Sport (= 3 A Level)

5 GCSEs at grade 4 or above

Including English Language or English Literature GCSE grade 4

Maths GCSE at grade 3 or above

Students will study the following units across the two years of their programme.

Mandatory Units:

Anatomy and Physiology (exam)

Development and Provision of Sport & Physical Activity (controlled assessment)

Fitness Training and Programming for Health, Sport and Well-being (controlled assessment)

Investigating Business in Sport and the Active Leisure Industry (coursework unit)

Skill Acquisition in Sport (coursework unit)

Professional Development in the Sports Industry (coursework unit)

Sports Leadership (coursework unit)

Practical Sports Performance (coursework unit)

Coaching for Performance (coursework unit)

Research Methods in Sport (coursework unit)

Four externally assessed units & six internally assessed units.

Optional Units (study 4 from the following):

Work Experience in Active Leisure (coursework unit)

Sports Event Organisation (coursework unit)

Sports Injury Management (coursework unit)

Exercise, Health & Lifestyle (coursework unit)

Principles and Practices for Outdoor and Adventurous Activities (coursework unit)

Application of Fitness Testing (coursework unit)

Four internally assessed units.

Skills Developed

Students studying the diploma will also have the opportunity to take part in our student management team, helping to run lunch time activities such as badminton and tennis club. During the summer term, students are also expected to complete work experience, in preparation for Year 13.

During this course you will gain:

Coaching and leadership skills

Fitness testing and analysis

Teamwork and communication

Research and report writing

Planning and organisation

Professional practice

Independent learning

Presentation skills

You'll learn through a variety of methods, including:

Classroom-based lessons

Practical sports activities

Coaching and leadership sessions

Fitness testing activities

Group projects

Presentations and workshops

Independent research

Industry-related learning

Students are encouraged to work independently, develop self-management skills and actively participate in practical activities that support assessment and progression.

Assessment includes:

Four externally assessed units

Six internally assessed units

Coursework assignments

Controlled assessments

Practical assessments

Presentations and project work

You will receive regular feedback throughout the course to help you improve your practical performance, coursework quality and examination outcomes.

Sports students at St Brendan’s have access to an excellent range of facilities which are used to support your learning. These include a 4G football and rugby pitch, 4 outdoor floodlit netball/tennis courts and grass football pitches, multipurpose sports hall and fitness suite, teaching rooms and IT facilities.

During the course, students are charged for printing and revision books can be purchased. Payment for the cost of the outdoor and adventurous unit is also expected for Extended Diploma students. Costs for day trips, which form a valuable part of the course which all students are expected to attend, may also be charged. Students are expected to bring a ring binder folder but will be given a set of dividers to help manage their work.

As this qualification is equivalent to three A-levels, it is normally studied as a full programme and cannot usually be combined with additional Level 3 qualifications.

The BTEC Level 3 Sport Extended Diploma is a nationally recognised A-level standard course that facilitates employment within the industry due to its vocational relevance and emphasis on the development of employability skills.

Students can use the course to progress on to higher education where there are many foundation and full degrees in a range of sporting disciplines.

Employment in the Leisure and Recreation industry could include a wide variety of careers such as Teacher, Sports Therapy, Sports Development Officer, Community Coach, Fitness Instruction or employment in other fields of sport & leisure.

Enrichment (H2 title) enrichment

Students can enhance their learning through:

National Governing Body coaching qualifications

Officiating qualifications

Sports development projects

Volunteering opportunities with sports providers

Work with local primary schools

Guest speakers from the sports industry

Visits to sports and leisure venues

Participation in college sports teams

Coaching and refereeing opportunities

These experiences help build your CV, strengthen university applications and prepare you for employment in the sector