what percentage of pe gcse is coursework

Which GCSEs Have Coursework?

In GCSE by Think Student Editor September 23, 2022 Leave a Comment

If you’re currently trying to decide which GCSEs you should take, it’s important to know whether the option you’re considering will involve coursework. Coursework is a useful way of showing your ability outside of taking written exams. Coursework can allow you to: take more responsibility for what you study, study a topic in more depth, and have more control over the pace at which you study.

To understand which subjects involve coursework and learn the percentage of coursework and exams in these subjects, keep reading this article.

Table of Contents

Do GCSEs still have coursework?

After new education plans were introduced in 2015, most GCSEs no longer include any coursework that count towards students’ final grades. Before this, there would be coursework tasks even in subjects such as maths and English.

In some subjects coursework was done through long written tasks, whereas in maths this was done through a handling data project and an applying mathematics task. In English Language, 40% of the end grade used to be from coursework. This was through assessment of speaking, listening and written assignments.

Despite the recent changes to the GCSE system, all creative and practical subjects do still have some level of coursework. This is because in certain subjects, like Art for example, coursework is necessary for students to demonstrate their talent at particular skills. The subjects that have coursework are Food Preparation & Nutrition, Drama, Art, Music, DT (Design Technology), and PE (Physical education).

What percentage of creative or practical GCSEs is coursework?

No GCSE is currently 100% coursework. There will always be some weighting placed on final exams. All of these final exams are written, apart from Art which is instead a creative project done under time pressure.

Also, it’s important to note that for the same subject, different exam boards may require different amounts of coursework. Make sure to find out which exam board your school uses for the particular subject you’re considering. If your school offers IGCSEs, have a read of this Think Student article to understand the difference between them and normal GCSEs.

Have a look at the table below which has information outlining what percentage of the GCSEs are coursework and exams. This data is from AQA’s website .

In each of these subjects, the type of task to be completed for coursework is completely different. Most exam boards refer to coursework as a non-exam assessment (NEA).  

What does GCSE coursework involve?

In the Food Preparation and Nutrition GCSE, the non-exam assessment mainly consists of a cooking practical. Students will have to prepare, cook and present a final menu of three dishes. The students will then have to write a report about their work and include photographic evidence. To find out more about the Food Preparation and Nutrition course, visit the AQA page .

For the coursework in Drama, there are two different components. One involves performing a group devised mini play and keeping a log of the creation process. The other involves performing two extracts from a play. To find out more about GCSE Drama, visit the AQA page .

In GCSE Art, the coursework component consists of selecting and presenting a portfolio representative of their course of study. The portfolio must include one main project as well as a selection of other work from activities such as experiments, skills-based workshops, or responses to gallery visits. To find out more about GCSE Art, visit the AQA page .

In GCSE Music, students must do both an ensemble performance and a solo performance using the instrument of their choice (which can be voice). They must also create two different music compositions. To find out more about GCSE Music, visit the AQA page .

For coursework in GCSE DT, students must design and produce a product. This will involve investigating design possibilities, planning, creating their idea, and evaluating the end result. At school, students will have to use special equipment such as machines and saws. To find out more about GCSE DT, visit the AQA page .

For coursework in GCSE PE, students will be assessed through their performance in three different sports or physical activities of their choice. One has to be a team activity, one an individual activity, and the third either a team or individual activity. Students will also be assessed on their analysis and evaluation of their improvements in performance.  To find out more about GCSE PE, visit the AQA page .

Does GCSE Science have coursework?

GCSE Science doesn’t involve any graded coursework. However, there is a list of required practicals that students are supposed to complete. These science practicals will involve following instructions set out by the teacher to investigate materials or scientific principles.  Students will often have to write up the method and conclusion. It’s important that students try their best to understand these practicals as there will be questions about them that are worth several marks in the exams.

Does GCSE English have coursework?

GCSE English technically doesn’t have any coursework that has a weighting on the final grade. However, in English Language there’s a compulsory spoken language assessment that isn’t done at the same time as normal GCSE exams. It’s reported as a separate grade (either Pass, Merit, Distinction or Not Classified) and doesn’t contribute to the result of the GCSE English Language qualification. To learn more about the spoken language assessment, have a look at this AQA page .

For English Literature, despite there not being any coursework tasks, there are of course novels and poems that students need to become familiar with in order to pass the GCSE. This will have to be done throughout Year 10 and Year 11. Students might be set the homework of reading a couple of chapters for example.

What are some tips for completing GCSE coursework?

If you’re deciding to do one or multiple GCSE subjects that involve coursework, it’s crucial that you can be organised enough to complete them to the best possible standard. As seen from the table shown previously, coursework makes up a significant proportion of the final grade. To have the best chance at getting a high grade, you’ll need to put an adequate amount of time into the task and not treat it as trivial.

