Physical Education AS/A Level

This A Level will benefit anyone considering a career which is Physical Education or Sport related, eg PE teaching, sports coaching, physiotherapy, leisure management, fitness training and the armed forces.  It provides learners with the knowledge, understanding and skills that they need to prepare for progression into higher education to study a sport related course.

Students will develop an understanding of anatomy, sports psychology, exercise physiology, biomechanics, fitness, skill acquisition and historical/cultural aspects within Sport and Physical Education. 
 
Some elements of the specification will be taught through practical sessions, but this is predominantly a theoretical course; students should be comfortable with science based subjects.  Although high-level competitive performance is not essential, a student’s ability as an athlete will influence their final grade.   Students should expect to apply their sporting experiences to better understand the concepts developed in class.
 
All students must be assessed as a performer in 2 different sports.  These performances accumulate ‘coursework’ marks toward unit 2.  Students have the option of being assessed as an official or a coach in a sport of their choice.  The rest of the AS syllabus will be tested via examinations at the end of the year.

Learners who decide to make Physical Education one of their subjects in their A Level programme are actively encouraged to enrol on The HENLEY College Sports Development Programme (although this is not mandatory).

The AS specification has 2 units:

Unit 1: Opportunities for and the effects of leading a healthy and active lifestyle
Topic list

• The physiological effects of adopting a healthy lifestyle
• The short term effect of exercise/performance and the long term effects of training
• Analysis of movement across a range of sporting actions
• Acquisition of skills and the impact of psychological factors on performance
• Opportunities for physical activity, benefits to the individual and society and the potential barriers faced by minority groups.

Unit 2: Analysis and evaluation of physical activity as performer and/or in an adopted role/s
Topic list

• Execution of skills/techniques in two roles (performer, official or coach) in a chosen physical activity
• Analysis of own performance
• Application of theoretical knowledge to achieve effective performance

The A2 specification has 2 units:

Unit 3: Optimising performance and evaluating contemporary issues within sport
Topic list

• Energy sources and systems
• Elite preparation and training
• Specialised training and sports injuries
• The use of psychological theories and techniques to optimise performance
• Concepts and characteristics of World Games and their impact on the state and individual
• Development and impact of sports technology on performers, equipment and facilities
• The development of sport from recreation to its modern day format.

Unit 4: Optimising practical performance in a competitive situation
Topic list

• Optimising performance in competitive or performance conditions in one role
• Evaluation of own performance in identifying weaknesses
• Suggesting cause of own weakness and an appropriate corrective measure