Education: Factors Impacting on Performance

The general aim of this Unit is to provide learners with the opportunity to explore and develop their knowledge of factors that impact personal performance in physical activities. The learner will consider the effects of mental, emotional, social and physical factors on performance. Learners will record, monitor and reflect on their performance and design programmes to bring about physical improvements.

Higher

The course consists of two areas of study:

Factors impacting on performance - Candidates develop knowledge and understanding of mental, emotional, social and physical factors that impact personal performance in physical activities. Through collecting information, candidates consider how these factors can influence effectiveness in performance. They develop knowledge and understanding of a range of approaches for enhancing performance. Candidates select and apply these approaches to factors that impact their personal performance. 

Candidates create and implement Personal Development Plans (PDPs), modify these, and justify decisions relating to future personal development needs. 

Performance - Candidates develop their ability to demonstrate a broad and comprehensive range of complex movement and performance skills through various physical activities. They select, demonstrate, apply and adapt these skills and use them to make informed decisions. They also develop their knowledge and understanding of how these skills combine to produce effective outcomes. 

Candidates develop consistency, precision, control and fluency of movement. They also learn how to respond to and meet the demands of performance safely and effectively.