Edexcel GCSE PE Specification Breakdown

Edexcel GCSE PE is assessed through a combination of two written exams and practical performance in three activities. 

This page breaks down the specification for the written exams, including in-depth analysis of the last three exams:

  • Average marks per paper for each unit
  • Number of marks for each topic for the last three series, including Assessment Objective breakdown and whether it was in the Extended Question.
These insights will provide guidance on the relative frequency of topics in exams.

Note: You may notice that the marks allocated to each topic do not cumulatively add up to the total marks for a given paper. This is because questions with more than one topic required for the marks are included in both topic tallies. 

 

Paper 1 - Fitness and Body Systems

Applied Anatomy and Physiology

Average marks available per paper: 38.6

Functions of the skeleton (applied to performance):

  • Protection of vital organs
  • Muscle attachment
  • Joints for movement
  • Platelets, red and white blood cell production
  • Storage of calcium and phosphorus.

Classification of bones (applied to performance):

  • Long (leverage)
  • Short (weight bearing)
  • Flat (protection, broad surface for muscle attachment)
  • Irregular (protection and muscle attachment).

Structure of the skeleton and their classification (applied to physical activity):

  • Head: cranium 
  • Vertebral column regions – cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacrum, coccyx
  • Shoulder: scapula and clavicle
  • Chest: ribs and sternum
  • Arm: humerus, radius and ulna
  • Hand: carpals, metacarpals, phalanges
  • Hip: pelvis
  • Leg: femur, patella, tibia, fibula
  • Feet: tarsals, metatarsals, phalanges.

Classification of joints and their impact on range of movement:

  • Pivot (neck – atlas and axis)
  • Hinge (elbow, knee and ankle)
  • Ball and socket (hip and shoulder)
  • Condyloid (wrist)

Movements possible at joints dependent on classification:

  • Flexion/extension – shoulder, elbow, hip, knee
  • Abduction/adduction – shoulder
  • Rotation – shoulder
  • Circumduction – shoulder
  • Plantar flexion/dorsiflexion – ankle
  • Include examples of sporting skills and techniques utilising these movements in different sporting contexts.

Role of ligaments and tendons and their relevance to participation in physical activity and sport.

Go to Free Topic
Skeletal system (1)

Classification and characteristics of muscle types and their roles when participation in physical activity and sport:

  • Voluntary muscles of the skeletal system
  • Involuntary muscles in blood vessels
  • Cardiac muscle forming the heart.

Location and role of voluntary muscular system to work with the skeletal to bring about specific movement, including specification function of each muscle:

  • Deltoid
  • Biceps and triceps
  • Pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi
  • External obliques
  • Hip flexors
  • Gluteus maximus, quadriceps, hamstrings, gastrocnemius
  • Tibialis anterior

Antagonistic work of major muscles (agonist and antagonist) to create opposing movement at joints: 

  • Gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior at the ankle (plantar flexion to dorsi flexion)
  • Quadriceps and hamstrings at the knee (flexion to extension)
  • Biceps and triceps at the elbow (flexion to extension)
  • Hip flexors and gluteus maximus at the hip (flexion to extension).

Characteristics of fast and slow twitch muscle fibre types and how this impacts on their use in physical activity: 

  • Type I
  • Type IIa
  • Type IIx

How the skeletal and muscular system work together to allow participation in physical activity and sport.

Go to Free Topic
Muscular system (3)

Functions of the cardiovascular system applied to physical activity:

  • Transport of oxygen
  • Carbon dioxide and nutrients
  • Clotting of open wounds
  • Regulation of body temperature.
Structure of the cardiovascular system and each parts role in maintaining blood circulation during physical activity:
 
  • Atria, ventricles, septum
  • Tricuspid, bicuspid and semi-lunar valves
  • Aorta, vena cava, pulmonary artery and pulmonary vein.

Blood vessels:

  • Structure of arteries, capillaries and veins
  • How structure is related to function, in reference to blood pressure, oxygenated, deoxygenated blood and changes during exercise.
Blood redistribution:
 
  • Mechanisms required (vasoconstriction, vasodilation)
  • The need for redistribution of blood flow (vascular shunting) during physical activities compared to rest.
Function and importance of red and white blood cells, platelets and plasma for physical activity and sport.
Go to Free Topic
Cardiovascular System (1)

Composition of inhaled and exhaled air and the impact of physical activity and sport on this composition.

