Some students joke about physical education, otherwise known as PE. They say it is an easy GCSE and you don't really have to do anything mentally straining to get a pass. That's not what PE teachers and students who've taken the course say. They know full well just how much work and the level of education is involved in passing a Physical Education GCSE. You have to:

  • know about anatomy and physiology
  • understand how bodies move
  • explore cultural influences on Physical Education
  • understand concepts of health and wellbeing
  • improve your performance in three separate physical activities over time

Clearly, GCSE PE is no walk in the park. It's a blend of academic and scientific knowledge, combined with physical prowess and stamina. If you don't do your revision wisely, you could end up with 'null' points at the end of your course. What a shame that would be and a waste of time!

At Superprof, we're aware that you have a lot to learn on the academic side of things. We know that using resources and other assessment help will get you closer to earning high marks on your exams. Thus, we are here to help you discover the best resources and course materials. These will take you far in your studies and help you to tick off boxes on those marking schemes.

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Reasons to Choose GCSE Physical Education

You don't have to linger too long in The Student Room to know that many students actively search for so-called 'easy' GCSE subjects. There's no shame in that. In fact, blending hard and easy subjects is a proven exam strategy. Every student has to sit three academic exams; English, maths and at least one science. Balancing a heavy academic course load with a few subjects you're interested in keeps you from burning out on studying.

But is PE easy, in the sense that you could breeze through it without so much as cracking open a textbook? Not at all. Remember that preparing for your future career is the point of sitting GCSEs. Thus, no course could be considered trivial, least of all GCSE PE.

This course prepares you for a possible career in sports medicine. Or you may consider becoming a physical therapist, personal fitness coach or even a PE teacher. None of these could be called 'fluffy' career fields that you could enter into with a bare minimum of education.

You may decide to spend your life studying other cultures and their dynamics. As a cultural anthropologist, you would need to know about gender bias in sports. Less talked-about issues along those lines include how religion influences athletic performance and how other-abled athletes have to struggle for the same levels of visibility as other athletes.

The current debacle over Elnaz Rekabi is an excellent example of such. This climber, representing Iran at an international climbing competition, did so without her hijab. She wasn't protesting anything or deliberately trying to provoke her country's religious and government authorities. It had simply fallen off while she was engaged in her sport. This ongoing issue proves that, if you selected GCSE Religious Studies as one of your electives, PE would be a worthy companion subject.

You may have chosen Economics as one of your GCSE courses. That's another course PE could help you with. You'll learn all about how sports are commercialised and sponsorship's negative aspects. For this pairing, we only need to look to Kanye West. Though not an athlete, this rapper enjoyed the lush benefits of athletic wear sponsorship. And then... Aren't all these good reasons to choose GCSE PE?

An American football referee wearing a black jersey featuring an endorser's logo
Corporate sponsorship is a thorny issue in sports that you'll explore in your curriculum. Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash

How Can Resources Help You With Your Studies throughout the year?

You can be the smartest student in your class. You can work your socks off during every lesson and hand in every bit of homework on time. You might use past papers as mock exams... But none of that guarantees you an excellent grade, let alone a pass.

To excel in your PE GCSE, you need to know your curriculum inside out. You also need to reach beyond GCSE Physical Education curriculum materials to show initiative and that you are committed to the course. If you want to stand out in your exam, you have to impress the examiner with your knowledge of each specification.

Long experience proves that examiners can spot the students who have sat back with their feet up, taking no initiative to further their studies. You only need to read your exam board's Examiner's Report to see that for yourself. To avoid getting thus caught out, work these carefully curated resources into your revision plan. They'll support your GCSE course with diverse materials, revision resources, past paper examples, assessment frameworks and marking schemes.

Much like students preparing for their Art & Design GCSE need targeted guidance, you need these additional resources. They should not just be used for revision purposes for the summer exam. You can make use of all of these course materials, no matter your level, at any time during the year. In fact, if you enhance your education with extra studies all year long, you will be in a much better position to secure a pass or a very good mark at the end of the course.

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Gokhan
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Aya
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Daniel
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5 (18 reviews)
Daniel
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1st lesson free!
Siddharth
5
5 (39 reviews)
Siddharth
£70
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1st lesson free!
Syed
5
5 (47 reviews)
Syed
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Gokhan
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Marianne
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5 (12 reviews)
Marianne
£30
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Dr amin
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Dr amin
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Dr fouzia
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Aya
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The Six Best Websites for PE Students

Now we get to the purpose of this blog post. It is time to share with you what we've found to be the best resources and websites for students preparing to take GCSE Physical Education exams. In fact, they're effective study tools no matter what grade or level you are currently at because your aim surely must be to bring your marks up to the highest level.

GCSE Bitesize: PE

You may have already discovered how fantastic a resource GCSE Bitesize: PE is. It's written in plain English, which helps you understand what triple jumps, discus throws and backfoot drives look like. Thanks to the handy set of videos uploaded on the site you can see them.

