A-LEVEL Physical Education

PHYSICAL EDUCATION - A LEVEL

The Physical Education syllabus is offered as a multi-disciplinary approach to the participation in and study of man's movement, performance and behaviour in relation to play, institutionalised physical education, sport and recreation. The subject is taught by members of staff with relevant expertise to the areas of study.

INDUCTION

It is hoped that all students choosing this course will have studied the subject to GCSE Level. However that is not a pre requisit of attempting the course. Although students must be competent in two of the required activities and have gained a grade B or above in Biology. The induction process, therefore, whilst outlining the varying demands of the course, will also involve a period of study that deals with contemporary issues in sport. The induction period will demonstrate that the demands of the practical assessment will need student-organised training outside lesson time.

SYLLABUS

The First Year has four compulsory modules: Anatomy and Physiology; Acquisition of Skill; Contemporary Issues in Physical Education and Sport and Personal Performance.

The Second Year involves the choosing of options which will be guided by student interest and ability. These involve topics such as Psychology; Exercise Physiology; Biomechanics and Comparative Studies in Physical Education. The practical component continues throughout the course.

ü	SKILLS REQUIRED
	In a subject that has a mixture of scientific and sociological topics the skills required are varied. The student does need to apply facts, terms, principles and concepts and to write clear, explanatory essays. The student needs to demonstrate some practical ability and this, often, has influenced the choice of the subject.

METHODS OF ASSESSMENT

The continuous assessment component is incorporated with the practical activities. Each student selects an individual activity eg. Athletics and a game activity eg. Hockey. This represents 30% of the final mark. It should be stressed, however, that 20% of the resultant assessment is for performance and 10% for evaluating other students' performance.

The two written papers count for 70% of the total marks for the Exam and are of equal weighting.

CAREER IMPLICATIONS

The ever growing leisure industry encourages students to study the subject at degree level. Although a relatively new subject at Advanced Level, the qualification is recognised by the vast majority of higher education establishments and there are an increasing number of Sports and Physical Education-related degrees at universities. These are becoming increasingly popular options for young men and women and the department has a remarkably high success rate in helping Sixth Formers obtain Sports Science and Sports Teaching and Coaching degree places.