KS4 GCSE

Physical Education

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Course ID
OCR J587
Faculty
Expressive Arts
Department
Physical Education
Level
GCSE
Head of Faculty
K. Eustace
Head of Department
H. Potter
KS4 GCSE Physical Education (PE)

Course Overview

Physical Education at Key Stage 4 offers students the opportunity to develop their physical performance, understanding of sport and overall well-being. Through a combination of practical and theoretical learning, students build confidence, resilience and teamwork skills while gaining a deeper appreciation of the benefits of an active lifestyle. 

All students continue to take part in Core Physical Education, while some also choose to study GCSE Physical Education as an examined subject. 

Core Physical Education in Years 10 and 11 allows students to build on the skills and activities introduced at Key Stage 3. Students have the opportunity to select from a range of activities, enabling them to develop their interests and strengths while maintaining an active and healthy lifestyle. Lessons focus on improving performance, teamwork and personal fitness, with students encouraged to challenge themselves and achieve their personal best. 

GCSE Physical Education equips students with the knowledge, understanding and skills to analyse and improve their performance in sport. The course combines practical performance with theoretical study across key areas such as physical factors affecting performance, socio-cultural influences and sports psychology. 

Students are assessed through a combination of written examination and practical performance in three activities, alongside a performance analysis task. They develop the ability to evaluate their own and others’ performances, applying their knowledge to suggest effective strategies for improvement. 

Studying Physical Education at GCSE not only enhances sporting ability but also develops transferable skills such as discipline, communication, leadership and critical thinking. It provides a strong foundation for further study at A-Level and supports future pathways in sport, health, fitness and related industries. 

Course Description

Year 10

Term Unit of Work Assessment
Autumn 1

GCSE

Paper 1 (30%) Physical factors affecting performance, Unit 1. 1.2a Components of fitness. Students will know the definition for each component of fitness and give practical examples.

  • Strength
  • Power
  • Flexibility
  • Agility
  • Balance
  • Coordination
  • Reaction time
  • Cardiovascular endurance / stamina
  • Speed

Text book: Page 42

Paper 2 (30%) Socio-cultural influences. Sports psychology. Health, fitness and well-being, Unit 2. Health, fitness and wellbeing. Understand the health benefits of physical activity and consequences of a sedentary lifestyle.

  • Physical
  • Emotional
  • Social

Be able to apply the above to different ages groups Respond to data about health fitness and wellbeing.
Text book: Page 144

 

Cambridge National

 
Autumn 2

1.2b Applying the principles of training. Students will be able to apply the principles of training to an exercise programme.

  • Specificity
  • Overload
  • Progression
  • Reversibility

Text book: Page 65
They will understand how to optimise training using the FITT principle.

  • Diet and nutrition
  • Components of a balanced diet
  • Different food groups (7)
  • Hydration

Text book: Page 151

 
Spring 1

Types of training:

  • Continuous
  • Fartlek
  • Interval
  • Circuit
  • Weight
  • Plyometric
  • HIIT (High intensity interval training)

Text book: Page 67

Warm ups and cool down
Text book: Page 72

2.1b Commercialisation of physical activity and sport. Understand the influence of different types of media

  • Social
  • Internet
  • TV/Visual

Know the meaning of commercialisation, sponsorship and the media
(golden triangle). Positive and negative effects of sponsorship on commercialisation.
Text book: Page 106

 
Spring 2

1.3c Preventing injury. Minimising risk/potential hazards
Text book: Page 77

1.1a Structure and function of the skeletal system

  • Name and location of major bones (19)
  • Functions of the skeleton

Text book: Page 2

Ethics in sport

  • Sportsmanship
  • Gamesmanship

Drugs in sport and their effect on performance

  • Anabolic steroids
  • Beta blockers
  • Stimulants

Know and understand the impact of drugs use in sport (case studies: Lance Armstrong)

  • On performers
  • On sport itself
  • Violence in sport.