The guide covers various sports, including cricket, basketball, football, rugby and even boccia. It’s not all about the visuals, though. As well as viewable information in video format, this resource offers useful revision tools for almost every unit in user-friendly language. You'll also find activities and tests on just about everything across the course curriculum.

Find out how you can pick up training skills, tactics and strategies. Discover observation and analysis techniques. Learn about applied anatomy and everything you need to know about the exam's physiology specification. How about the discussion over positive and negative factors that affect performance? Safety and risk prevention are also addressed.

There's a good chance this far-ranging resource will answer many of your PE-related questions. After all, PE isn't like GCSE French, where students have to prepare for an oral assessment. Besides the non-exam assessment (NEA), the PE ordeal is purely academic but should it be your revision be-all and end-all? Recalling the above-mentioned Examiners' Reports and what they reveal, probably not. We need to go further to get that excellent grade at the end of the course.

A set of annotated human form sketches detailing muscle layout, circulatory system and nervous system
Part of the PE curriculum is to know anatomy inside out. Photo credit: Free Public Domain Illustrations by rawpixel on Visualhunt / CC BY

Class Clips - PE

Class Clips – PE is a great resource for teachers and pupils. Learner and teacher both will find a host of videos for streaming in class or at home. Beware that these relate to the Edexcel Physical Education GCSE so be sure to check which exam board your school has contracted with.

Topics covered include health, aquatic activities, combat and dance activities. You'll also touch on principles of leadership. One of the most interesting aspects of these guidance videos is that they do not just cover the physical aspects of sport. You'll explore mental and psychological guides and themes, too. How does an athlete recover from disappointing results? Or, as Olympic gymnast Simone Biles memorably showed us, the importance of respecting oneself and others while engaged in one's sport.

Teach PE

Teach PE is a free resource that contains a host of GCSE Physical Education revision to support your qualification in the subject. The site divides the subject guide into the following unit categories: The Human Body, Health and Fitness, Training and Sports Skills, and Sport in Society. This site arms you with practical written information and illustrations. This resource is equally useful to students and teachers. For instance, they have loads of teacher-oriented materials for you to go over. Haven't you always wanted to comb through your teachers' books to get all the answers?

William Ellis School

William Ellis School has some brilliant resources for PE students. Their materials are colourful, practical and easy to understand. Each downloadable PDF-style page reads like the perfect set of guidance notes. They come complete with colour coding, tables, headings and sub-headings. What a way to get you on your way with your new qualification in this physical science! Beware that you will need access to Dropbox to avail yourself of all these free-for-use revision materials.

Revision World

Revision World covers the main topics included in GCSE PE, science included. It also contains handy text information, thought-provoking questions, news, illustrations and even videos on important subjects like anatomy. The site is targeted at students and teachers. Both will find enough material for hours of revision.

As though that weren't a generous enough bounty, you can find even more information under this site’s ‘Related resources’ section. There, you will find OCR or AQA Physical Education materials. The Download Zone offers free downloadable teaching resources, though users are asked to register beforehand.

One of this site's unique aspects is that it delves into the social and cultural aspects of sports. Specifically, it analyses the motivational differences between amateur and professional competitors. It goes on to reveal the extent that spectators can influence the outcome of a match or competition. Hooliganism, sporting behaviour, etiquette and violence  are some of the important topics discussed.

GCSE PE Revision Booklet

Slideshare's GCSE PE Revision Booklet is an excellent presentation. It features colourful images, graphics, reports and mind maps, all written in easy-to-understand language. The way key points are laid out makes the information visually appealing, all the better to trigger easier recall come exam time. You'll find dozens of slides to pore over, featuring a range of diverse topics. Those include how to lead a healthy, active life,  and the correlation between being physically active and having a healthy mind and body.

The illustrations in the science /anatomy section are particularly impressive. So much so that they may give you a new perspective on the human form. We found the section on the advantages and disadvantages of using performance-enhancing substances particularly engaging. It certainly answered a lot of our questions; it will surely answer many of yours.

A young man in a fright wig wearing a red striped top stands in the street with his arm crossed in from of a line of riot police
Not only do you study sports in GCSE PE, you also study the followers of sports from celebrations to hooligans. Photo credit: Jos van Zetten on Visualhunt / CC BY

Additional Tips for GCSE Physical Education Pupils

Preparing for exams isn't just about going over study materials until you can't cram another ounce of information into your befogged brain. In fact, cramming is not advised. You need to study smarter, not harder. Try these tips out to see how they work for you.

Make a revision timetable and stick to it

You have to plan your revision sessions; that's all there is to it. If at all possible, you should not deviate from your study schedule. Missing one session often leads to missing another and then it's hard to take your revision schedule seriously. Don't let the exam creep up on you unawares - preparation is the key to success!

Many GCSE candidates find that a few sessions with an academic coach or a test prep tutor get them on the right track. After all, it's not like you only have one subject to prepare for; you might not know where to start when setting up your revision timetable. Or even how to set up one that you can stick with. If a private tutor isn't possible for you, maybe get help from someone, like a family member. At least, they can make sure that you are keeping to the sessions and not overdoing things.

