Professional Focus Paper
Course: Physical Education
1.
Level: National 4
Who is this paper for and what is its purpose?
This paper is for teachers and other staff who provide learning, teaching and support as learners work towards
Physical Education National 4.
Curriculum for Excellence is a unique opportunity to raise achievement and to ensure that all learners are better
prepared than they have been in the past for learning, life and work. This is because the new curriculum gives real
scope to build learning 3–18 in a joined-up, seamless way. As a result, progression in learning can be much
stronger with a clear focus on attributes and capabilities, skills (including higher-order thinking skills), and
knowledge and understanding. These are delivered through the experiences and outcomes of the 3–15 Broad
General Education (BGE) and, at the senior phase, through programmes that build directly on the BGE leading to
qualifications. Because of a strengthened focus on the nature and quality of learning experiences, self-motivation is
likely to be increased and learners consequently more engaged and enthused. To ensure continuity and
progression, qualifications at the senior phase have been designed to embrace this unambiguous focus on highquality learning.
Curriculum for Excellence has the flexibility to meet the needs of all learners in their local circumstances, enabling
each to achieve their very best. For example, some centres may take the opportunity to offer qualifications over two
years which might involve learners bypassing qualifications at a given level, whereas others may enable learners to
work towards qualifications within one year. In both cases, the advice in this paper is relevant to the learning and
teaching approaches that learners will encounter. This paper, then, is intended to stimulate professional reflection
and dialogue about learning. It highlights important features of learning which are enhanced or different from
previous arrangements at this SCQF level.
How will you plan for progression in learning and teaching, building on the Broad General Education?
2.
What’s new and what are the implications for learning and teaching?
Physical Educational National 4 consists of three Units.
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Factors Impacting on Performance
Performance Skills
Added Value Unit: Performance
To achieve Physical Education National 4, learners must pass all of the Units, including the Added Value Unit.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
What are the key aspects of Physical Education National 4?
Programmes of learning in Physical Education will enable learners to develop the skills, knowledge, understanding,
capabilities and attributes to perform effectively in a range of physical activities, and will enhance physical wellbeing. Learning is flexible, giving more time to meet learners’ needs, with an increased focus on skills and applying
learning and greater opportunities for personalisation and choice. There is an emphasis on skills development and
the application of those skills in practical and experiential contexts.
Integrated approach to skills development
Factors Impacting on Performance and Performance Skills could be developed in an integrated manner. Learners
should be able to identify the impact on their performance of both physical factors and the mental, emotional and
social domains. Physical Education National 4 provides learners with the opportunity to develop, demonstrate and
improve movement and performance skills. The central theme is to develop approaches to enhance performance
through monitoring and reflection. Practical experiential learning in relevant contexts, supported by investigation
techniques, can be used to develop knowledge, understanding and skills. Physical Education National 4 includes
the development of thinking and practical skills through problem-solving activities, enabling learners to develop
skills, positive attitudes and attributes related to performance and physical activity contexts and to transfer them to
other contexts.
Added Value Unit
Learners will prepare for, and carry out, a performance in a physical activity. This will involve preparing mentally,
emotionally, socially and physically for the performance; selecting and applying performance skills; following rules
and guidelines; carrying out roles and responsibilities and showing appropriate etiquette.
Holistic approaches to assessment
A holistic approach to assessment is recommended where possible. This will enrich the assessment process for
the learner, avoid duplication of assessment and provide more time for learning and teaching. Additionally, it will
allow centres to manage the assessment process more efficiently. There will be naturally occurring opportunities
for assessment that will help learners to attain the standards required for Unit or course assessments. Peerassessed activities, with clear guidelines and the inclusion of learner-friendly marking criteria, should help learners
to improve their reflective and communication skills. Whatever the assessment approach used, it is important that it
encourages personalisation and choice. It is also important that learners receive regular feedback on their
performance. Assessment should meet the varying needs of all learners and be in practical contexts.
Wider range of evidence of learning
Staff can make use of a wider range of evidence including, for example: videos of performance; peer- and selfreflection; graphic organisers; cause and effect; Q charts; oral evidence through question and answering; and use
of ICT and relevant software.
Hierarchy of Units
It is important that any content at one particular SCQF level is not repeated if a learner progresses to the next level
of the hierarchy. The skills and knowledge should be able to be applied to new content and contexts to enrich the
learning experience. This is for centres to manage. Although the Units across different levels have the same titles
and similar structures, the degree of difficulty and complexity in terms of knowledge and understanding and the
application of these to performance differs from one level to the next. This structure enables learners to be given
recognition for their best achievement.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
What are the key features of learning in Physical Education National 4?
