WJECAS/A Level20 resources

WJEC AS/A Level Physical Education Past Papers & Mark Schemes

Free WJEC A Level Physical Education past papers & mark schemes. Written papers on exploring and evaluating PE concepts. 24 resources.

📅Summer series📄20 resources availableFree to download

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20 of 20 resources

Summer 2023

4 files

AS/A Level Physical Education – Unit 3: Written: Evaluating Physical Education – Mark Scheme – Summer 2023

Mark Scheme

AS/A Level Physical Education – Unit 1: Written: Exploring Physical Education – Mark Scheme – Summer 2023

Mark Scheme
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AS/A Level Physical Education – Unit 3: Written: Evaluating Physical Education – Past Paper – Summer 2023

Past Paper
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AS/A Level Physical Education – Unit 1: Written: Exploring Physical Education – Past Paper – Summer 2023

Past Paper

Summer 2022

4 files
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AS/A Level Physical Education – Unit 1: Written: Exploring Physical Education – Past Paper – Summer 2022

Past Paper
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AS/A Level Physical Education – Unit 3: Written: Evaluating Physical Education – Past Paper – Summer 2022

Past Paper

AS/A Level Physical Education – Unit 3: Written: Evaluating Physical Education – Mark Scheme – Summer 2022

Mark Scheme

AS/A Level Physical Education – Unit 1: Written: Exploring Physical Education – Mark Scheme – Summer 2022

Mark Scheme

Summer 2019

6 files
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AS/A Level Physical Education – Unit 1: Written: Exploring Physical Education – Past Paper – Summer 2019

Past Paper
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AS/A Level Physical Education – Unit 3: Written: Evaluating Physical Education – Past Paper – Summer 2019

Past Paper

AS/A Level Physical Education – Unit 1: Written: Exploring Physical Education – Mark Scheme – Summer 2019

Mark Scheme

AS/A Level Physical Education – Unit 3: Written: Evaluating Physical Education – Mark Scheme – Summer 2019

Mark Scheme

AS/A Level Physical Education – Unit 3: Written: Evaluating Physical Education – Mark Scheme – Summer 2019

Mark Scheme

AS/A Level Physical Education – Unit 1: Written: Exploring Physical Education – Mark Scheme – Summer 2019

Mark Scheme

Summer 2018

4 files

AS/A Level Physical Education – Unit 1: Written: Exploring Physical Education – Mark Scheme – Summer 2018

Mark Scheme

AS/A Level Physical Education – Unit 3: Written: Evaluating Physical Education – Mark Scheme – Summer 2018

Mark Scheme
📄

AS/A Level Physical Education – Unit 1: Written: Exploring Physical Education – Past Paper – Summer 2018

Past Paper
📄

AS/A Level Physical Education – Unit 3: Written: Evaluating Physical Education – Past Paper – Summer 2018

Past Paper

Summer 2017

2 files

AS/A Level Physical Education – Unit 1: Written: Exploring Physical Education – Mark Scheme – Summer 2017

Mark Scheme
📄

AS/A Level Physical Education – Unit 1: Written: Exploring Physical Education – Past Paper – Summer 2017

Past Paper

Exploring and Evaluating Physical Performance: WJEC’s Academic Route Through PE

WJEC AS/A Level Physical Education bridges the gap between practical sport and academic study, applying scientific, psychological, and sociological principles to the analysis of human movement and athletic performance. Unit 1 — Exploring Physical Education (AS, 2 hours, 36% of A Level) — examines exercise physiology, biomechanics, skill acquisition, sport psychology, and the social and cultural factors influencing participation. Questions require candidates to interpret physiological data, analyse movement patterns, and evaluate psychological strategies used by performers. Unit 2 — Improving Personal Performance in Physical Education (AS, NEA, 24%) — assesses practical performance in one sport alongside a personal performance profile that identifies strengths, areas for improvement, and a structured training programme. Unit 3 — Evaluating Physical Education (A2, 2 hours, 28%) — deepens the theoretical analysis: energy systems, periodisation, biomechanical principles, group dynamics, attribution theory, and the commercialisation of sport. Unit 4 (A2, NEA, 12%) requires a coached-performance assessment demonstrating sustained improvement. The 24 resources include papers and mark schemes for both written units.

Exam Paper Structure

Unit 1Calculator ✓

Exploring Physical Education

2 hours🎯 Varies marks📊 36% of grade
Exercise physiologyBiomechanicsSkill acquisitionSport psychologySocial and cultural factors
Unit 2No calculator

Improving Personal Performance

NEA🎯 Varies marks📊 24% of grade
Practical performance in one sportPersonal performance profileStructured training programme
Unit 3Calculator ✓

Evaluating Physical Education

2 hours🎯 Varies marks📊 28% of grade
Energy systems and periodisationAdvanced biomechanicsGroup dynamics and attribution theoryCommercialisation of sport
Unit 4No calculator

Coached Performance

NEA🎯 Varies marks📊 12% of grade
Coached-performance assessmentEvidence of sustained improvement

Key Information

Exam BoardWJEC
Specification CodeEduqas (WJEC) Physical Education
QualificationAS/A Level
Grading ScaleA*–E (A Level), A–E (AS)
Assessment Type2 written exams + 2 practical NEAs
TiersNo tiers
Number Of Papers4 units (2 examined + 2 NEA)
Exam DurationUnit 1: 2 hrs; Unit 3: 2 hrs
Total MarksVaries by component
Calculator StatusCalculator allowed
Available SessionsSummer series
Total Resources24

Key Topics in Physical Education

Topics you need to know

Cardiovascular and respiratory responses to exerciseEnergy systems: ATP-PC, glycolytic, and aerobicBiomechanical principles and motion analysisSkill acquisition and motor learningSport psychology: motivation, arousal, and anxietyGroup dynamics and leadership in sportSociocultural influences on participationCommercialisation and globalisation of sport

Exam Command Words

Command wordWhat the examiner expects
DescribeOutline a physiological process or psychological concept
ExplainGive scientific or theoretical reasons for a phenomenon
AnalyseBreak down a movement, strategy, or data set into components
EvaluateAssess the effectiveness of a training method, strategy, or theory
ApplyUse theoretical knowledge to interpret a sporting scenario

Typical Grade Boundaries

GradeApproximate mark needed
A*77–87%
A67–76%
B56–66%
C45–55%
D34–44%
E23–33%

⚠️ Typical A Level boundaries across all four units. Boundaries vary by session.

Applying Science to Sport: Revision Strategies for WJEC PE

Exercise physiology questions demand precise scientific vocabulary. Know the structures and functions of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, the energy continuum (ATP-PC, anaerobic glycolysis, aerobic), and the physiological responses to exercise (cardiac output = stroke volume × heart rate). Practise drawing and labelling diagrams of the heart, the alveoli, and the structure of skeletal muscle fibres. Biomechanics questions often present graphical data — force–time curves, displacement–time graphs, or angular velocity measurements. Practise extracting information from these graphs: identify the peak force, calculate the impulse (area under the curve), or explain how lever systems generate speed. Link your quantitative observations to practical sporting examples to demonstrate application. Sport psychology topics (motivation, arousal, anxiety, group dynamics) are frequently examined through scenario-based questions. Prepare structured responses that identify the psychological issue, select an appropriate theory (e.g., inverted-U hypothesis for arousal, Tuckman’s model for group dynamics), apply it to the scenario, and evaluate its relevance. Avoid generic answers that ignore the specific context provided in the question.

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