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OCR A-Level Physical Education (H555): complete guide to the three written papers, the NEA and the theory content

A complete guide to OCR A-Level Physical Education (specification H555). Explains the three written papers (Physiological factors, Psychological factors, Socio-cultural issues), the non-exam assessment (performance or coaching plus the EAPI), all seven theory areas, the data and 20-mark extended-response questions, and how to revise each component.

Browse guides →Syllabus dot points (34)

OCR A-Level Physical Education (specification H555) is a two-year linear course assessed by three written papers and one non-exam assessment. This page is the index for the theory that the three written papers test: below is a map of the components, the seven theory areas, the data and 20-mark questions, and how to revise each part.

The four components

OCR splits the qualification into four components. The three written papers carry 70 percent of the A-Level and are the focus of this site.

  • Component 01: Physiological factors affecting performance (H555/01). 2 hours, 90 marks, 30 percent. Three sections (applied anatomy and physiology, exercise physiology, biomechanics) with multiple-choice, short-answer, data, calculation and extended-response questions.
  • Component 02: Psychological factors affecting performance (H555/02). 1 hour, 60 marks, 20 percent. Two sections (skill acquisition, sports psychology), ending with an extended-response question worth up to 20 marks.
  • Component 03: Socio-cultural issues in physical activity and sport (H555/03). 1 hour, 60 marks, 20 percent. Two sections (sport and society, contemporary issues), ending with a 20-mark synoptic essay.
  • Component 04: Performance in physical education, the NEA. 60 marks, 30 percent. Performance or coaching in one activity (30 marks) plus the Evaluation and Analysis of Performance for Improvement, the EAPI (30 marks), internally marked and externally moderated. Not assessed on this site.

A calculator is allowed in all three written papers, because Component 01 in particular rewards calculation and data interpretation.

The seven theory areas

The three written papers are built from seven areas of content, covered in depth on this site.

Component 01, Section A: Applied anatomy and physiology
The skeletal and muscular systems, the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, the neuromuscular system, and the energy systems that resynthesise ATP.
Component 01, Section B: Exercise physiology
Diet, nutrition and ergogenic aids, training methods and the adaptations they cause, recovery and excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), the effects of the environment, and injury prevention and rehabilitation.
Component 01, Section C: Biomechanics
Newton's laws and linear motion, projectile motion, angular motion and the conservation of angular momentum, and fluid mechanics (drag, lift, the Bernoulli principle and the Magnus effect).
Component 02, Section A: Skill acquisition
The classification of skills, the stages of learning and information processing, transfer and learning theories, guidance and feedback, and memory models.
Component 02, Section B: Sports psychology
Individual differences and personality, arousal, anxiety and stress, confidence and attribution, aggression and motivation, and group dynamics and leadership.
Component 03, Section A: Sport and society
The emergence and evolution of modern sport, sport and social factors (class, gender, ethnicity and disability), and the globalisation of sport.
Component 03, Section B: Contemporary issues in physical activity and sport
Commercialisation and the media, technology in sport, drugs in sport, violence in sport, and the modern Olympic Games.

The skills that run across the course

Content knowledge earns the recall marks, but the grades come from applying it through OCR's question types.

  1. Calculation and use of data. Read graphs and tables and calculate values such as force (F=maF = ma), momentum, impulse, velocity, acceleration, mechanical advantage and angular momentum, mostly in Component 01 Section C.
  2. Application to a named sport. Tie every mechanism, model or theory to a real activity or performer, because OCR awards application (AO2) marks for the sporting context, not the textbook definition.
  3. The 20-mark extended response. Build a balanced, applied argument and finish with a reasoned judgement; these levels-of-response essays appear in Components 02 and 03.
  4. Command words. Describe, explain, calculate, analyse, discuss and evaluate are each marked differently, so match the depth of your answer to the verb.

How to study OCR A-Level PE

PE rewards precise knowledge and disciplined exam technique in equal measure.

  1. Learn the systems, models and definitions precisely. The energy systems, the information-processing model, attribution theory and the characteristics of pre-industrial sport are recall marks you cannot afford to drop.
  2. Drill the biomechanics calculations. Force, momentum, impulse, velocity, acceleration, mechanical advantage and angular momentum all appear in Component 01, with units that carry marks.
  3. Practise each command word. A 2-mark describe and a 20-mark evaluate are marked very differently, so work each against its mark scheme.
  4. Rehearse the 20-mark essays. They decide the top grades in Components 02 and 03, so plan and time balanced, applied answers that reach a conclusion.
  5. Always name a sport. Application marks come from linking theory to a real activity, so use a worked example such as a sprinter, gymnast, footballer or marathon runner.

The topics, dot point by dot point

Each area has an overview guide, dot-point answer pages and a quiz. Browse the full set at /a-level-ocr/physical-education/syllabus.

For the official specification

OCR publishes the full specification (H555), sample assessment materials and past papers at ocr.org.uk. Always revise from the current specification and OCR's own past papers, because question style and mark allocations are board-specific.

