Physical Education subject update

Welcome to our autumn 2026 newsletter

We hope you’ve enjoyed a well-deserved summer break and are looking forward to the new academic year. This update offers helpful reminders and resources to support your new and existing cohorts from September 2026.

Introducing our new PE Subject Support team

My name is Charlotte Tomlin and I’m the new Subject Lead for Physical Education and Projects here at AQA. I’ve been committed to education for 25 years, starting my career as a teacher of PE then gaining positions as Head of Girls’ PE, Gifted and Talented Co-ordinator, Head of PE, Assistant Head and then Deputy Head in charge of Teaching and Learning.

I’m deeply passionate about the value of sport and physical activity; it has changed my life for the better and I believe it can do the same for our young people. I enjoy watching and participating in all sports; I have a team sports background (national league hockey for 20 years). I’m thrilled to be joining the team at AQA and am committed to continuing to support and promote Physical Education in every way possible.

I’m also really pleased to introduce my new PE and Projects Subject Support Manager, Lucy Jones. Lucy has spent the past 12 years working in education as a PE teacher, Lead practitioner for Teaching and Learning and PE Middle Leader. More recently, Lucy has gained experience in the EdTech sector, where she has spent the last two years developing resources including an online learning platform to support the delivery of PE in schools across the UK and internationally. When she’s not working, Lucy will usually be found outdoors with her family, exploring somewhere new with Betty, her much-loved caravan. She loves discovering new places and making the most of family time in the great outdoors. Lucy is excited to join AQA as a Subject Support Manager to bring her experience and passion for helping people work and learn together, supporting schools and educators as we continue to shape the future of PE.

Lucy and I look forward to meeting and working with you all this new academic year.

If any members of your team would like to receive subject-specific updates, they can easily sign up for AQA subject updates, so they’re always informed and part of our community.

Charlotte Tomlin
Subject Lead for Physical Education and Projects

Stay up to date with assessment reform

This autumn, the Department for Education (DfE) is expected to launch its subject content consultation, confirming which subjects will be included in phase 1, sharing draft proposals and inviting feedback from teachers, schools and exam boards.

There’s nothing you need to do right now. When the consultation launches, we’ll help you understand what it means for you, what’s changing in phase 1 subjects and how you can have your say.

Community links

Youth Sport Trust

Supporting more girls into GCSE PE

Through our ongoing partnership with the Youth Sport Trust, we're committed to supporting schools in creating positive PE experiences that help more girls enjoy, participate and succeed in PE. The Girls Active programme empowers girls to shape their own PE and physical activity experiences through leadership, choice and student voice. Research shows that girls are more than three times as likely as boys not to enjoy PE or feel confident taking part, highlighting the importance of creating inclusive environments where every girl feels they belong.

The impact of Girls Active is clear, with 61% of participants reporting increased enjoyment of sport and physical activity, 62% feeling more motivated to participate and 58% feeling more confident. By helping girls develop confidence, enjoyment and a sense of belonging in PE, schools can build stronger pathways into lifelong participation and inspire more young people to continue their journey to qualifications such as GCSE PE. Find out more on the Youth Sport Trust website.

Available resources

Whether it’s schemes of work, community links or teaching guides, we’ve got what you need.

To access the resources, visit the plan, teach and assess tabs on our GCSE Physical Education and A-level Physical Education teaching resource page. 

More resources are available on our Centre Services secure web page.

Exampro

Physical Education assessment made easy. Our Exampro packages for GCSE and A-level Physical Education contain hundreds of searchable AQA questions, mark schemes and examiner comments. Save time creating shareable documents for all types of formative assessments including class activities, homework tasks and topic tests.
 
Topic tests are also included, providing ready-made assessment materials for classroom use. Find out more and sign up for a demo.

Get more with MyAQA

myAQA gives you access to everything you need to plan, teach and assess, including our secure extranet – Centre Services. Here you’ll find essential resources, such as the latest past papers, as well as Teacher Online Standardisation (T-OLS) and much more.

Don’t have a myAQA account yet? Complete a short form to get started. Once your Exams Officer has verified your registration, then you’re ready to go.

Student Advisory Group recruitment for 2026/27

Help your learners influence the future of exams

We’re looking for learners to join our Student Advisory Group for 2026/27.  The group gives young people a direct opportunity to share their experiences and views on qualifications, assessments and the wider exam system. Their insights will help shape the future of the curriculum, qualifications and assessments for young people, as well as our work to offer new vocational qualifications.

If you know any learners who may be interested, please encourage them to apply – we’re looking for students who have taken AQA qualifications, though this is not essential, and they can be sitting general or vocational qualifications.

Applications open: Monday 7 September 2026

Applications close: 5.00pm on Monday 21 September 2026

Thank you for helping us raise awareness of this opportunity among your learners. For more information about the Student Advisory Group and details on how to apply, please visit our website.

NEA advisers

For subjects with non-exam assessment, it’s likely you’ll have an NEA adviser. Advisers are experienced teachers and moderators who can provide guidance throughout the academic year on delivering NEA. Find out more about AQA NEA advisers.

Adviser contact details are available on Centre Services from mid-September, so please check back then, as their contact details may have changed from last year. If you don’t have an assigned adviser, please contact us.

Examiner reports

As you look ahead to supporting future cohorts with their exam preparation, remember to make use of the examiner reports (Reports on the exam) available for each component of the specification. Published on results days, these provide insightful commentary from our Lead Examiners, based on a wide range of student responses; a valuable resource for planning and teaching.

The reports highlight common strengths, misconceptions and areas where students struggled in previous summer series, making them a valuable tool for shaping your teaching and helping students understand what examiners are looking for.

We encourage you to refer to these when guiding students, as they can help clarify expectations and boost exam confidence. See more on Centre Services.