Measurements:

  • Vital capacity 
  • Tidal volume
  • Changes in tidal volume due to physical activity
  • Reasons that make changes necessary.

Location of main components of the respiratory system:

  • Lungs, bronchi, bronchioles, alveoli, diaphragm
  • Their role in movement of oxygen and carbon dioxide into and out of the body.
Alveoli:
  • Structure to enable gas exchange 
  • The process of gas exchange to meet demands of varying intensities of exercise (aerobic and anaerobic).

How the cardiovascular and respiratory system work together to allow participation in physical activity and sport.

Go to Free Topic
Respiratory System (1)

Energy:

  • Aerobic: The use of glucose and oxygen to release energy aerobically with the production of carbon dioxide and water
  • glucose + oxygen → energy + carbon dioxide + water
  • Anaerobic: Impact of insufficient oxygen on energy release, including the release of lactic acid as a by-product 
  • glucose → energy + lactic acid.

Energy sources:

  • Fats – fuel source for aerobic activity
  • Carbohydrates – fuel source for aerobic and anaerobic activity.
Aerobic and Anaerobic Exercise (4)

Short term effects of physical activity on musculoskeletal system and relevance of this to the player/performer:

  • Lactate accumulation
  • Muscle fatigue.

Short term effects of physical activity on cardiovascular system and relevance of this to the player/performer:

  • Heart rate
  • Stroke volume
  • Cardiac output.

Short term effects of physical activity on respiratory system and relevance of this to the player/performer:

  • Depth and rate of breathing

How the respiratory and cardiovascular systems work together to allow participation in, and recovery from, physical activity and sport:

  • Oxygen intake into lungs
  • Transfer to blood and transport to muscles
  • Removal of carbon dioxide.
Long-term effects of exercise (see ‘Physical Training – The long-term effects of exercise’).
Interpretation of graphical representations of heart rate, stroke volume and cardiac output values at rest during exercise.
Short and Term Effects of Exercise (1)

Movement Analysis

Average marks available per series: 5.3

First, second and third class lever systems within sporting examples:

  • Identify first, second and third class lever systems and link the correct lever to a sporting movement or action.
Mechanical advantage:
 
  • Mechanical advantage and disadvantage in relation to loads efforts and range of movement of the body’s lever system
  • Impact on sporting performance.
Lever Systems (4)

Movement patterns using body planes and axes applied to physical activities and sporting actions:

  • Sagittal, frontal and transverse plane
  • Frontal, sagittal and vertical axes

Sagittal plane:

  • Movement about the frontal axis when performing front and back tucked or piked somersaults

Frontal plane:

  • Movement about the sagittal axis when performing cartwheels

Transverse plane:

  • Movement about the vertical axis when performing a full twist jump in trampolining
Planes and Axes (1)

Physical Training

Average marks available per series: 42.6

Health and fitness:

  • The definitions of fitness, health, exercise and performance
  • The relationship between them. 
Components of fitness and their relative importance in different activities:
 
  • Agility 
  • Balance 
  • Body composition
  • Cardiovascular fitness (aerobic endurance) 
  • Coordination 
  • Flexibility 
  • Muscular endurance 
  • Power
  • Reaction time 
  • Strength 
  • Speed.
Health and Fitness and the components of fitness
Reasons for fitness testing: 

  • The value of fitness testing
  • The purpose of specific fitness test
  • Test protocols
  • Selecting appropriate fitness tests for components 
  • The rationale for selection.
Collection and interpretation of data from fitness test results: 

  • Include analysis and evaluation of results against normative data.

Fitness tests for specific components of fitness: 

  • Agility – Illinois Agility Test
  • Cardiovascular fitness – Cooper 12-minute Tests (run, swim) 
  • Cardiovascular fitness – Harvard Step Test
  • Flexibility – Sit and Reach Test
  • Muscular endurance – One-minute Sit Up, One-minute Press Up
  • Power – Vertical Jump Test
  • Speed – 30 Metre Sprint Test
  • Strength – Handgrip Dynamometer Test

How to improve results using the principles of training (see ‘Physical Training – Principles of Training).

