OCR A-Level Physical Education guide FAQ (H555)
Guide overview All 36 topics Sample questions Papers and weighting Look inside Questions and answers
OCR A-Level Physical Education: questions and answers
Specification H555. Two sets, because students and parents ask different things.
For students
Is the practical assessment covered?
No. Your practical performance and the evaluation of performance for improvement are assessed by your teachers and moderated. They are not examined content, so there is nothing to recall.
The guide covers the three written papers in full.
Which topics are on which paper?
Component 01 is the physiological half: skeletal and muscular systems through to fluid mechanics and projectile motion. Component 02 is skill acquisition and sports psychology. Component 03 is sport and society and contemporary issues. The topic list shows the split.
Is the biomechanics really that important?
It is three topics and 222 questions, and it is where the calculation and definition marks sit on Component 01. Levers, linear and angular motion, fluid mechanics and projectile motion all have precise definitions and formulae that have to be produced rather than recognised.
Do I have to name the psychological theories?
Yes. Sports psychology is marked on named theories and models, and an answer that describes the idea without naming it is credited less. The guide asks for the theory, who proposed it and what it predicts.
How long does one session take?
About twenty minutes for one subtopic, all three steps. Topics here are evenly sized, 41 to 87 questions.
Can I do it in my head instead of writing?
Write. PE marks turn on precise physiological terms and named theories. The method page sets out the evidence.
When should I start?
H555 is linear, so all three papers are sat at the end of Year 13. Component 01 content is taught first and is the largest written paper, so it rewards early passes.
Do I still need past papers?
Yes. The method puts the content into memory. Past papers train the applied and extended responses. OCR publishes them free.
For parents
What is this, in plain terms?
A PDF of 2,133 exam-style questions covering the examined content of OCR A-Level Physical Education, with the answers printed after each topic.
My child assumed PE would be mostly practical.
The practical performance and the evaluation task are assessed in school. The three written papers carry the majority of the grade and they examine anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, psychology and sociology in detail.
How do I know if it is being used properly?
There should be handwritten answers on paper and three passes over the same questions, and two scores per session to compare.
How much is it compared with a textbook?
£8.00 for the whole specification. An endorsed A-Level PE textbook is usually £30 to £40.
How do I check it is the right course?
The specification code is on the exam timetable. OCR Physical Education is H555.
How much time does the whole course take?
148 subtopics at roughly twenty minutes each is about 49 hours for a full first pass, spread across two years.
What else does my child need?
Past papers, which OCR publishes free, and their own notes for anything not yet taught.
OCR A-Level Physical Education Active Recall Guide
2,133 questions with their answers, 148 subtopics, one file.