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GCSE Physical Education8582

GCSE Physical Education (8582) - updates for summer 2027

We have made a small but important update to our GCSE Physical Education (8582) specification that will apply to current Year 10 students and all exams from summer 2027 onwards. Read about the changes here.

2.0 Specification at a glance

This qualification is linear. Linear means that students will sit all their exams and submit all their non-exam assessment at the end of the course.

2.1 Subject content

2.2 Assessments

Paper 1: The human body and movement in physical activity and sport

What's assessed

  • Applied anatomy and physiology
  • Movement analysis
  • Physical training
  • Use of data

How it's assessed

  • Written exam: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • 78 marks
  • 30% of GCSE

Questions

  • Answer all questions.
  • A mixture of multiple choice/objective test questions, short answer questions and extended answer questions.

Paper 2: Socio-cultural influences and well-being in physical activity and sport

What's assessed

  • Sports psychology
  • Socio-cultural influences
  • Health, fitness and well-being
  • Use of data

How it's assessed

  • Written exam: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • 78 marks
  • 30% of GCSE

Questions

  • Answer all questions.
  • A mixture of multiple choice/objective test questions, short answer questions and extended answer questions.

Non-exam assessment: Practical performance in physical activity and sport

What's assessed

  • Practical performance in three different physical activities in the role of player/performer (one in a team activity, one in an individual activity and a third in either a team or in an individual activity).
  • Analysis and evaluation of performance to bring about improvement in one activity.

How it's assessed

  • Assessed by teachers
  • Moderated by AQA
  • 100 marks
  • 40% of GCSE

Questions

  • For each of their three activities, students will be assessed in skills in progressive drills (10 marks per activity) and in the full context (15 marks per activity).
  • Students will be assessed on their analysis (15 marks) and evaluation (10 marks) of performance to bring about improvement in one activity.