specification overview
Edexcel GCSE (9-1) Physical Education (1PE0) is a single-tier linear qualification with two written papers (60% combined) and a non-exam assessment (40%) covering practical performance and a Personal Exercise Programme. Component 1 (1h 30m, 80 marks) is 36%; Component 2 (1h 15m, 60 marks) is 24%; NEA is 40%.
subject content
1. Component 1: Fitness and Body Systems
Component 1- Applied anatomy and physiology (skeletal, muscular, cardiovascular, respiratory)
- Movement analysis (levers, planes, axes)
- Physical training (fitness components, principles of training)
- Use of data
2. Component 2: Health and Performance
Component 2- Health, fitness and wellbeing (physical, emotional, social)
- Sport psychology (skill, motivation, arousal, feedback)
- Socio-cultural influences (engagement, commercialisation)
- Use of data
3. Component 3: Practical performance (NEA)
NEA- Practical performance in 3 activities (1 team, 1 individual, 1 either) from approved list
- Skill demonstration + full context performance
4. Component 4: Personal Exercise Programme (PEP) (NEA)
NEA- Written coursework: design, carry out, monitor and evaluate a 6-week personal exercise programme
- Application of training principles to your own performance goals
assessment structure
| Paper | What's assessed | Length | Marks | Weight | Question types |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Component 1 (Fitness and Body Systems) | Anatomy, physiology, movement analysis, physical training | 1h 30m | 80 | 36% | Multiple-choice, short-answer, extended-response (including 9-mark essay) |
| Component 2 (Health and Performance) | Health, sport psychology, socio-cultural influences | 1h 15m | 60 | 24% | Multiple-choice, short-answer, extended-response (including 9-mark essay) |
| Component 3 (Practical performance) | 3 activities (1 team, 1 individual, 1 either) from approved list | Coursework | 105 | 30% | Practical performance assessed in skill and full context. 35 marks per activity. Internally marked, moderated by Pearson |
| Component 4 (Personal Exercise Programme) | Written coursework: design and evaluate a 6-week PEP | Coursework | 20 | 10% | Written coursework (~15-20 pages) covering aim, plan, monitoring, evaluation. Internally marked, moderated by Pearson |
PEP (Personal Exercise Programme) is a distinctive Edexcel feature, students design and monitor their own 6-week training programme. Practical performance is assessed across 3 activities from Pearson's approved list.
assessment objectives
| AO | What it means | Overall |
|---|---|---|
| AO1 | Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the factors that underpin performance and involvement in physical activity and sport. | 25% |
| AO2 | Apply knowledge and understanding of the factors that underpin performance and involvement in physical activity and sport. | 20% |
| AO3 | Analyse and evaluate the factors that underpin performance and involvement in physical activity and sport. | 15% |
| AO4 | Demonstrate and apply the relevant skills and techniques in physical activity and sport. Analyse and evaluate performance. | 40% |
key tips for success
Design your PEP carefully
PEP is 10% of the qualification. Choose a component of fitness relevant to your sport, apply principles of training (SPORT, FITT), monitor progress with pre/post tests, evaluate against theory.
Pick 3 practical activities wisely
Practical (30% of qualification) needs 1 team, 1 individual, 1 either from Pearson's approved list. Pick activities you're already competitive in.
Master anatomy diagrams
Component 1 tests skeletal, muscular, cardiovascular, respiratory systems with labelled diagrams. Practise drawing and labelling under time.
Learn movement analysis
Component 1 tests planes, axes, lever systems. Learn worked examples for common sports movements (kicking, throwing, running).
Practise 9-mark essays
Both components have 9-mark essays. Reward: intro, 3 developed points with examples, judgement. Practise structure under time.
Learn named theorists for sport psychology
Component 2 tests named theorists: goal setting (SMART), arousal (inverted-U theory), motivation types. Learn each with sports examples.
Where to next
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