Wales Β· WJECSyllabus
Physical Education syllabus, dot point by dot point
Every dot point in the Wales 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.
Unit 1: Exercise physiology
Module overview β- What is the difference between aerobic and anaerobic exercise, and what is the role of lactic acid?Aerobic and anaerobic exercise, the word equations for releasing energy, the build-up and removal of lactic acid, and the idea of oxygen debt and recovery.9 min answer β
- How does the body respond to a single bout of exercise, and how does it adapt to long-term training?The short-term (immediate) responses of the body systems to exercise and the long-term adaptations that result from regular training.9 min answer β
- How does the cardiovascular system deliver oxygen to the muscles, and how does it respond to exercise?The structure and function of the heart, the pathway of double circulation, heart rate, stroke volume and cardiac output, and the role of the blood vessels.9 min answer β
- How do muscles work in pairs to create movement, and what are the different types of muscle contraction?The major muscles of the body, how muscles work as antagonistic pairs, the types of muscle contraction (concentric, eccentric, isometric), and the types of muscle fibre.9 min answer β
- How does breathing work, and how is oxygen exchanged at the alveoli during exercise?The pathway of air and the mechanics of breathing, gas exchange at the alveoli, lung volumes, and how breathing changes during exercise.9 min answer β
- What are the functions of the skeleton, and how do joints allow movement in sport?The functions of the skeletal system, the main bones and types of bone, the types of synovial joint, and the movements they allow at the joints used in sport.9 min answer β
Unit 1: Health, training and exercise
Module overview β- What are the components of fitness, and why does each one matter in different sports?The health-related and skill-related components of fitness, their definitions, and a sporting example of where each is important.9 min answer β
- How is each component of fitness measured, and what makes a fitness test reliable and valid?The standard fitness tests matched to each component of fitness, how each test is carried out, and the reasons for testing, including reliability and validity.9 min answer β
- What is the difference between health, fitness and well-being, and how does an active lifestyle improve all three?The definitions of health, fitness and well-being, the relationship between them, and the physical, mental and social benefits of taking part in physical activity.9 min answer β
- What are the main methods of training, and how do you choose the right one for a performer?The methods of training (continuous, interval, fartlek, circuit, weight, plyometric and flexibility), what each develops, and how to choose a method to suit the individual and the activity.10 min answer β
- What principles must a training programme follow to improve fitness, and how is overload applied through FITT?The principles of training (specificity, progression, overload, reversibility and variance), how overload is applied through the FITT principle, and the idea of individual needs and tedium.9 min answer β
- What are the risks of a sedentary lifestyle, and what does a balanced diet provide for a performer?The risks of a sedentary lifestyle, the components of a balanced diet, the role of the main nutrients, energy balance and the importance of hydration.9 min answer β
- How do you work out maximum heart rate and the aerobic and anaerobic training zones?Maximum heart rate and the calculation of aerobic and anaerobic training zones, and the link between training intensity and aerobic or anaerobic exercise.9 min answer β
- What should a warm-up and cool-down include, and why does each benefit a performer?The structure and components of a warm-up and a cool-down, their physiological benefits, and the handling of data when planning and reviewing training.9 min answer β
Unit 1: Movement analysis
Module overview β- What are the three classes of lever in the body, and what does mechanical advantage mean?The three classes of lever (first, second and third), the positions of the fulcrum, load and effort, examples in the body, and the meaning of mechanical advantage.9 min answer β
- What are the planes and axes of movement, and how do you use them to analyse a sporting action?The three planes of movement (sagittal, frontal, transverse) and their axes (transverse, sagittal, vertical), and how to apply them to movements in sport.9 min answer β
- How is technology used to analyse and improve performance and to support officials?The use of sports technology in analysing and improving performance and in supporting officiating, and the advantages and disadvantages of using it.9 min answer β
Unit 1: Psychology of sport
Module overview β- How are skills classified, and what makes a movement a skill rather than just an ability?The classification of skills on continua (basic and complex, open and closed, and others), the difference between skill and ability, and the characteristics of a skilled performance.9 min answer β
- Why do performers set goals, and what makes a SMART target effective?The reasons for setting goals, the SMART principle for writing effective targets, and the difference between outcome and performance goals.9 min answer β
- What types of guidance and feedback can a coach use, and which suit a beginner or an expert?The types of guidance (visual, verbal, manual and mechanical) and the types of feedback (positive and negative, intrinsic and extrinsic, knowledge of results and performance), and when each is most useful.9 min answer β
- How does a performer take in information and turn it into a movement?The basic information processing model (input, decision making, output and feedback) and how a performer uses it to produce and refine a skill.9 min answer β
- How do performers prepare mentally for sport, and what motivates them?Mental preparation techniques and the effect of arousal on performance, and the types of motivation (intrinsic and extrinsic) and how they affect a performer.9 min answer β
- What stages does a performer go through when learning a skill, and which types of practice suit each?The stages of learning (cognitive, associative and autonomous) and the types of practice (massed, distributed, whole and part) and when each is suitable.9 min answer β
Unit 1: Socio-cultural issues
Module overview β- How are sport, the media and sponsorship linked, and what are the advantages and disadvantages?The commercialisation of sport, the relationship between sport, sponsorship and the media (the golden triangle), and the advantages and disadvantages for sport, performers and spectators.9 min answer β
- What do sportsmanship, gamesmanship and deviance mean, and why do performers take drugs in sport?Sportsmanship, gamesmanship and deviance in sport, and the reasons for and consequences of doping and the use of performance-enhancing drugs.9 min answer β
- What factors affect whether people take part in physical activity, and what stops them?The factors that influence participation in physical activity (such as age, gender, peers, family, cost and access) and the barriers that reduce participation.9 min answer β
- How is provision made for different target groups, and how can their participation be increased?The target groups whose participation is below average and the provision, schemes and strategies used to increase their participation and make sport more inclusive.9 min answer β