Physical Education guides

In-depth written guides with paired practice quizzes.

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Physical Education practice quizzes

Multiple-choice drills with worked answer explanations. Your scores stay on this device.

The A-LEVEL-OCR system, explained

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Common questions about Physical Education

How is OCR A-Level PE (H555) structured?
OCR A-Level PE is assessed by three written papers and one non-exam assessment (NEA). Component 01, Physiological factors affecting performance, is a 2 hour paper worth 90 marks and 30 percent. Component 02, Psychological factors affecting performance, is a 1 hour paper worth 60 marks and 20 percent. Component 03, Socio-cultural issues in physical activity and sport, is a 1 hour paper worth 60 marks and 20 percent. Component 04, Performance in physical education (the NEA), is worth 60 marks and 30 percent, split equally between performance or coaching in one activity and the Evaluation and Analysis of Performance for Improvement (EAPI). The three written papers carry 70 percent and are the theory covered on this site.
What does OCR A-Level PE Component 01 cover?
Component 01, Physiological factors affecting performance, has three sections. Section A, applied anatomy and physiology, covers the skeletal, muscular, cardiovascular, respiratory and neuromuscular systems and the energy systems. Section B, exercise physiology, covers diet and ergogenic aids, training methods and adaptations, recovery and EPOC, environmental effects and injury prevention and rehabilitation. Section C, biomechanics, covers Newton's laws and linear motion, projectile motion, angular motion and fluid mechanics. The paper rewards calculation and data interpretation alongside applied explanation, ending with extended-response questions.
What does OCR A-Level PE Component 02 cover?
Component 02, Psychological factors affecting performance, has two sections. Section A, skill acquisition, covers the classification of skills, stages of learning and information processing, transfer and learning theories, guidance and feedback, and memory models. Section B, sports psychology, covers individual differences and personality, arousal, anxiety and stress, confidence and attribution, aggression and motivation, and group dynamics and leadership. The paper ends with an extended-response question worth up to 20 marks.
What does OCR A-Level PE Component 03 cover?
Component 03, Socio-cultural issues in physical activity and sport, has two sections. Section A, sport and society, covers the emergence of modern sport, sport and social factors (class, gender, ethnicity and disability), and the globalisation of sport. Section B, contemporary issues, covers commercialisation and the media, technology in sport, drugs in sport, violence in sport, and the modern Olympic Games. The paper ends with a 20-mark synoptic essay that rewards links across the topics.
What question types appear in OCR A-Level PE?
All three written papers use a mixture of multiple-choice, short-answer, structured and extended-response questions. Component 01 includes data-response and calculation questions, especially in biomechanics, where you must use formulae such as force equals mass times acceleration and angular momentum equals moment of inertia times angular velocity. Each paper ends with extended-response questions; the longest, in Components 02 and 03, are worth up to 20 marks and are marked by levels of response. A calculator is allowed in every paper.
How is the 20-mark question marked in OCR A-Level PE?
The 20-mark extended-response question is marked by levels of response (typically four levels), not by counting points. It assesses all three objectives at once: knowledge (AO1), application to the context or named sport (AO2), and analysis and evaluation that reaches a reasoned judgement (AO3). A top-level answer is accurate and detailed, applies theory to relevant practical examples, weighs more than one side of the argument, and ends with a justified conclusion that directly answers the command word, often Evaluate, Discuss or Analyse.
What is the OCR A-Level PE non-exam assessment (NEA)?
Component 04 is the NEA, worth 60 marks and 30 percent. It has two equal halves of 30 marks. The first is performance or coaching in one activity from the OCR approved list, assessed under fully competitive or formal conditions and supported by video evidence, internally marked and externally moderated. The second is the Evaluation and Analysis of Performance for Improvement (EAPI), in which the learner analyses a performance, identifies and prioritises a weakness, and justifies a development plan that draws on training methods, biomechanics and sport psychology. The NEA is not assessed on this site, but the theory it draws on is.
How should I revise OCR A-Level PE?
Work area by area against the specification headings, because questions are written from them. Learn the systems, models and definitions precisely, then practise applying them to a named sport, which is how OCR awards AO2 marks. Drill the biomechanics calculations (force, momentum, impulse, velocity, acceleration, mechanical advantage and angular momentum) until they are automatic, and rehearse 20-mark extended-response answers against the levels-of-response criteria, because they decide the top grades. Always link a physiological, psychological or socio-cultural idea to performance, not just to the textbook.
How does OCR A-Level PE compare to AQA and Edexcel?
All A-Level PE specifications (OCR, AQA, Edexcel, Eduqas) cover similar regulated content, so topics like the energy systems, projectile motion and commercialisation appear across boards. OCR's distinctive features are the three-paper structure split by physiological, psychological and socio-cultural factors, the heavy use of biomechanics calculation and data in Component 01, the 20-mark levels-of-response essays in Components 02 and 03, and its own NEA model (performance or coaching plus the EAPI). Always revise from the current OCR H555 specification and OCR past papers, because question wording and mark schemes are board-specific.