Physical Education
Which schools in England make Physical Education a big part of the curriculum, and where results are strongest. Entries and grades from the 2025 performance tables.
Physical Education GCSE was taken in 2,461 schools in England in 2025, with 77,874 entries — about 11% of the Year 11 cohort.
Nationally 24% of entries achieved grade 7 or above. The tables below show the schools where the largest share of pupils take the subject, and where grades are highest (schools with at least 20 entries).
At Holyport College (Windsor and Maidenhead) 56% of the year group took Physical Education.
At A level, Physical Education was offered in 1,185 schools and colleges, with 10,181 entries — roughly 3% of A level students.
GCSE: schools with the highest share of grades 7–9
Schools with at least 20 entries. England: 24% of entries graded 7–9. High grades often reflect who is admitted (selective and independent schools) as much as teaching.
| # | School | Local authority | Entries | Cohort | Share | Grades 7–9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brighton College | Brighton and Hove | 34 | 217 | 16% | 100% |
| 2 | Pate's Grammar School | Gloucestershire | 33 | 151 | 22% | 97% |
| 3 | Sir Thomas Rich's School | Gloucestershire | 30 | 156 | 19% | 97% |
| 4 | Colfe's School | Greenwich | 27 | 119 | 23% | 96% |
| 5 | The Leys School | Cambridgeshire | 27 | 95 | 28% | 96% |
| 6 | Emanuel School | Wandsworth | 50 | 184 | 27% | 96% |
| 7 | St Albans High School for Girls | Hertfordshire | 22 | 130 | 17% | 95% |
| 8 | Royal Grammar School Guildford | Surrey | 41 | 145 | 28% | 95% |
| 9 | Wellington College | Bracknell Forest | 86 | 217 | 40% | 94% |
| 10 | Altrincham Grammar School for Girls | Trafford | 32 | 208 | 15% | 94% |
| 11 | Reading Blue Coat School | Wokingham | 31 | 109 | 28% | 94% |
| 12 | The Judd School | Kent | 56 | 189 | 30% | 93% |
| 13 | St Helen and St Katharine | Oxfordshire | 24 | 98 | 24% | 92% |
| 14 | Colyton Grammar School | Devon | 24 | 152 | 16% | 92% |
| 15 | King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford | Essex | 24 | 150 | 16% | 92% |
| 16 | Surbiton High School | Kingston upon Thames | 35 | 154 | 23% | 91% |
| 17 | Epsom College | Surrey | 58 | 184 | 32% | 91% |
| 18 | Rugby School | Warwickshire | 34 | 162 | 21% | 91% |
| 19 | University College School | Camden | 20 | 183 | 11% | 90% |
| 20 | Maidstone Grammar School | Kent | 60 | 212 | 28% | 88% |
| 21 | Reading School | Reading | 23 | 149 | 15% | 87% |
| 22 | The Latymer School | Enfield | 29 | 191 | 15% | 86% |
| 23 | Reigate Grammar School | Surrey | 35 | 163 | 21% | 86% |
| 24 | King Edward VI School | Southampton | 41 | 161 | 25% | 85% |
| 25 | Kendrick School | Reading | 26 | 128 | 20% | 85% |
| 26 | Alcester Grammar School | Warwickshire | 51 | 151 | 34% | 84% |
| 27 | St Albans School | Hertfordshire | 31 | 154 | 20% | 84% |
| 28 | Loreto Grammar School | Trafford | 24 | 157 | 15% | 83% |
| 29 | Trinity School | Croydon | 41 | 130 | 32% | 83% |
| 30 | Bishop Vesey's Grammar School | Birmingham | 35 | 191 | 18% | 83% |
| 31 | Streatham & Clapham High School GDST | Lambeth | 23 | 111 | 21% | 83% |
| 32 | The King's School | Cheshire West and Chester | 28 | 106 | 26% | 82% |
| 33 | Berkhamsted School | Hertfordshire | 66 | 203 | 33% | 82% |
| 34 | The Market Bosworth School | Leicestershire | 22 | 154 | 14% | 82% |
| 35 | Bournemouth School | Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | 54 | 174 | 31% | 81% |
| 36 | Haberdashers' Boys' School | Hertfordshire | 43 | 156 | 28% | 81% |
| 37 | Tormead School | Surrey | 21 | 96 | 22% | 81% |
| 38 | Altrincham Grammar School for Boys | Trafford | 62 | 202 | 31% | 81% |
| 39 | Southend High School for Boys | Southend-on-Sea | 35 | 178 | 20% | 80% |
| 40 | Reed's School | Surrey | 34 | 106 | 32% | 79% |
A level: schools and colleges where the largest share of students take Physical Education
Entries as a share of A level students (at least 30 A level students and 10 entries). England: 3% of A level students.
