PE GCSE 

GCSE PE enables students to make the connections between theory and practice so that they are able to apply their understanding of the factors that underpin physical activity and sport to improve performance. Students will be required to use the technical vocabulary, terminology and definitions associated with the study of physical education.

The course requires a good standard of practical performance in team and individual sports as 30% of the overall grade comes from direct assessment of this ability. 

60% of the course is assessed via 2 examinations at the end of Year 11 with the remaining 10% coming from controlled coursework assessment on the application of theory when analysing and recommending performance developments.

What can GCSE PE do for me?

• It can encourage students to be inspired, moved and challenged by following a broad, coherent, satisfying and worthwhile course of study and develop an awareness and appreciation of their own and others’ cultures in relation to Physical Education.

• It can encourage creativity and decision-making skills to enable students to plan effectively for performances and to respond to changing situations.

• It can prepare students to make informed decisions about further learning opportunities and career choices.

• It can enable students to become increasingly physically competent through being actively engaged in a range of physical activities. This enables students to develop their ability to engage independently and to successfully develop and maintain their involvement in physical activity as part of a healthy, active lifestyle. 

How will I be assessed? 

Component 01: Physical factors affecting performance

Students explore how parts of the human body function during physical activity and the physiological adaptations that can occur due to diet and training. They also develop skills in data analysis, and an understanding of the principles of training, why we train in different ways and how training plans can be made to optimise results.

There are two topics:

• Applied anatomy and physiology

• Physical training.

1 hour exam paper 30% weighting of final grade.

Component 02: Socio-cultural issues and sports psychology

Students develop their knowledge of the social-cultural and psychological influences on levels of participation in sport, and also how sport impacts on society more broadly. This includes the individual benefits to health, fitness and well-being of participating in physical activity, as well as the influences of commercialisation, sponsorship and the media.

There are three topics:

• Socio-cultural influences

• Sports psychology

• Health, fitness and well-being.

1 hour exam paper 30% weighting of final grade.

Component 03: Performance in physical education

Students are assessed in performing three practical activities and one performance analysis task. In the practical performance, they demonstrate effective performance, the use of tactics or techniques and the ability to observe the rules and conventions under applied conditions. They are also required to demonstrate their ability to analyse and evaluate their own performance to produce an action plan for improvement

Your practical activities (selected from the list below, 1 team, 1 individual, and 1 free choice) will be assessed by your GCSE PE teacher with an external moderator double checking marks during a practical moderation day during March-May of Year 11.

Team Activities: Acrobatic Gymnastics*, Football, Badminton (Doubles), Basketball, Camogie, Cricket, Dance*, Figure Skating* (cannot be asses with dance), Futsal, Gaelic Football, Handball, Hockey, Hurling, Ice Hockey, Inline Roller Hockey, Lacrosse, Netball, Rowing (cannot be assessed with sculling, canoeing or kayaking), Rugby League/Union, Sailing*, Sculling* (cannot be assessed with rowing rowing, canoeing or kayaking), Squash (Doubles), Table Tennis (Doubles), Tennis (Doubles), Volleyball, Water Polo.

Individual Activities: Amateur Boxing, Athletics, Badminton (Singles), Canoeing (cannot be assessed with  rowing, sculling or kayaking), Cycling (Track, Road or BMX Racing), Dance (Solo), Diving, Equestrian, Figure Skating* (cannot be asses with dance), Golf, Gymnastics*, Kayaking (cannot be assessed with rowing, sculling or canoeing), Rock Climbing, Sailing*, Sculling* (cannot be assessed with  rowing, canoeing or kayaking), Skiing (cannot be assessed with snowboarding), Snowboarding (cannot be assessed with skiing) , Squash (singles), Swimming, Table Tennis (Singles), Tennis (Singles), Trampolining, Windsurfing.

NB. Singles & Doubles cannot be done in the same activity. * must be used as a team or individual not both.

Externally moderated 40% of your overall grade. (10% of this will be through written coursework and 30% practical.) 

Why should I study GCSE PE?

GCSE Physical Education is the ideal preparation for the A Level Physical Education or OCR Level 3 Sport course that we offer in Yr12 and 13. The course develops the transferable skills and key skills that employers are looking for and could lead to a wide variety of employment opportunities. This can include further training in areas such as Recreational Management, Leisure Activities, Coaching, Officiating, Sports Science, Teaching, the Fitness Industry, the Armed forces and the Civil Service.

What should I do next?

Because of the practical assessment weighting it is essential that students taking GCSE PE are prepared to dedicate time to improve their practical performance through their own out of school involvement in sport and via the extensive extra curricular provisions made by the PE department. 

Extra curricular participation during year 8&9 is essential to show pre existing commitment to sport and physical activity and is therefore an entry requirement to the course.

GCSE PE is an extremely challenging but rewarding course that year on year has great popularity. Students continually make excellent progress and ultimately get outstanding results.

​Please see our FAQs and subject specifications below for a more in-depth insight into the content covered in this course. If you have any questions please contact either myself or your child's PE teacher.

Mr P Mace (Head of PE)

FAQ's

Why is my chosen activity not on the activity list? I'd like to be assessed in that rather than others. Is it different on other exam boards?

The activity list is a prescribed list created by OFQUAL and the Department for Education. All exam boards: OCR, Edexcel/Pearson, AQA etc have to follow the prescribed list. It is frustrating for many that martial arts, rounders, mountain biking etc are no longer on the activity list. 

How many lessons of practical sport am I likely to do per week?

If you are opting for this subject in the hope of doing less writing or assessments, then I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. GCSE PE is an academically challenging course with lots of classroom written work. There will be 1 out of the 5 lessons over 2 weeks where theory will be applied in a practical lesson. However, the bulk of your sport will be done during your core PE lessons. 

Who decides my practical assessment score?

Your PE teacher will initially assess you against the NEA practical criteria below. As a department, we then doublecheck these marks through internal moderation and standardisation (checking that someone's mark is accurate and that a mark in Netball is equal to that of someone's mark in Badminton or Football etc). We will then have a visiting moderator from OCR into school on a day to watch you perform and check these marks.

Can I change my mind if I find the course too hard?

These decisions are sometimes instigated by teachers IF we can see that a student is significantly struggling and that continuing with the course is not in the student's best interest. Moving from GCSE PE to Sports Studies is sometimes possible during the first month of the course, but it cannot be relied upon or catch up work will be required for the new course. This is why our recommendation is so important. Moving to other subject options is not possible.

Is there any textbooks or online resources I can buy in readiness for learning?

All students will be provided with access to an online OCR textbook and online learning resources from www.theeverlearner.com allowing students to study independently as well as resources that will be provided on google classroom by their teacher, so buying additional resources is not necessary.  Additional revision resources will be made available during Year 11.