Study in short bursts

Research has shown that people learn better and remember more if they break up study blocks with periods of rest. It's called the Pomodoro learning technique. You only need your mobile's clock app to try it out. Set the app's timer to 45 minutes. As soon as you hit start, crack open those books and get to learning. When your device chimes, it's time to walk away from your study area.

Set your timer for 15 minutes and go have a drink, get a snack and visit the loo if you need to. Pet the dog, check for messages and walk around a bit. When the timer sounds, it's back to the books. If you find this study system works for you, you can download a Pomodoro app; that way, you won't have to keep resetting your mobile's timer. One Design and Technology GCSE candidate I knew was so impressed with their study results, they actually built their own study-timer app!

There is only so much information that you can take in at any one time. Should you push beyond those limits, you're likely to burn out on studying far too soon. So be sure to keep your revision sessions short but sweet. Taking a break after every 20 minutes is a good idea. And probably good news for you!

Minimise distractions

Distractions can manifest in many ways. People moving and talking around you. Loud clanging from the kitchen, the television playing in the background or a text message taking your attention away. You need to find a nice, quiet place where your focus won't constantly be broken. If you can't get the peace you need at home, maybe a trip to the library is in order?

Also, refrain from using your phone other than as a timer. Studies have proven that social media and gaming are the biggest study interrupters of all. You might also keep snacks close by, in case the urge to gnaw strikes while you're working.

Start early

Putting off your revision is a great way to make sure it never gets done. So, don't put it off. It may feel like you have plenty of time - a whole year. But you don't, really. As soon as you start your courses; at the very least, when you start Year 11, begin GCSE reviews. Consider a little study early in the morning to get it out of the way and start your day positively. That way, you won't have to feel that sensation of guilt and dread.

Stay active

As a PE student, you know better than most that exercise is important to your body and mind. Not only does it get your blood pumping and make you feel energised, but it also helps you to switch off from the stress of revision. What's more, a bit of a workout also improves your memory. What a bonus when you are trying to retain information for an exam!

Use practice papers

Whichever examination board your course is with, Edexcel, AQA or a different one, using past papers is one of the best ways to revise. It helps you to highlight what you know and fills in your knowledge gaps. More to the point, you'll get to know the different question formats the exam features. You can use this revision tool to get familiar with PE-related vocabulary. That way, you'll understand what terms you should be learning ahead of the summer exam.

Many GCSE candidates sit mock exams using past papers. That helps them determine how much time they'll need to answer each question. When they check their answers against the marking schemes, they can find out where they lagged and what they did well in.

But we have to come back to the Examiners' Reports. For every subject, from GCSE Spanish to... well, to any GCSE subject you've chosen, they provide you with a statistical and practical analysis of past students' exam performance. When you read this document, you'll discover recommendations to future students about how they could turn out a better exam performance.

A young woman with dark hair wearing blue jeans and a white shirt sits cross-legged in the grass with an open laptop balanced on her knees.
If you want to be this ecstatic when you look up your result, then take our advice and visit these revision sites! Photo credit: CollegeDegrees360 on Visualhunt.com / CC BY-SA

GCSE Physical Education: Exam Components

As we've hounded you throughout this article to download and incorporate past papers, marking schemes and examiners' reports into your revision strategy, you may not need us to go over some of the exams' finer points. Still, it's a fitting exercise to wrap this GCSE assessment up by going over what you'll likely confront in the testing room. In that spirit, here goes.

This subject is far more academic than you might expect. Your first paper is all about studying the human body's structure, down to the synovial joints and how they move. You'll learn about the muscle groups and their attachments. And you'll learn about oxygen and food delivery systems throughout the body. A lot of this information is comparable to what you'd find in a pre-med curriculum.

Paper Two addresses the ethical and philosophical aspects of physical activity. You'll explore how cultures define their athletes and determine which sports they may play. You'll discover bias in sports - in compensation, opportunity and sponsorship. You'll learn how athletes prepare themselves psychologically for their contests and how they deal with competition results.

Other themes you'll investigate include the concept of sportsmanship and the use of etiquette. You'll wrestle with problems plaguing the world of sports today. Problems like performance-enhancing substances and practices, and why they provoke such furious debate. And you'll examine spectators' impact on sports; everything from rabid football fans who tear up the city to the avid Tour de France spectators who cause massive pileups just to get the perfect shot.

You'll finally get to engage in sports for your exam's third component, the NEA. That is, the NEA is your final athletic assessment. It aims to chart your development as an athlete across three disciplines over the course of your study. Your final performance should show substantial progress from your fitness starting point.

We hope that you have found the above list useful and interesting as you approach or tackle your GCSE in Physical Education. Please feel free to tell us about other websites that you have come across that you think should also be included on our list.

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Imogen

I'm an active energetic person. I enjoy long-distance running and have taken part in many organised events including the 2016 Prague Marathon. I'm a keen skier and love open-water swimming, when the weather is right!