What pupils learn in Physical Education, stage by stage
England has no national year-by-year syllabus: exam boards and schools set the order within each stage. These are the statutory blocks from the Department for Education, so a parent can see what a child meets in Years 7–9, what every GCSE candidate must cover, and what waits in the sixth form.
What Key Stage 3 Physical Education teaches · Years 7–9
7 learning outcomes from the Department for Education’s statutory subject content, grouped by topic. Each outcome belongs to one of twelve fields of knowledge used across startfrom.today: Health & Safety (6), Social & Cultural Skills (1). Exam boards add detail on top of these; the outcomes themselves are the same whichever board a school uses.
Subject content7
- use tactics and strategies to overcome opponents in team and individual games — strategy, tactic, team game
- develop technique to improve performance in competitive sports — performance improvement, technique
- perform dances using advanced techniques across a range of styles — dance style, dance technique
- undertake outdoor and adventurous activities that present physical challenges — adventurous activity, outdoor activity
- work in a team to build trust and solve problems — problem-solving, teamwork, trust
- analyse their performances to identify improvement against personal best — performance analysis, personal best
- participate in competitive sport outside school through clubs — extracurricular sport, sports club
Source: DfE National Curriculum in England, Open Government Licence v3.0. Outcomes are split into single actions and rewritten only where the original bundled several; wording otherwise follows the DfE text. Methodology.
What GCSE Physical Education teaches · Years 10–11
33 learning outcomes from the Department for Education’s statutory subject content, grouped by topic. Each outcome belongs to one of twelve fields of knowledge used across startfrom.today: Health & Safety (13), Social & Cultural Skills (11), Natural Sciences (6), Mathematics & Statistics (3). Exam boards add detail on top of these; the outcomes themselves are the same whichever board a school uses.
Applied anatomy and physiology4
- explain the structure and functions of the musculo-skeletal system — musculo-skeletal system
- explain the structure and functions of the cardio-respiratory system — cardio-respiratory system
- distinguish between anaerobic and aerobic exercise — aerobic exercise, anaerobic exercise
- explain the short and long term effects of exercise on the body — long-term effect, short-term effect
Movement analysis2
- explain how lever systems provide mechanical advantage in movement — lever system, mechanical advantage
- identify the planes and axes of movement — axis of movement, plane of movement
Physical training5
- explain the relationship between health, fitness and exercise — fitness, health
- explain the components of fitness and how fitness is measured and improved — component of fitness, fitness testing
- apply principles of training to a personal exercise programme — exercise programme, training principle
- plan a training programme that optimises performance and prevents injury — injury prevention, training optimisation
- apply warm up and cool down routines effectively — cool down, warm up
Use of data3
- collect qualitative and quantitative data on physical activity and sport — qualitative data, quantitative data
- present data on physical activity and sport using tables and graphs — data table, graph
- analyse and evaluate data on physical activity and sport — data analysis, data evaluation
Sport psychology4
- classify skills as basic/complex and open/closed — skill classification
- apply goal setting and SMART targets to improve performance — goal setting, smart target
- use guidance and feedback to improve performance — feedback, guidance
- apply mental preparation techniques for performance — mental preparation
Socio-cultural influences3
- explain engagement patterns of different social groups in physical activity and sport — engagement pattern, social group
- explain the commercialisation of physical activity and sport — commercialisation
- explain ethical and socio-cultural issues in physical activity and sport — ethical issue, socio-cultural issue
Health, fitness and well-being3
- explain the physical, emotional and social benefits of physical activity and sport — emotional benefit, physical benefit, social benefit
- explain the consequences of a sedentary lifestyle — sedentary lifestyle
- explain the role of energy use, diet, nutrition and hydration in physical performance — energy use, hydration, nutrition
Practical performance9
- demonstrate skills and techniques in individual and team sport activities — skill demonstration, technique
- apply decision making, strategies and compositional ideas in physical activity — decision making, strategy
- solve problems spontaneously under pressure in physical activity and sport — performance pressure, problem solving
- apply physical attributes such as strength, stamina and agility in performance — performance, physical attribute
- demonstrate psychological control to achieve successful and fair performance — fair play, psychological control
- adhere to rules, safety guidelines and risk management in physical activity and sport — risk management, rule, safety
- analyse and evaluate performance to bring about personal improvement — performance analysis, personal improvement
- apply team strategies considering the strengths and weaknesses of team members — team member, team strategy
- communicate effectively with other players to achieve a collective outcome — collective outcome, team communication
Source: DfE GCSE physical education subject content (2015), Open Government Licence v3.0. Outcomes are split into single actions and rewritten only where the original bundled several; wording otherwise follows the DfE text. Methodology.
