How do performers progress from school participation to elite sport, and what supports that pathway?
The development of elite performers from foundation to elite level, the role of schools, clubs and national institutes of sport, talent identification and development programmes, and the support services for elite performers.
A focused answer to AQA A-Level PE sport and society on the development of elite performers, covering the progression from foundation to elite level, the roles of schools, clubs and institutes of sport, talent identification and the support services for performers.
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What this dot point is asking
AQA wants you to explain how performers develop from foundation participation through to elite level, describe the roles of schools, clubs and national institutes of sport, explain talent identification and development programmes, and outline the support services that help elite performers succeed.
The development continuum
Mass participation at the foundation level provides the wide base from which elite performers eventually emerge: the broader the base of people taking part, the larger the pool of talent that can progress, which is why participation policy and elite success are linked. Progression up the pyramid is not automatic, and performers can be blocked at any level by barriers such as cost, limited access to facilities or quality coaching, lack of time, discrimination or stereotyping, and low self-esteem, the same socio-economic and socio-cultural factors that limit wider participation. A strong answer treats the development route and the barriers to it together, showing that effective talent pathways must actively remove these barriers to avoid losing able performers early.
The roles of schools, clubs and institutes
Talent identification and development
Talent identification (TID) programmes systematically spot and recruit performers with the physical, psychological and skill attributes to succeed, sometimes transferring athletes between sports. Talent development then nurtures them through structured pathways with progressive challenge, quality coaching and competition, monitored against clear benchmarks.
Support for elite performers
Elite performers rely on a team of support services: funding (such as lottery or governing-body funding) to allow full-time training, expert coaching, sports science (physiology, biomechanics and performance analysis), sports medicine and physiotherapy, sport psychology, nutrition advice and lifestyle and education support to balance training with life and prepare for retirement.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of AQA exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
AQA 20204 marksDescribe the roles of schools, clubs and national institutes of sport in developing a performer from foundation to elite level.Show worked answer →
AO1/AO2 covering each institution and the level it serves. Schools deliver the foundation level through PE and school sport, providing first experiences, basic skills and a gateway into community clubs. Clubs and national governing bodies develop the participation and performance levels through regular coaching, structured competition and clear pathways, identifying and progressing talented performers. National institutes of sport (such as the English Institute of Sport) support the elite level with world-class facilities, expert coaching and integrated sports science, medicine and lifestyle support that allow athletes to train full time. Reward linking each institution to the appropriate stage of the development pyramid rather than describing them in isolation.
AQA 20184 marksExplain how talent identification programmes work and the support services that help an identified athlete reach elite level.Show worked answer →
AO1/AO2. Talent identification systematically screens performers for the physical (somatotype, speed, power), psychological and skill attributes required by a sport, sometimes transferring athletes between sports (talent transfer), then channels them into a development pathway with progressive challenge, quality coaching and competition monitored against benchmarks. Support services that then help them reach elite level include funding (lottery or governing-body money) to enable full-time training, expert coaching, sports science (physiology, biomechanics, performance analysis), sports medicine and physiotherapy, sport psychology, nutrition advice and lifestyle and education support. Reward explaining the screening-then-development process plus at least two support services linked to how each helps the athlete.
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Sources & how we know this
- AQA A-level Physical Education (7582) specification — AQA (2016)