Fitness Testing (1)
Planning training using the principles of training and overload:
 
  • Individual needs
  • Specificity
  • Progressive overload  
  • FITT: Frequency, Intensity, Time, Type
  • Overtraining
  • Reversibility
Thresholds of training: 

  • Aerobic target zone: 60-80%
  • Anaerobic target zone: 80-90% 
  • Calculate using simplified Karvonen formula: Max HR = (220)-(your age)
Principles of Training (2)

Factors to consider when deciding training methods and intensities: 

  • Fitness/sport requirements
  • Facilities available
  • Current level of fitness.
Different training methods for specific components of fitness: 

  • Continuous
  • Fartlek
  • Circuit
  • Interval
  • Plyometrics
  • Weight/resistance.
Fitness classes for specific components of fitness: 

  • Body pump
  • Aerobics
  • Pilates
  • Yoga
  • Spinning
  • Advantages and disadvantages of different training methods.
Training Methods and Fitness Classes

Long-term effects of aerobic and anaerobic training and exercise:

  • Benefits to the muscular-skeletal and cardio-respiratory systems and performance in physical activity.

Long-term training effects:

  • Train for longer
  • Train more intensely.
Long-term training effects and benefits: for the muscular-skeletal system:
 
  • Increased bone density
  • Increased strength of ligaments and tendons
  • Muscle hypertrophy
  • Importance for rest for adaptations 
  • Importance of time to recover between training sessions. 
Long-term training effects and benefits: for the cardio-respiratory system:

  • Decrease resting heart rate
  • Faster recovery
  • Increased resting stroke volume and maximum cardiac output
  • Increased size/strength of heart 
  • Increased capillarisation
  • Increased number of red blood cells
  • Drop in resting blood pressure – elastic muscular walls of veins and arteries
  • Increased lung capacity/volume and vital capacity
  • Increased number of alveoli
  • Increased strength of diaphragm and external intercostal muscles.
Long Term Effects of Exercise

PAR-Q: 

  • The use of a PARQ to assess personal readiness for training and recommendations for amendment to training based on PARQ.
Injury prevention in a range of physical activities through: 

  • Applying the principles of training to avoid overuse injuries
  • Applying and adhering to rules of an activity during play/participation
  • Using appropriate protective clothing and equipment
  • Checking equipment and facilities before use.

Types of injury: 

  • Concussion
  • Fractures
  • Dislocation
  • Sprain
  • Torn cartilage
  • Soft tissue injury (strain, tennis elbow, golfers elbow, abrasions).

RICE: Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation.

Effective use of a warm-up and cool-down:

  • Purpose and importance of warm-ups and cool downs towards effective training sessions
  • Phases of a warm-up and their significance in preparation for physical activity
  • Activities in a warm-up or cool down.
Injuries in Sport (1)

Performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs):

  • Positive and negative effects on sporting performance and performer lifestyle 
  • Anabolic steroids
  • Beta blockers
  • Diuretics
  • Narcotic analgesics
  • Peptide hormones (erythropoietin (EPO), growth hormone (GH))
  • Stimulants
  • Blood Doping.
PEDs

Use of Data (Paper 1 & 2)

Average marks available per series: 9

Knowledge and understanding of data analysis in relation to key areas of physical activity and sport including how it is collected:

  • Quantitative – deals with numbers
  • Methods for collecting quantitative data: questionnaires, surveys 
  • Qualitative – deals with descriptions
  • Methods for collecting qualitative data: interviews, observations.

Present data (tables and graphs)

  • How to present data in tables
  • How to plot basic bar charts and line graphs
  • How to label x and y axes on bar charts and line graphs.
Interpret, analyse and evaluate data

  • From own results 
  • Interpret against normative data in physical activity and sport.
Use of Data (5)

Paper 2 - Health and Performance

Health, Fitness and Wellbeing

Average marks available per paper: 24

Physical health

  • Understand how improving components of fitness can improve health and reduce health risks
  • Understand how increasing physical ability and obtaining benefits can be achieved. 

Emotional health 

  • Understand how participation in physical activity and sport improves psychological health
  • Understand how to achieve these benefits.