Active learning
Learners are expected to gain a range of movement and performance skills, developed and consolidated
throughout the programme and to plan, prepare for, effectively perform and evaluate personal performance in one
physical activity. It is essential that learning experiences provide regular opportunities for learners to engage and
challenge their own thinking and to develop the higher-order thinking skills required to do so. Practical, experiential
learning in relevant contexts and supported investigation techniques will help teachers integrate Unit outcomes and
provide learners with opportunities to develop the essential skills of analysis, evaluation and creativity. During
activities, learners will be required to solve problems and make decisions that will have a positive impact on the
performance they are involved in. For example, in volleyball, learners could consider how to deny space by
implementing a number of strategies that might include using a one- or two-player block, or by using a 2-1
defensive setup behind the block. Learners should then be supported and guided in evaluating the impact of those
strategies and how to use their analysis creatively to inform future problem solving and decision making.
Learning independently
Outcomes are less prescriptive and focus more on skills and applying learning. Staff will want to use learning and
teaching approaches which encourage learners to investigate why factors are causing problems with their
performance, what impact they are having and what evidence they have to support this, how they will overcome the
problems and next steps in the learning process.
To develop independent thinking skills and learning, staff will want to reduce the focus on teacher-led activities and
place a greater emphasis on learners’ experiences within which choices are made, by the learner, based on their
expertise and skill level.
Learners will normally choose from activities that are provided at the centre. However, if a learner has a specific
specialism which is not an activity on offer, then they can be supported and encouraged to develop and
demonstrate the skills of self reliance and self management that will help them to generate the evidence that meets
all of the assessment standards. The assessor within the centre would need to ensure that suitable resources and
appropriate quality assurance mechanisms were in place to manage the practicality of assessing activities outwith
the usual learning environment.
How will you manage the practicalities of assessing activities outwith the usual learning environment?
Responsibility for learning
Practical and experiential tasks should encourage learners to take control of their own learning and generate
opportunities to reflect on and discuss their own progress. Learners should be encouraged to plan, develop and
implement approaches to enhance personal development. By providing regular opportunities to review and discuss
learning, including self- and peer-assessment opportunities, teachers will help learners engage with this process
and to set meaningful targets for improvement.
By using appropriate learning strategies such as graphic organisers, cause and effect charts and Q charts, learners
can be guided towards building their own understanding of the learning process and how it can be used to support
their own development, set targets and aspirations.
How will you ensure that learners are making informed decisions about where they are in their learning and what
they need to do to progress?
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Collaborative learning
Learning and teaching approaches should encourage and develop collaborative working, including learning from
each other. Many practical activity contexts rely on learners working in partnership and teams. As learners build
confidence, they can be encouraged to observe and provide feedback to peers. This creates excellent
opportunities to discuss learning and provide explanations for one another. Performance development is likely to
be enhanced in activity contexts where learners are encouraged to take on a range of roles and responsibilities. In
experiencing different roles learners will help to provide information and support that can shape and guide a
performance. This process also allows learners to build positive relations while demonstrating awareness and
respect for others. The variety of roles could include learners acting as referees, coaches or mentors to their peer
group in a variety of different contexts.
How will you ensure that all learners take on roles and responsibilities in group tasks, as appropriate to their level
of skill and ability?
Applying learning and skills development
Learning experiences will enable learners to develop and demonstrate movement and performance skills in
physical activities. Throughout the programme, there will be learning opportunities which develop and apply higherorder thinking skills as well as literacy and employability skills. A central theme is to encourage learners to continue
participating in physical activities and sport and to develop an awareness of the link between physical activity and
well-being. Learners could be introduced to elements of emotional wellbeing by demonstrating fairness and respect
to build positive relationships before, during and after a competitive performance. For example, learners should
demonstrate tolerance and cooperation while working in team or group situations and should respect others’ views,
opinions and abilities. Learners should also develop an understanding of how the mental, emotional and social
domains can have a significant impact in the development of their performance in practical contexts.
How are you developing skills for learning, life and work?
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
3.
Qualification information
The SQA website provides you with the following documents:
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Assessment Overview
Course Specification
Unit Specification
Support Notes
Course Assessment Specification
Unit Assessment Support Packages
Full information on arrangements for this qualification is available at the SQA website:
Physical Education National 4: http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/45742.html
4.
What other materials are available on the Education Scotland website which staff
could use?
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/resources/nq/p/nqresource_tcm4719509.asp?strReferringChannel=nationalq
ualifications&strReferringPageID=tcm:4-716508-64
Support materials have been produced over the last year to support Curriculum for Excellence and further support
materials and events are planned. This downloadable list is updated quarterly with the most up-to-date details
available from the page below.
Published and planned support for Curriculum for Excellence:
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/publishedandplannedsupport
T +44 (0)141 282 5000 E enquiries@educationscotland.gov.uk W www.educationscotland.gov.uk
Education Scotland, Denholm House, Almondvale Business Park, Almondvale Way, Livingston EH54 6GA
© Crown copyright, 2012
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