Text book: Page 112

 
Summer 1

Skeletal system continued…
Joints

  • Synovial joints
  • Hinge joints
  • Ball and socket

Other components of joints
Text book: Page 3

1.1b Structure and function of the muscular system
Name and location of major muscle groups (11)
Text book: Page 11

Engagement of social groups. Physical activity and sport in the UK. Current trends/different social group. Using sources such as Sport England, NGB DCMS. Factors affecting participation: Age, gender,
ethnicity, religion/culture, family, education, time/work commitments, cost/disposable income, disability, opportunity/access, discrimination, environment/climate, media
coverage, role models.
Text book: Page 86

Strategies that can improve participation

  • Promotion
  • Provision
  • Access

Text book: Page 99

 
Summer 2

Muscular systems continued…
The roles of muscle in movement

  • Agonist
  • Antagonist
  • Fixator

Apply the role of these to sporting examples
Text book: Page 13

Coursework. Introduction to NEA. Bring knowledge together to start verbal analysis task. 

Year 11

Term Unit of Work Assessment
Autumn 1

Paper 1 (30%) Physical factors affecting performance, Unit 1. 
Movement analysis 
Lever systems: 

  • First class 
  • Second class 
  • Third class 

Apply these to sporting examples. 
Text book: Page 15 

Paper 2 (30%) Sociocultural influences. Sports psychology. Health, fitness and well-being. Unit 2. Unit 2.2 Sports Psychology 
Characteristics of skillful movement 

  • Efficiency 
  • Pre-determined 
  • Co-ordinated 
  • Fluent 
  • Aesthetic 

Classification of skills 

  • Difficulty continuum 
  • Environmental continuum 

Text book: Page 122 

 
Autumn 2

Planes of movement and axes of rotation. Locations of the planes of 
movement and their application to sport 

  • Frontal 
  • Transverse 
  • Sagittal 

Location of the axes of rotation and their application to sport 

  • Frontal 
  • Transverse 
  • Longitudinal 

Text book: Page 16 

Unit 2.2 Psychology Goal setting SMART targets (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Recorded, Timed). Mental preparation techniques. 

  • Imagery 
  • Mental rehearsal 
  • Selective attention 
  • Positive thinking 

Text book: Page 127 

 
Spring 1

1.1d The cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Structure and function of the C.V. system; double circulatory system; blood vessels; 
pathway of blood through the heart. Definitions of: heart rate / stroke volume / cardiac output. Structure and function of the respiratory system; pathway of air; respiratory muscles. Definitions of 

  • Breathing rate 
  • Tidal volume 
  • Minute ventilation 

Text book: Page 20 

Types of guidance. Understand their advantages and disadvantage and apply them practically. 

  • Visual 
  • Verbal 
  • Manual 
  • Mechanical 

Types of feedback and apply practical examples to their use. 

  • Intrinsic 
  • Extrinsic 
  • Knowledge of performance 
  • Knowledge of results 
  • Positive 
  • Negative 

Text book: Page 137 

 
Spring 2

1.1e Effects of exercise on body systems. Short and long term effects of exercise. Apply these effects to sporting examples. Collect and 
use data relating to short and long term effects of exercise. 
Text book: Page 32 

Coursework / revision. 

 
Summer 1 Revision.   
Summer 2 GCSE Examination.  GCSE Examination. 

Extended Learning

Year 10

Websites Read Visit or Watch Extra
BBC Bitesize PE; Brian Mac; OCR GCSE PE. OCR GCSE (9-1) PE Second Edition (John Honeybourne); My Revision Notes: OCR A Level PE Book (Keri Moorhouse) – both available on the EBS Shop. Icarus – film about deviance in sport and drugs cheating; The Armstrong Lie – film about Lance Armstrong cheating scandal. Barnet Partnership for School Sport; EBS Clubs.

 

Year 11

Websites Read Visit or Watch Extra
BBC Bitesize PE; Brian Mac; OCR GCSE PE. OCR GCSE (9-1) PE Second Edition (John Honeybourne); My Revision Notes: OCR A Level PE Book (Keri Moorhouse) – both available on the EBS Shop. Icarus – film about deviance in sport and drugs cheating; The Armstrong Lie – film about Lance Armstrong cheating scandal. Barnet Partnership for School Sport; EBS Clubs.

 

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