Social health:

  • Understand how participation in physical activity and sport improves social health and how benefits are achieved. 
  • Teamwork

Positive and negative wellbeing and health effects of fitness

Promoting personal health through a PEP

  • Understand the importance of designing, developing, monitoring and evaluating a personal exercise programme. 
  • Meets the specific needs of an individual.
  • Can aid in the physical ability to work
Lifestyle choices, including: 
 
  • Diet – activity level – work/rest/sleep balance – recreational drugs (alcohol/nicotine)
  • Positive and negative impact of these lifestyle choices on health, fitness and wellbeing
  • Negative effects of smoking (bronchitis, lung cancer)
Physical emotional and social health, fitness and wellbeing

Consequences of a sedentary lifestyle

  • Definitions of a sedentary lifestyle
  • Overweight
  • Overfat
  • Increased risk to long-term health including:
  • Depression
  • Coronary heart disease
  • High blood pressure
  • Diabetes
  • Increased risk of osteoporosis
  • Loss of muscle tone
  • Posture
  • Impacts on the components of fitness.

Interpretation and analysis of graphical representation of data associated with trends in physical health issues.

Consequences of a sedentary lifestyle (1)

Energy use and nutritional requirements

  • Ratio of nutrients for a balanced diet 
  • In order to maintain a healthy lifestyle 
  • In order to optimise specific performances in physical activity and sport
  • The correct energy balance to maintain a healthy weight.

Role and importance of macronutrients

  • Carbohydrates, proteins and fats
  • Understand importance for performers/players in physical activities and sport
  • Importance of carbohydrate loading for endurance athletes 
  • Timing of protein intake for power athletes.
  •  

Role and importance of micronutrients

  • Vitamins and minerals 
  • Water
  • Fibre
  • Understand importance for performers/players in physical activities and sport.

Factors affecting optimum weight

  • Sex
  • Height
  • Bone structure
  • Muscle girth
  • Variation in optimum weight according to roles in specific physical activities and sport.

Hydration for physical activity and sport.

  • Understand why hydration is importance
  • Understand how correct levels can be maintained during physical activity and sport.
Energy use diet nutrition (2)

Sport Psychology

Average marks available per paper: 26.3

Classification of a range of sport skills on the following continua:

  • Basic (simple)/complex
  • Open/closed
  • Low organisation/High organisation
  • Apply knowledge of classifications to select the most relevant practice to develop a given skill.
Practice structures:

  • Massed
  • Distributed
  • Fixed
  • Variable
  • Apply knowledge of practice structures to select the most relevant practice to develop a given skill.
Classification of skills

The use of goal setting to improve and optimise performance.

The principles of SMART targets and the value of each in improving and optimising performance:

  • Specific
  • Measurable
  • Achievable
  • Realistic
  • Time-bound
  • Setting and reviewing SMART targets
Goal Setting and SMART Targets

Guidance

  • Visual (seeing)
  • Verbal (hearing)
  • Manual (assist movement – physical)
  • Mechanical (use of objects/aids)
  • Advantages and disadvantages of each type of guidance and their appropriate in a given sporting context, considering the skill level of performers.

Feedback

  • Intrinsic
  • Extrinsic
  • Concurrent
  • Terminal
  • Interpret and analyse graphical representation of data associated with feedback. 
Guidance and Feedback on Performance (1)

Mental preparation for performance:

  • Warm up
  • Mental rehearsal
Mental Preparation for Performance (1)

Socio-cultural influences

Average marks available per paper: 18.6

Participation rates in activities and sports and the impact of participation rates by the following personal factors:

  • Gender
  • Age
  • Socio-economic group
  • Ethnicity
  • Disability
  • Interpret and analyse graphical representations of data associated with trends in participation rates
Engagement Patterns (2)

Commercialisation

  • The relationship between commercialisation, physical activity and sport and the media.

Advantages and disadvantages of commercialisation and media for:

  • The sport
  • The sponsor
  • The player/performer
  • The spectator
  • Interpret and analyse graphical representations of data associated with trends in commercialisation of physical activity and sport.
Commercialisation of Sport (1)

Types of sporting behaviour:

  • Sportsmanship
  • Gamesmanship
  • Reasons for, and consequences of, deviance at elite level
  • Interpret and analyse graphical representations of data associated with trends in ethical and socio-cultural issues of physical activity and sport.
Ethical and Socio-cultural issues (1)

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