GCSE Physical Education Specification Specification for first teaching in 2016
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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.
3.2 Socio-cultural influences and wellbeing in physical activity and sport
3.2.1 Sports psychology
Students should develop knowledge and understanding of the psychological factors that can affect performers in physical activity and sport.
3.2.1.1 Classification of skills (basic/complex, open/closed)
Content | Additional information |
|---|---|
Skill and ability | Definitions of skill and ability. |
Classifications of skill | Basic definition of the following skill classifications:
Students should be taught to choose and justify the appropriate classifications in relation to sporting examples. |
Definitions of types of goals | Basic definitions of the following types of goals:
Appropriate performance and/or outcome targets for sporting examples. |
3.2.1.2 The use of goal setting and SMART targets to improve and/or optimise performance
Content | Additional information |
|---|---|
The use and evaluation of setting performance and outcome goals in sporting examples | Performance and outcome goals can be combined. However, it is generally accepted that outcome goals should be avoided as they rely on factors that cannot be controlled, eg other performers. Beginners prefer to avoid outcome goals because failure can demotivate/winning may be an unrealistic goal. |
The use of SMART targets to improve and/or optimise performance | SMART targets of goal setting are:
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3.2.1.3 Basic information processing
Content | Additional information |
|---|---|
Basic information processing model | The role of each stage (input, decision making, output and feedback) of the model. Input – information from the display (senses), selective attention. Decision making – selection of appropriate response from memory. The role of long term and short term memory. Output – information sent to muscles to carry out the response. Feedback – received via self (intrinsic) and/or others (extrinsic). Draw (in a box format) and/or explain the stages of a basic model of information processing. Students should be taught to apply the basic information processing model to skills from sporting examples. |
3.2.1.4 Guidance and feedback on performance
Content | Additional information |
|---|---|
Identify examples of, and evaluate, the effectiveness of the use of types of guidance, with reference to beginners and elite level performers | Evaluation of the use of the following types of guidance with specific links to:
Students need to be taught to be able to choose and justify which types of guidance are appropriate for beginners and/or elite level performers. This should include examples of how the guidance can be given, eg visual via demonstration. |
Identify examples of, and evaluate, the effectiveness of the use of types of feedback, with reference to beginners and elite level performers | Evaluation of the use of the following types of feedback with specific links to beginners and to elite level performers:
Students need to be taught what each type of feedback entails and be able to choose and justify which types of feedback are appropriate for a beginners and/or an elite level performers. |
3.2.1.5 Mental preparation for performance
Content | Additional information |
|---|---|
Arousal | Definition of arousal. |
Inverted-U theory | The shape of the ‘inverted-U’ placed appropriately in a graph depicting y axis (performance level – low to high) and x axis (arousal level – low to high). Students should be taught to draw an inverted-U graph with both x and y axis appropriately labelled. Describe the inverted-U graph. The relationship between arousal level and performance level, eg when under aroused, performance level is low/under or over arousal causing low performance levels. |
How optimal arousal levels vary according to the skill being performed in a physical activity or sport | Link appropriate arousal level (high/low) to gross/fine skills in sporting actions. Link skills (not sports) to an appropriate arousal level, eg a tackle in rugby will need a high arousal level. |
How arousal can be controlled using stress management techniques before or during a sporting performance | Knowledge of the following stress management techniques:
Students should be taught to explain how these techniques are carried out, using sporting examples. |
Understand the difference between direct and indirect aggression with application to specific sporting examples | Definition of direct and indirect aggression. Students should be taught to know the meaning of the terms direct and indirect aggression, and be able to suggest examples of direct/indirect aggression in sport. |
Understand the characteristics of introvert and extrovert personality types, including examples of sports which suit these particular personality types | Characteristics of an introvert:
Tend to play individual sports when:
Characteristics of an extrovert:
Tend to play team sports when:
|
Definition of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, as used in sporting examples | Intrinsic is from within – for pride/self-satisfaction/personal achievement. Extrinsic is:
Students should be taught to explain appropriate examples of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation linked to sporting examples. |
Evaluation of the merits of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in sport | Intrinsic is generally deemed more effective. Overuse of extrinsic can undermine the strength of intrinsic. Performer can become reliant on extrinsic. Intrinsic is more likely to lead to continued effort and participation. Extrinsic rewards may result in feelings of pride/self-satisfaction. |
3.2.2 Socio-cultural influences
Students should develop knowledge and understanding of the socio-cultural factors that impact on physical activity and sport, and the impact of sport on society.
