Key Stage 5

 

THE PERFORMANCE PACKAGE

This route is designed for students who are dedicated to improving their performance and fitness levels. The activities in the strand will be fast paced and intensive and will focus on single sex and mixed sex team sports so that college friendly and league fixtures can be played. This strand gives students the opportunity to experience master classes lead by sporting professionals and qualified sports coaches. The strand will also offer students the opportunity to gain sporting accreditations in coaching and officiating.

THE RECREATIONAL PACKAGE

This route allows students to experience a range of alternative sports such as Golf, Curling, Fencing, Kayaking, Climbing, Dance and Street Surfing. The strand is suited to students who enjoy sport for relaxation and recuperation purposes. The strand will give student the chance to take part in physical activity at their own pace in a non pressurised situation.  Students will be rewarded by internal accreditations for their attendance and efforts on the course.

In each package students will have access to:

• The Sports Centre Fitness Suite: where students will get a free induction and be offered a personalised six week training programme.
• Off site activities that will take place once every term (These activities will be decided by the Sixth Form Sports Council)
• The Sports Industry: students will be able to sign up to a variety of lectures each half term based on different careers in sport such as sports nutrition, sport in the forces, sports therapy, and sport psychology. 
• Sports Tours: as a sports college we would like to offer our students the opportunity to experience national and international sporting tours in 2008/9.

 

Please note that once you have chosen your pathway you are committed to attending.

It is important for your own health and personal hygiene, as well health and safety reasons that you bring the appropriate sports kit for your chosen activity. 

AS Physical Education

The two-unit AS Physical Education course is both a standalone qualification and also counts for 50% of the corresponding four unit Physical education GCE. 

Unit 1 - Externally assessed two hour paper worth 60%; the unit is broken down into three areas of study:

1. Anatomy and Physiology (Section A)

This area of study focuses on the impact of physical activity on the systems of the body and on young people's participation and performance in physical activity as part of a balanced, active and healthy lifestyle. Students will develop their knowledge and understanding of anatomical and physiological factors affecting body and mind readiness. This will lead to improvements in the effectiveness their performance in roles such as performer, leader/coach and official. The area of study is based on the following topics:

• The skeleton and muscular system
• Motion and movement
• The cardiovascular and respiratory systems in relation to the performance of physical activity

2. Acquiring Movement Skills (section B)

This area of study focuses on the acquisition of movement skills. Students will develop their knowledge and understanding of the relationship between skill strategy/composition and body and mind readiness so as to improve the effective and efficient performance. The application of the knowledge gained will enable candidates to evaluate critically methods of acquiring and developing movement skills. The area of study is based on the following topics:

• Classification of motor skills and abilities
• The development of motor skills
• Information processing
• Motor control of skills in physical activity

3. Socio-Cultural Studies relating to participation in physical activity (Section C)

This area of study focuses on physical activity as an intrinsically valuable and necessary experience in contemporary society. Students will develop their knowledge and understanding of the role of physical activity and how socio-cultural factors impact on regular participation and the achievement of excellence. This aspect of the unit supports students in evaluating the socio-cultural factors that relate to lifelong participation in physical activity. The following topics are covered:

• Physical activity
• Sport and culture
• Contemporary sporting issues

Unit 2 - Practical 40%

The second is a practical unit where students are required to enquire, develop and evaluate physical competence from a choice of two roles :

• a performer
• official
• coach/leader

 

The roles are then assessed in two separate activity profiles:

• Aesthetic activities
• Combat activities
• Dance activities
• Invasion game activities
• Net/wall game activities
• Striking and fielding games
• Target game activities
• Gymnastic activities
• Outdoor and adventurous activities
• Swimming activities
• Safe and effective exercise activities

 

Students will acquire, develop and evaluate practical skills in Physical Education through:

• Performance
• Evaluating and planning for the improvement of performance

 

The unit is externally set, internally assessed and  externally moderated.

Please note: Candidates would normally be expected to have successfully completed a GCSE in Physical Education but this would not exclude candidates who had not done so. 

A2 Physical Education

The A2 course offers a very challenging yet rewarding course that links directly on from the AS Level Physical education syllabus.

Unit 3: Principles and concepts across different areas of Physical Education 

• Externally assessed 2.5 hour written exam worth 35%; part of the four unit Physical Education GCE.
• The unit is broken down into three units of study:

Section A : Historical Studies

This area of study focuses on the historical factors that enable students to evaluate critically consumer focused and key societal influences that in both the past and the present have limited or encouraged physical activity. The following topics are covered:

• Popular recreation in pre-industrial Britain
• Rational recreation in post-industrial  Britain
• 19^th Century public schools and their impact on the development of physical activities and young people
• The developmental stages of athleticism in 19the Century public schools
• Case Studies
• Drill, physical training and Physical Education in state schools

Section B: Sports Psychology

This area of study focuses on personality types, leadership and social facilitation which enable students to become informed and discerning decision makers through understanding how people make the most of the opportunities and pathways to be involved with physical activity. This area of study particularly looks at psychological influences that limit or encourage involvement in physical activity; the following topic areas are covered:

• Individual aspects of performance
• Group dynamics of performance and audience effects
• Mental preparation for physical activity

Section C: Exercise & Sport Physiology

This area of study focuses on gaining knowledge and understanding of the measurement, analysis and appraisal of physical fitness and the ability to apply physiological concepts that enable young people to be physically active as part of a balanced, active, healthy lifestyle. The area of study covers the following topics:

• Energy
• Health components of physical fitness
• Applications of the principles of training
• Performance enhancement

Unit 4 : The improvements of effective performance and the critical evaluation of activities in Physical Education

Unit 4 is worth 15% of the four units Physical Education GCE A Level.  In unit 4 Students will be assessed in:

• Performing one chosen activity from one of the activity profiles and the Evaluation, Appreciation and Improvement of Performance

OR

• Coaching/Leading from one of the activity profiles and the Evaluation, Appreciation and Improvement of Performance

OR

• Officiating from one of the activity profiles and the Evaluation, Appreciation and Improvement of Performance

 

The role is then assessed in one activity profile:

• Aesthetic activities
• Combat activities
• Dance activities
• Invasion game activities
• Net/wall game activities
• Striking and fielding games
• Target game activities
• Gymnastic activities
• Outdoor and adventurous activities
• Swimming activities
• Safe and effective exercise activities

 

Students will acquire, develop and evaluate practical skills in Physical Education through:

• Performance
• Evaluating and planning for the improvement of performance

 

This unit is externally set, internally assessed and internally moderated.