In GCSE Art in particular, there is a lot of work that will need to be completed throughout the two-year course. A lot of homework will end up being graded for coursework as they will go in your portfolio. GCSE Art is often said to be one of the most stressful GCSEs because of this constant pressure of getting work done on time out of school.

If you love art and want to continue studying it, it’s important to manage your time well and not post-pone completing tasks until the last minute. As soon as you start getting behind with work that needs completing, that’s when you’ll really start to struggle and make things harder for yourself. If you want to learn how to get a good grade in GCSE Art in general, check out this Think Student article .

Make sure that you always note down what you’ve got to get done and by what date. This could be in a physical planner, on an app on your phone, or on a digital calendar. Perhaps set a specific time each weekend to complete any remaining work that you didn’t manage to get done during the week. If you remain on schedule, you’ll significantly reduce any stress plus you’ll have a higher chance of producing your best quality work.

All you need to know about choosing a PE GCSE

Pe gcse: what do you study.

‍ In the PE GCSE, you’ll learn about a wide variety of topics from why athletes take performance-enhancing drugs to what constitutes a balanced diet (and no, it's not a cupcake in each hand!). In the GCSE you’ll cover two main themes, with further subtopics in each. These topics are:

• The human body and movement in physical activity and sport :
• Applied anatomy and physiology
• Movement analysis
• Physical training
• Socio-cultural influences and well-being in physical activity and sport:
• Sports psychology
• Socio-cultural influences
• Health, fitness and wellbeing 

It’s worth noting that the PE GCSE does contain a healthy dose of science: you’ll be drawing on your biology knowledge to explain bodily systems (like the cardiovascular system and aerobic system) and human anatomy. You’ll be applying your knowledge of physics to explain how we move and the stress this can put on our body and you’ll even have to consider chemistry when thinking about why athletes take performance-enhancing drugs.  If you haven’t figured it out by now, it’s worth stating that the PE GCSE has a huge crossover with other mandatory and optional GCSE subjects. Plus it’s great for students that are sporty/athletic as it allows you to be marked in other areas, not just written exams!

How to pass PE GCSE? 

To know how to pass your exams, you’ve got to understand what the examiner wants you to know and the best way of getting this information across. A good starting place is to look forward to the exam format, by knowing this you can make sure you’re focusing your revision on the stuff that's really relevant. So let’s take a look together.

• Practical (40%) - all students will need to perform to a competitive level in three sports; this can either be two individual sports (like athletics or golf)  and one team sport (like netball or football) or the other way round. * There’s a huge list of both individual and team sports to choose from, so once you’ve decided which sport you’re going to be assessed in, head over to the AQA website to see what areas the examiners/teachers will be looking to grade you in. 
• Theory (60%) - this is split into two written exams, each worth 30% of the GCSE. In the exams, you’ll have a mixture of multiple-choice, short-form and mediam-form questions. The first paper covers the human body and movement in physical activity and sport, while the second covers socio-cultural influences and well-being in physical activity and sport.

Is PE GCSE hard?

‍ Interestingly, the PE GCSE has gotten slightly tougher in the last few years, this is because the emphasis on ‘theory’ has become greater, the GCSE used to have a split of 40% theory and 60% practical. Whereas now, the split has switched with 60% theory and 40% practical.

What jobs can you get with a PE GCSE? 

While no single GCSE can guarantee you a job, the PE GCSE can provide a great diving board for you to discover career paths that appeal to you. It’s no secret that the more we research health and wellbeing the higher it is in our agenda, in fact in 2020 in the UK alone the health and wellness industry was valued at a whopping £12.4 billion, yes that’s right billion! That’s a motivator, right there! The PE GCSE doesn’t just cover sports, it looks at the fuel you put into your body as well as how your body recovers and heals from an injury. If you really like the idea of the PE GCSE (or you’ve already taken the course and loved it), you might want to think about the following career paths: - Allied health professional - Dietician - Fitness instructor - Masseuse - Nutritionist - PE teacher - Personal trainer - Physiotherapist - Policy advisor  - Professional sportsperson - Sports coach/consultant - Sports science In your PE GCSE, you’ll learn about all of these roles in some detail, and the GCSE could be a great stepping stone to some jobs like a personal trainer!

How can we help? 

Unfortunately, at the moment we don't have any resources that will help you get a winning grade in your PE GCSE. But, we do have something that might help you decide whether a PE GCSE is the right choice for you. Our pathfinder quiz will help you work out what type of career you’re suited to and will thrive in so you can see if completing a PE GCSE will help get you there!

Our aim at Springpod is to empower you students so we’re going to point you to some resources that might be able to offer a little more help! Have a look at the list below: 

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