OCR Sport Studies

Cambridge National Technical Award in Sport Studies will encourage students to think for themselves about the study of sport and the application to real life practical sport, leadership and evaluation of the skills required there. They will study up to the minute topics affecting sport through the contemporary issues unit, both play and lead sporting activities, as well as having the chance to either explore the world of outdoor sport.

Structure of the course in Key Stage 4:

Pupils will have a one-hour lesson and a 90-minute lesson of Sports Studies per week. These lessons will be mixed between classroom, computer rooms and practical lessons. The course is split into three units covering a written exam, internally assessed coursework written on the computer with some practical assessment, leading a sports session and a trip to an outdoor activity centre.

Content of the course:

Unit 1 – 40% – Contemporary Issues in Sport

Topic Area 1: Issues which affect participation in sport
Topic Area 2: The role of sport in promoting values
Topic Area 3: The implications of hosting a major sporting event for a city or country
Topic Area 4: The role National Governing Bodies (NGBs) play in the development of their sport
Topic Area 5: The use of technology in sport

Unit 2 – 40% – Performance and Leadership in Sports activities

Topic Area 1: Key components of performance
Topic Area 2: Applying practice methods to support improvement in a sporting activity
Topic Area 3: Organising and planning a sports activity session
Topic Area 4: Leading a sports activity session
Topic Area 5: Reviewing your own performance in planning and leading a sports activity session

Unit 3 – 20% – AIncreasing awareness of Outdoor and Adventurous Activities

Topic Area 1: Provision for different types of outdoor and adventurous activities in the UK
Topic Area 2: Equipment, clothing and safety aspects of participating in outdoor and adventurous activities
Topic Area 3: Plan for and be able to participate in an outdoor and adventurous activity
Topic Area 4: Evaluate participation in an outdoor and adventurous activity

Assessment in the subject:

Component 1 – This unit is assessed through a 1 hour 15-minute written exam. Lessons will be in the classroom.
Component 2 – This unit is a mixture of practical lessons and computer-based coursework.
Component 3 – This unit is a mixture of computer-based coursework and a trip to an outdoor adventure centre.

Pathways Post 16:

This vocational course includes a wide range of content for a job in the sports industry. If you are interested in working in sport as a performer, outdoor activity instructor, PE teacher, sports coach, sports analyst, sports development officer, sports marketing officer. There are so many opportunities this course would help with. Students will also develop transferable skills, in particular communication and aspects of team working.

Sport Studies level 2 links to Level 3 Technical Awards in Sport at post-16 colleges. Over recent years there has been an increase in local sports clubs offering scholarships alongside Level 3 Technical Awards from a variety of local semi-professional football clubs. This involves half a day football training plus half a day studying.

Level 3 Technical Award courses are widely accepted by most Universities including Russell Group Universities. In 2021, 25% of students starting University had a Technical Award qualification opposed to an A-level. Technical Awards can also lead to level 4 and 5 diploma’s involving working in industry whilst completing a degree course.

Extra-curricular opportunities:

Students would be encouraged to represent the school in sports and complete their Sports Leaders Award through compulsory PE lessons. This is a nationally accredited award involving delivering PE lessons to students at Fernwood Infant School. We would also encourage Sport Studies students to apply for PE prefect status in year 11 and encourage students to help support teachers with the delivery of Key Stage 3 extra-curricular clubs.

Students will get the opportunity to experience a trip to an outdoor activity centre such as Nottingham Climbing Centre or Holme Pierrepoint as part of their assessment. Finally, through the course we offer students the opportunity to visit Loughborough University to experience some sport lectures, a tour around their world class sport facilities and participate in some practical sports. Both trips would accrue a cost to parents.

Options – OCR Sport Studies FAQs

Does doing Sport Studies mean I have more practical lessons?

Yes, you will have more practical lessons and there are probably more practical lessons in Sport Studies compared. Practical lessons will not be every week and there maybe a series of practical lessons or computer-based lessons depending on the unit of work.

Are Cambridge Nationals seen as equivalent to GCSE’s?

Sport Studies is the equivalent of one GCSE and is accepted by all local colleges and sixth form academies as part of their entry requirements. BTEC’s are widely accepted by Universities across a wide range of degrees.

How is Sport Studies graded?

The course is assessed through a mix of internally assessed assignments (worth 60% of the final grade) and an externally assessed written examination (worth 40% of the final grade). The grades that can be awarded are:

Level 2 Distinction* (equivalent to an A* or approximately an 8 in GCSE grades)
Level 2 Distinction (equivalent to an A or a 7 in GCSE grades)
Level 2 Merit (equivalent to a B or approximately a 6 in GCSE grades)
Level 2 Pass (equivalent to a C or a 4 in GCSE grades)
Level 1 Pass/Merit/Distinction (equivalent to a F/E/D or approximately 1/2/3 in GCSE grades)

Is Sport Studies the right choice for me or would I better be doing studying GCSE PE?

If you have a keen interest in sport but do not necessarily play outside of school, you enjoy your PE lessons, prefer working on computers and working practically Sport Studies maybe the better option for you. Additionally, I would recommend if you are pathway 2 or 3 student Sport Studies would be more suited to your strengths.