3.2.2.1 Engagement patterns of different social groups in physical activity and sport
Content | Additional information |
|---|---|
Engagement patterns of different social groups and the factors affecting participation | Engagement patterns in physical activity and sport can differ between different social groups. Understand factors that contribute to engagement patterns in the following social groups:
Students should be taught to make justifiable links between the following factors and their relevance to engagement patterns of the groups above:
|
3.2.2.2 Commercialisation of physical activity and sport
Content | Additional information |
|---|---|
Commercialisation | Definition of commercialisation. The relationship between sport, sponsorship and the media. |
Types of sponsorship and the media | Definitions of sponsorship and the media. Types of sponsorship:
Types of media:
|
Positive and negative impacts of sponsorship and the media | The positive and the negative impacts of commercialised activity (sponsorship and the media) on the following:
Students should be taught to justify why the impact is positive and/or negative. |
Positive and negative impacts of technology | The positive and the negative impacts of technology on the following:
Students should be taught to justify why the impact is positive and/or negative. Teaching should make students aware of examples of technology used in sport (eg Hawkeye, Television Match Official). However, the focus should be on technology generically, not on specific types of technology (eg Hawkeye, Television Match Official). |
3.2.2.3 Ethical and socio-cultural issues in physical activity and sport
Content | Additional information |
|---|---|
Conduct of performers | Definitions of the following terms:
Students should be taught sporting examples of these terms. |
Prohibited substances | Categories of prohibited substances, including the basic positive effects and negative side effects:
|
Prohibited methods (blood doping) | How blood doping occurs and the effects/side effects of doing it. Blood doping involves the removal of blood a few weeks prior to competition. The blood is frozen and re-injected just before competition. Students should be taught how blood doping leads to increased red blood cell count and be able to evaluate which types of sporting performers this could benefit. Side effects can be:
|
Drugs subject to certain restrictions (beta blockers) | Beta blockers are taken to:
Side effects can lead to:
Beta blockers should be prescribed by a medical professional. |
Which type of performers may use different types of performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) with sporting examples | Stimulants – alertness Narcotic analgesics – pain killers from over training Anabolic agents – muscle mass Diuretics – lose weight Peptide hormones – oxygen carrying capacity Blood doping – oxygen carrying capacity Beta blockers – for fine motor control Students should be taught to understand in which sports performers may decide to use PEDs, with examples. |
The advantages and disadvantages for the performer of taking PEDs | Advantages include:
Disadvantages include:
|
The disadvantages to the sport/event of performers taking PEDs | Disadvantages include:
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Spectator behaviour (the positive and the negative effects of spectators at events) | The positive influence of spectators at matches/events:
The negative influence of spectators at matches/events:
|
Reasons why hooliganism occurs | Reasons for hooliganism:
|
Strategies employed to combat hooliganism/spectator behaviour | Strategies include:
Students should be taught to evaluate the effectiveness of these strategies, eg high costs of security versus safety of spectators. |
3.2.3 Health, fitness and wellbeing
Students should develop knowledge and understanding of the benefits of participating in physical activity and sport to health, fitness and wellbeing.
3.2.3.1 Physical, emotional and social health, fitness and wellbeing
Content | Additional information |
|---|---|
Linking participation in physical activity, exercise and sport to health, wellbeing and fitness, and how exercise can suit the varying needs of different people | Reasons for participation in physical activity, exercise and sport, and how performance in physical activity/sport can increase health, wellbeing and fitness. Physical health and wellbeing:
Mental health and wellbeing:
Social health and wellbeing:
Fitness:
|
3.2.3.2 The consequences of a sedentary lifestyle
Content | Additional information |
|---|---|
The consequences of a sedentary lifestyle | Definitions of sedentary and lifestyle. Possible consequences of a sedentary lifestyle:
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Obesity and how it may affect performance in physical activity and sport | Definition of obesity. Obesity and how it may affect performance in physical activity and sport:
Causes ill health (physical):
Causes ill health (mental):
Causes ill health (social):
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Somatotypes | Definitions of the following body types:
Students should be taught to identify the most suitable body type for particular sports (or positions within a sport) and justify their choice. |
3.2.3.3 Energy use, diet, nutrition and hydration
Content | Additional information |
|---|---|
Energy use | Energy is measured in calories (Kcal) and is obtained from the food we eat. The average adult male requires 2,500 Kcal/day and the average adult female requires 2,000 Kcal/day but this is dependent upon:
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Nutrition – reasons for having balanced diet | There is no single food that contains all the nutrients the body needs. A balanced diet contains lots of different types of food to provide the suitable nutrients, vitamins and minerals required. The reasons for a balanced diet:
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Nutrition – the role of carbohydrates, fat, protein and vitamins/minerals | A balanced diet contains 55–60% carbohydrate, 25–30% fat, 15–20% protein. Carbohydrates are the main and preferred energy source for all types of exercise, of all intensities. Fat is also an energy source. It provides more energy than carbohydrates but only at low intensity. Protein is for growth and repair of muscle tissue. Vitamins and minerals are for maintaining the efficient working of the body systems and general health. Students do not need to be taught about specific vitamins and minerals. |
Reasons for maintaining water balance (hydration) | Definition of dehydration. Water balance (hydration) prevents dehydration. Dehydration results in:
Students should be taught to understand and evaluate the consequences of dehydration to performance in different sporting activities. |