Physical Education

Introduction

The Physical Education department at Auckland Grammar School offer a broad range of physical activities as well as a rigorous academic programme at the senior levels. Every master also coaches one or more of the competitive teams at the School.

Physical education is compulsory for junior students. They are encouraged to take part in the range of sports covered throughout the year, including Swimming, Cross Country, Hockey, Volleyball, Rugby, Football, and more. This dedication to physical activities help students stay fit and healthy throughout the year and encourages them to join one of the many teams on offer at the School.

If students choose to continue with physical education in Forms 5, 6 and 7, the course changes focus to the academic side of physical education, covering optics such as anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, and motor learning.

Form 5 (NCEA Level 1):

Recommended achievement levels: Selected students (primarily currently in 4P and 4R) will be required to select this course if they wish to do Form 5 Physical Education. Students who have gained good grades in Form 4 Physical Education, and have a genuine interest in Physical Education theory and practical work are likely to do well in Form 5 Physical Education.

Course description/aims:

Develop an understanding of how to manage risk and demonstrate responsible behaviour in outdoor education activities
Investigate how health and wellbeing relate to and are influenced through being active
Develop knowledge of movement and skills related to a variety of physical activities and outdoor education activities
Demonstrate self-management strategies to help develop good personal values and character behaviours
Participate in a variety of physical activities and understand how factors affect participation
Demonstrate performance in physical activities
Develop key interpersonal skills that are required to become a good leader

Course outline:

1.1 – Participate in a variety of physical activities and explain factors that influence own participation [5 credits]
1.3 – Demonstrate quality of movement in the performance of a physical activity [3 credits]
1.5 – Demonstrate interpersonal skills in groups and explain how these impact others [4 credits]
1.7 – Demonstrate, and show understanding of, responsible behaviour for safety during outdoor education activities [3 credits]
1.9 – Demonstrate self-management strategies and describe the effects on participation in physical activity [3 credits]

Methods of assessment: Form 5 Physical Education will be assessed using internal Achievement Standards. Coursework assessment includes examinations, common tests, practical grades and assignments.

Special equipment/costs: Physical Education uniform and a $30 Rock Climbing fee.

Continuation of subject: NCEA Level 2 and Level 3 is offered.

Form 5 (Pre-Q):

Recommended achievement levels: Students who have gained good grades in Form 4 Physical Education, and have a genuine interest in Physical Education theory and practical are likely to do well in Form 5 Pre-Q Physical Education.

Course description/aims: Pre-Q Physical Education aims to develop knowledge, skills and an understanding of a range of relevant physical activities. Candidates’ knowledge, skills and understanding come from both practical and theoretical aspects of Physical Education. Successful Pre-Q Physical Education students gain lifelong skills, including:

An ability to plan, perform, analyse and improve, and evaluate physical activities
Knowledge of how biophysical principles affect performance
Knowledge, skills and understanding of a range of relevant physical activities
An understanding of effective and safe performance
An understanding of the role and significance of physical activity in society and factors that affect participation level
Demonstrating a variety of interpersonal skills to help a group or team function successfully
An enjoyment of physical activity
An excellent foundation for advanced study (NCEA Level 2 and 3 and Cambridge AS and A Level)

Course outline:

Unit 1:

Anatomy, Biomechanics and Physiology
The skeletal muscular system
Circulatory, respiratory and energy systems Biomechanical principles of stability and balance, force summation and production of forces
Using Newton’s laws

Unit 2:

Factors affecting participation and the role and significance of physical activity
Barriers and enablers to physical activity involvement
Socio-cultural factors and their effect on participation levels
The role and significance physical activity has on people’s lives

Unit 3:

Health, fitness and training
Components of fitness and methods and principles of training
Design and implement a fitness training programme
Health, diet and energy sources

Unit 4:

Skill learning and sports psychology
Skill classification, skill learning, types of practice and the importance of feedback
Goal setting, mental preparation and motivation

Methods of assessment: School Examinations:

1 x 1-hour examination
1 x 2-hour examination
1 x 3-hour examination (Pre-Q)
Component 1: End-of-year Written Examination – 50% weighting
Component 2: Practical – 30% weighting Physical performance across three physical activities
Component 3: Course Work Assignments – 20%. An ability to analyse their own sporting movement, apply biophysical knowledge to suggest ways to improve their performance and design their own training programme to help improve their performance.

Special equipment and costs: Physical Education uniform.

Continuation of subject: Physical Education is available as a continuation at NCEA Levels 2 and 3 and Cambridge AS and A Level. These are in-depth courses that would suit a student who wishes to further his education in the Sport, Education, Recreation and Health Science industries.

Form 6 (NCEA Level 2):

Prerequisites: None, although students who took Pre-Q or NCEA Level 1 Physical Education have an advantage.

Course description/aims:

Monitor personal performance in regular exercise and relate this to concepts of fitness and health
From observation, examine how principles of anatomy and biomechanics relate to physical activity
Describe principles and methods of training and apply these to participation in physical activity
Through physical activity, describe and apply principles of skill learning and sport psychology
Demonstrate performance in physical activities
Investigate the sociological significance of a sporting event, physical activity or festival
Demonstrate knowledge of safety issues and apply safety management procedures in a physical activity

Course outline:

Module 1 – Theory into Practice:

2.2 – Demonstrate understanding of how biophysical principles relate to the learning of physical skills [5 credits]
2.4 Perform a physical activity in an applied setting [4 credits]

Module 2 – Understanding Fitness and the Biophysical Aspects of Training:

2.3 – Demonstrate understanding of the application of biophysical to training for physical activity [4 credits]

Module 3 – International Sporting Events and Outdoor Education:

2.5 – Demonstrate understanding of the significance for self, others and society of a sporting event, physical activity, or festival [4 credits]
2.7 – Demonstrate understanding of the application of risk management strategies to a challenging outdoor activity [3 credits]

Module 4 – Personal and Social Responsibility and Leadership:

2.8 Consistently demonstrate social responsibility through applying a social responsibility model in physical activity [3 credits]

Methods of assessment: Form 6 Physical Education will be assessed using internally assessed NCEA Level 2 Achievement Standards. Course work assessment includes examinations, common tests, practicals, assignments and outdoor education activities.

