Physical Education / Sports Studies

Course summary

This A-level course covers the elements that contribute to sports performance including aspects relating to physiology, psychology, skill acquisition and socio-cultural aspects. Personal sporting expertise is an essential requirement to complete the practical component of the course which involves performing one chosen activity. With the leisure industry rapidly growing Physical Education can be useful for those wishing to follow a career in sport and recreation but will be just as stimulating and testing for those who have no desire to take it any further or who want to use it to develop their personal sports involvement. Physical activity is essential when trying to lead a healthy active lifestyle. By the end of this course, you should have increased your physical competence, developed your involvement in physical activity and become better at making informed decisions on your own and others’ involvement in physical activity. This A-level course offers you a broad curriculum covering aspects relating to physiology, psychology, skill acquisition and sociocultural aspects. Much of the academic rigour is achieved by the breadth of skills required. Pupils will study anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, the history of sport and recreation, the sociology of sport, sport organisation, skill acquisition, theories of learning and sports psychology. You will be required to demonstrate proficiency in one sport as a performer. The essence of the course is that theoretical aspects are studied with direct reference to actual sporting situations, with the expectation that pupils will spend time improving their performances. This can be enhanced by the coaching and observation of peer pupils, improving understanding and giving relevance to the theory.