England · AQASyllabus
Physical Education syllabus, dot point by dot point
Every dot point in the England Physical Educationsyllabus, with a focused answer for each one. Click any dot point for a worked explainer, past exam questions, and links to related dot points. Written by Claude Opus 4.8, Anthropic's latest AI.
Applied anatomy and physiology (Paper 1)
Module overview →- How does the body release energy aerobically and anaerobically in sport?Aerobic and anaerobic respiration, the word equations, EPOC and the oxygen debt, and how the intensity and duration of activity decide which system is used.8 min answer →
- What happens to the body during exercise and how does it adapt to training over time?The short-term (immediate) effects of exercise on the body and the long-term effects and adaptations that result from regular training.8 min answer →
- How does the heart and blood deliver oxygen for physical activity?The structure and function of the heart, the pathway of blood, the components of cardiac output, blood vessels and vascular shunting during exercise.8 min answer →
- How do muscles produce movement in physical activity and sport?The major muscle groups, how muscles work in antagonistic pairs, the roles of agonist, antagonist and fixator, and the types of muscle contraction used in sporting actions.8 min answer →
- How does the respiratory system supply oxygen for physical activity and sport?The pathway of air, the structure of the alveoli, gaseous exchange, the mechanics of breathing, and the lung volumes that change during exercise.8 min answer →
- What does the skeleton do and how does it allow us to move in sport?The functions of the skeleton, the major bones, the structure of a synovial joint, the types of synovial joint and the movements they allow in physical activity.8 min answer →
Health, fitness and wellbeing (Paper 2)
Module overview →- What is a balanced diet and how does nutrition affect performance?The components of a balanced diet, the role of each nutrient, energy balance and how diet and hydration affect performance.8 min answer →
- How does physical activity affect health and wellbeing?The meaning of health and fitness, and the physical, emotional and social benefits of exercise and an active lifestyle.8 min answer →
- What are the consequences of a sedentary lifestyle and being the wrong weight?The consequences of a sedentary lifestyle, the meaning of obesity and being overweight, and how being the wrong weight affects health and performance.8 min answer →
Movement analysis (Paper 1)
Module overview →- How do lever systems allow the body to produce and control movement in sport?The three classes of lever, their components (fulcrum, effort, load), examples in the body, and the idea of mechanical advantage.8 min answer →
- How can we describe the direction of movements in sport using planes and axes?The three planes of movement (sagittal, frontal, transverse), the three axes (transverse, sagittal, longitudinal), and the movements and sporting actions that occur in each.8 min answer →
Physical training (Paper 1)
Module overview →- What are the different components of fitness and why do they matter in sport?Health-related and skill-related components of fitness, their definitions, and the sports and activities in which each is most important.9 min answer →
- How do we measure fitness and why do we test it?The reasons for fitness testing, the standard tests for each component of fitness, and how to use test data and norms to plan and monitor training.9 min answer →
- How can performers reduce the risk of injury during training and sport?How to prevent injury through correct application of training principles, protective equipment, technique, warm-up and appropriate clothing and surfaces.8 min answer →
- What principles should guide an effective training programme?The principles of training (SPORT and FITT), progressive overload, reversibility, the calculation of training intensity, and how to apply them safely.9 min answer →
- Which training methods develop which components of fitness?The main training methods (continuous, fartlek, interval, circuit, weight, plyometric and HIIT), the fitness they develop, and their advantages and disadvantages.9 min answer →
- Why do performers warm up and cool down, and what do these routines involve?The phases and benefits of a warm-up, the phases and benefits of a cool-down, and why each matters for performance and recovery.8 min answer →
Socio-cultural influences (Paper 2)
Module overview →- How are sport, sponsorship and the media linked, and who benefits?The commercialisation of sport, the golden triangle of sport, sponsorship and the media, and their positive and negative effects.8 min answer →
- What affects who takes part in sport and how can participation be increased?Engagement patterns of different social groups in sport, the factors affecting participation, and strategies to increase participation.8 min answer →
- What is fair play in sport and why do some performers cheat?The concepts of sportsmanship and gamesmanship, deviance in sport, and the reasons for and consequences of doping and other forms of cheating.8 min answer →
Sports psychology (Paper 2)
Module overview →- How does goal setting improve and motivate sporting performance?The use of goal setting to improve and optimise performance, the SMART principle, and the difference between performance and outcome goals.8 min answer →
- How do guidance and feedback help a performer learn and improve skills?The types of guidance (visual, verbal, manual, mechanical) and the types of feedback (intrinsic, extrinsic, knowledge of results, knowledge of performance, positive, negative).8 min answer →
- How does a performer take in information and decide how to act in sport?The basic information processing model (input, decision making, output, feedback) and how it applies to skilful performance.8 min answer →
- How do performers prepare mentally and control arousal for competition?Arousal and the inverted U theory, stress management and mental preparation techniques, aggression, and personality and motivation types.9 min answer →
- How do we classify skills in sport and why does it matter?The classification of skills on continua (basic to complex, open to closed) and the use of continua to describe sporting skills.8 min answer →
Use of data (Papers 1 and 2)
Module overview →- How do we analyse and draw conclusions from data in physical education?Analysing and interpreting data, calculating the mean, median, mode and range, and drawing conclusions to evaluate performance.8 min answer →
- How do we collect and present data in physical education?Quantitative and qualitative data, methods of collecting data, and how to present data clearly in tables, graphs and charts.8 min answer →