Special equipment and costs: Physical Education uniform, outdoor education activities ($240), and a course book.

Continuation of subject: Form 7 NCEA Level 3 and Cambridge AS are offered.

Form 6 and 7 (AS):

Prerequisites: Human Biology studied at any level would be an advantage but is not a prerequisite.

Recommended achievement levels: This course is academically challenging and is only available to those students who are following the Cambridge pathway.

Course description/aims: This course should:

Provide a knowledge and understanding of the conceptual basis, structure and function of representative selection of physical education activities
Develop understanding and problem solving skills (interpretation and evaluation)
Develop planning and practical skills for effective performance
Develop an understanding of the scientific, sociocultural and environmental factors which influence physical education
Provide an experience, which is valuable, both as a means of personal development and as a foundation for employment or more advanced study

Course outline: Component 1 is a written paper to be assessed externally in a 2.5-hour examination (70% weighting). It will consist of three sections:

Section A – Applied Anatomy and Physiology
Section B – Acquiring, Developing and Performing Movement Skills
Section C – Contemporary Studies in Physical Education and Sport

Special equipment and costs: Physical Education equipment, course numbered t-shirt essential for identification.

Continuation of subject: Physical Education is available as a continuation of the AS course for a full A Level in Form 7. This is an in-depth course that would suit a student who wishes to further his education in the sport industry, exercise science or as a Physical Education teacher or coach.

Form 7 (NCEA Level 3):

Prerequisites: Students must have studied Level 2 Physical Education and gained a minimum of 10 Level 2 credits to study at Level 3. Any exceptions to this must be from approval by the Head of Physical Education.

Recommended achievement levels:

Students averaging 15 or more credits in NCEA Level 2 Physical Education have an appropriate level to study NCEA Level 3 Physical Education
Students averaging 10-15 credits in NCEA Level 2 Physical Education will find NCEA Level 3 Physical Education difficult
Students averaging less than 10 credits in NCEA Level 2 Physical Education are not recommended to take NCEA Level 3 Physical Education

Course outline:

3.2 – Analyse a physical skill performed by self or other (Golf, tennis or discrete skill of your choice) [3 credits, Internal]
3.3 – Evaluate the effectiveness of a performance improvement programme [4 credits, Internal]
3.4 – Demonstrate quality performance of a physical activity in an applied setting (Duathlon/Mountain Biking) [4 credits, Internal]
3.5 – Students will examine a current physical activity event, trend or issue impacting on New Zealand society [4 credits, Internal]

3.7 Analyse issues in safety management for outdoor activity to devise safety management strategies [3 credits, Internal]

Special equipment and costs: Physical Education uniform ($45), Mountain Biking in Term 2 ($220).

Continuation of subject: This can be a prerequisite for various sports-oriented courses at universities and polytechnics.

Form 7 (A2):

Prerequisites: Students must have studied Cambridge AS Physical Education to be eligible to study at A2 Level.

Recommended achievement levels:

Students who gain an A to a good D Grade in Cambridge AS PE will be admitted to this course
Students who gain a low D Grade in Cambridge AS PE must consult with the Head of Physical Education to enter this course
Students who gain an E Grade or Ungraded result in AS PE will not be able to enter this course

Course description/aims: This course should:

Provide a knowledge and understanding of the conceptual basis, structure and function of representative selection of physical education activities
Develop understanding and problem-solving skills (interpretation and evaluation)
Develop planning and practical skills for effective performance
Develop an understanding of the scientific, sociocultural and environmental factors which influence physical education
Provide an experience, which is valuable, both as a means of personal development and as a foundation for employment or more advanced study
Develop the capacity to think critically about the relationships between the different factors influencing performance
Develop a capacity to explain global trends in Physical Education and sport

Course outline: Component 1 is a written paper to be assessed externally in a 2.5-hour examination (70% weighting). It will consist of three sections:

Section A:

Exercise and Sport Physiology and Mechanics of Sport
Energy Synthesis and Recovery
Principles of Training
Components of Fitness

Section B:

Psychology of Sport Performance
Personality, Attitude and Motivation
Group Dynamics of Sport Performance
Leadership
Mental Preparation for Sport Performance
Competition Effects on Sport Performance

Section C:

The Olympic Games: A Global Perspective as a Social Force
The Ancient Games
Role of the IOC
Politics
The Nurturing of Talent in Pursuit of Global Excellence
Economics and Commercialism
Amateurism, Dysfunctional Aspects, Discrimination, Spectacular Aspects and the Future

Component 2 is a course work component (30% weighting), in which candidates will follow a minimum of two activities from the activity profiles offered. This will be internally-assessed and externally-moderated by Cambridge. The two areas of study will be the student’s choice and will be assessed in a competitive environment. Students will also be assessed on their verbal ability to evaluate and appreciate performance through observation and synopsis of knowledge on one of their chosen physical activities.

Special equipment and costs: Physical Education equipment, course-numbered t-shirt essential for identification, and a student workbook ($15).

Continuation of subject: This is an in-depth course that would suit a student who wishes to further his education in the sport industry, exercise science, biomedicine or as a Physical Education teacher or coach.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our staff today.

Physical Education

IT Helpdesk