What A level Physical Education teaches · Years 12–13
36 learning outcomes from the Department for Education’s statutory subject content, grouped by topic. Each outcome belongs to one of twelve fields of knowledge used across startfrom.today: Social & Cultural Skills (16), Natural Sciences (10), Health & Safety (6), Digital & ICT Skills (2) and others. Exam boards add detail on top of these; the outcomes themselves are the same whichever board a school uses.
Applied anatomy and exercise physiology8
- explain changes to the musculo-skeletal system before, during and after exerciseYear 13 — musculo-skeletal system
- explain changes to the cardio-respiratory system during exerciseYear 13 — cardio-respiratory system
- explain changes to the neuromuscular system during exerciseYear 13 — neuromuscular system
- explain how energy systems respond during exerciseYear 13 — energy system
- explain how training and lifestyle adapt the body's systemsYear 13 — training adaptation
- explain the effect of diet and nutrition on physical performanceYear 13 — diet, nutrition
- apply preparation and training methods to improve physical performanceYear 13 — training method
- explain injury prevention and rehabilitation methodsYear 13 — injury prevention, rehabilitation
Biomechanical movement5
- apply biomechanical principles such as Newton's laws and centre of mass to performanceYear 13 — centre of mass, newton's laws
- analyse the use of levers in sporting movementYear 13 — lever, mechanical advantage
- analyse movement in physical activities using biomechanical principlesYear 13 — movement analysis
- analyse linear, angular and projectile motion in sporting movementYear 13 — angular motion, linear motion, projectile motion
- explain fluid mechanics as applied to sporting performanceYear 13 — fluid mechanics
Skill acquisition5
- explain skill continuums and the transfer of skills between activitiesYear 13 — skill continuum, transfer of skill
- apply theories of learning and performance to skill developmentYear 13 — learning theory
- explain how skill classification affects the structure of practiceYear 13 — practice structure, skill classification
- evaluate the use of guidance and feedback in skill learningYear 13 — feedback, guidance
- explain memory models relevant to skill acquisitionYear 13 — memory model
Sport psychology5
- explain how personality, motivation and arousal influence performanceYear 13 — arousal, motivation, personality
- analyse how group dynamics influence individual and team performanceYear 13 — group dynamics
- apply goal setting to optimise sporting performanceYear 13 — goal setting
- apply attribution theory and self-efficacy to sporting performanceYear 13 — attribution theory, self-efficacy
- evaluate leadership, confidence and stress management in sportYear 13 — leadership, stress management
Sport and society5
- explain the emergence and globalisation of modern sportYear 13 — globalisation, modern sport
- evaluate the impact of sport on society and of society on sportYear 13 — sport and society
- evaluate the impact of ethics, deviance and commercialisation on sportYear 13 — commercialisation, sporting ethics
- evaluate development routes from talent identification to elite performanceYear 13 — talent identification
- evaluate the relationship between sport and the mediaYear 13 — sport and media
Role of technology2
- explain how technology is used to analyse physical activity and sportYear 13 — sport technology
- evaluate the impact of technology on equipment, performers and audiencesYear 13 — sport technology
Skills4
- apply theories, concepts and models to analyse physical performanceYear 13 — performance analysis
- perform skills and techniques in a chosen physical activityYear 13 — skill performance
- apply strategies, tactics and rules while performing physical activityYear 13 — strategy, tactic
- evaluate own and others' performance in physical activityYear 13 — performance evaluation
Quantitative skills2
- interpret data, graphs and diagrams in the context of physical performanceYear 13 — data interpretation, graph
- use definitions, equations and units of measurement in biomechanicsYear 13 — equation, unit of measurement
Source: DfE GCE AS and A level physical education subject content (2015), Open Government Licence v3.0. Outcomes are split into single actions and rewritten only where the original bundled several; wording otherwise follows the DfE text. Methodology.