AS and A level Physical Education

Course code: SSS

Level: A Level, AS Level

Availability: Day Course

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Summary

This course addresses current contemporary topics such as nutrition, illegal use of drugs in sport and specialist training techniques combined with a progression of knowledge from GCSE in the more traditional area of anatomy, psychology and social/cultural issues in sport. It is a wide ranging, dynamic subject for students with the ability to apply theoretical knowledge to practical situations.

Requirements

 

You will need:

At least five GCSEs at grade C or above including English Language, Maths and Science plus PE (if taken).  You will need a lively and enquiring mind and a genuine interest in the theory of PE and a range of sports. A willingness to explore new ideas will be essential on this course. Regular participation in at least one sport is also required.


 

Course Content

 

In Year 1 you will study units 1 and 2 for an AS level.  In Year 2 you will study units 3 and 4 to complete the full A level.

Unit 1: Opportunities for and the effects of leading a healthy and active lifestyle
Throughout this unit you will study three main topics:

Applied exercise physiology
This involves an understanding of the main body systems used in sport, and the importance of fitness, nutrition and biomechanics to performance

Skill acquisition
In this section you will learn how skills are acquired, how a coach/teacher can aid the learning of skills and how other psychological factors impact upon performance

Opportunities for participation
An appreciation of the benefits of physical activity to both society and the individual, current provision for active leisure, the role of schools in increasing participation and the barriers to participation for specific target groups.

You will be assessed by a written examination.

Unit 2: Analysis and evaluation of physical activity as a performer and/or in an adopted role/s
All students perform, analyse and evaluate the execution of core skills/techniques in isolation and in structured practice as either:

  • a player/performer in two different sports
  • a player/performer and a coach or official in the either the same sport or two different sports
  • a coach and an official in the same or two different sports

You will need to be regularly practising/coaching or officiating to be practically assessed. This will determine your ability in your two chosen roles.

 

Unit 3: Optimising performance and evaluating contemporary issues within sport
You will study three areas:

  • How exercise physiology can optimise performance
  • How application of psychological knowledge can optimise performance
  • Contemporary influences in sport and their impact on the performer

You will be assessed by a written examination

Unit 4: Optimising practical performance in a competitive situation

You are required to perform, analyse and evaluate your own performance, identify weaknesses and suggest causes and appropriate corrective measures in a sport of your choice. This can be as a performer, coach or official in one chosen sport.

You will be internally assessed on your practical performance as a performer, coach or official and by oral or written analysis of your own or your athlete’s performance. You will need to be training and competing regularly in a selected sport or regularly coaching athletes who compete or regularly officiating full competitive games/matches/performances.

What else do I need to know?

 

This course is mainly theoretical and is therefore generally classroom based. We incorporate a lot of practical experiments and often adopt a ‘hands on’ approach to learning so students must come prepared to actively contribute to practical tasks and group work. You will have two classroom based lessons and one sports hall based lesson per week.

Practical assessments are carried out through regular commitment to either a college team or an external club and students are strongly advised to ensure they are competing, coaching competitors or officiating competitions before their second year at college.

The subject combines well with subjects such as A level Biology, Psychology and Dance as well as the Sports Academies. This A level is accepted for all university courses and is a useful subject for careers such as physiotherapy, sports development, teaching, coaching, the leisure industry and the uniformed public services such as the armed forces, police etc.

This course is often chosen by members of the Taunton's 'Academy of Sport' which exists to enable students to develop their performance and experience to a level appropriate for elite athletes. If you are interested in applying for a place in the Basketball, Cricket, Football, Netball, Rugby, Tennis or Trampolining Academy, please check the college website.

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