Course Entry Requirements

Grade 5 in GCSE PE or a Merit in BTEC Sport (if you have not studied these, you must be participating in sport at club level), plus grade 5 in GCSE Science and English Language and grade 4 in Mathematics.

Introduction

This course will develop you knowledge of scientific, socio-cultural and practical aspects of PE. You will  understand the physiological/psychological states that affect performance. You will also take part in practical workshops and gain insights from industry experts and develop transferable skills for future study and employment. A Level Physical Education is a well-respected, academic A Level and is considered to be a science subject by many major universities.

What you will study

  • Anatomy and Physiology – 30% (Exercise physiology / Biomechanics in sport)
  • Sports Psychology – 20% (How performers learn skills in sport / mental preparation for sport)
  • Socio-cultural Studies – 20% (Values in sport / ethical issues related to drugs use and violence)
  • Performance – 15% (A practical assessment of your skills as a performer or coach) and 15% Evaluation and Analysis of Performance for Improvement (EAPI)

Assessments

  • Three examinations – 70% (at the end of year two)
  • Practical Assessments – 15% (you will be assessed in live moderations and using video evidence of your sports performance, alongside your competition log). 15% EAPI verbal examination.

Regular involvement in competitive sport is required to study A Level PE for one sport on the prescribed content list. You will need to maintain this involvement throughout the duration of your studies. There are a lot of areas you can be assessed in including;

  • Individual activities such as gymnastics, contemporary dance, boxing and athletics
  • Team sports including handball, hockey, football, netball and rugby
  • A range of specialist activities including wheelchair basketball and boccia

Course Support

  • We encourage independent learning to develop study skills
  • Research and revision resources
  • Regular assessments to track your progress
  • A range of learning activities – booklets, videos, group work, practical activities, social media, quizzes
  • ‘Stretch and Challenge’ activities for more able learner

Enrichment Activities

  • Recreational activities – five-a-side football, table tennis, dodgeball and badminton sessions
  • Competitive sports – rugby, football, basketball and netball
  • Meet with industry experts in sports science, sports psychology, physiotherapy and many more
  • University workshops
  • Sports leadership and first aid awards

Progression

A Level PE leads to an array of opportunities. You will receive extensive careers guidance to support and prepare you for your next steps. Many students progress to study a sport related degree at university e.g. PE, Sport Science, Sports Coaching and Development and Physiotherapy.

Career Opportunities

Supporting over 600,000 jobs in the UK, sport is a £28bn industry and this fast-growing sector now ranks among the top 15 mainstream activities in the economy. The huge amounts of money in UK sport means that there are more jobs to pursue than ever before. Some examples include Sports Coach, Sports Psychologist, Strength and Conditioning Coach, Teacher, Community Coach, Physiotherapist, Sports Scientist.

Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme

Carmel College is one of only two TASS Dual Career accredited Colleges in the North West. TASS accreditation is acknowledgement of how we support our talented athletes to succeed in their sport, whilst excelling in their studies. Read more

Further Information

PHYSICAL EDUCATION course leaflet

Exam board course specification

Former student begins Tennis Scholarship in USA

 

 

What Our Students Say

A Level PE has been really enjoyable for me. I find the course content and my lessons interesting and engaging. I enjoy how current the course content is, studying how sport is changing everyday helps to make it relevant and interesting. My favourite thing about studying A Level PE is that I can use what I am learning to improve my own performance. The physiology side enables me to see the advantages of particular recovery methods or training techniques. I have been able to apply these to myself and I can now notice considerable improvements in my performance.

Since joining Carmel, I have been provided with many opportunities to take part in sport and enrichment and I particularly enjoy being part of the football team. The team train and compete each week and the standard of play is really high. Training sessions are challenging and enjoyable and I feel like I am making progress and developing as a player.

I’ve also been to visit universities and met with people working in elite sport in a number of different roles. These opportunities have not only helped to improve my knowledge of sport and PE but have also aided me massively in deciding my career path. They’ve given me a greater insight into the different career opportunities open to me in the future. Meeting with role models working at the top level in sport has been really inspirational. On the back of these visits, I have decided that I would like to pursue a master’s degree in Sports and Exercise Science.

James Mooney

A-Level Physical Education student James Mooney