Examination Board   
Edexcel

Duration   
This is a one or two year course and can be taken as a single, double or triple A level equivalent, or as just an AS level equivalent.

Minimum entry   
You will need to have achieved the College’s standard minimum entry requirement for level 3 of five Cs or above at GCSE, preferably including English, PE and Science.  You do not need to have studied GCSE PE as an entry requirement but you must have an interest in sport, whether this is performing, leading or officiating. If you are including a BTEC First qualification as part of your entry requirements for this course you will need to have achieved a Merit grade.

Possible Combinations  
Sport combines well with virtually all other advanced levels & provides a real opportunity to widen your programme of study. A level Psychology & Biology link well.

Skills developed (By Performance &  Excellence you will extend your skills in the following areas:)  

• Technical & Tactical Coaching
• Athletes Lifestyle
• Fitness testing
• Analysis and profiling of sports
• performance
• Sports injuries
• Sports Coaching
• First Aid

Elite Performance Opportunities
For those players who show ability, dedication and aptitude we will provide extended playing opportunities through a range of community club links such as:
Chicago Fire FC, Rising Ballers, Shooting Stars Netball Club, University of Portsmouth FC and many more.

Employment opportunities
A range of paid coaching opportunities will be made available to students who apply themselves in all areas of the course.

What does the course involve?
Portsmouth College has spent the last three years developing a sporting pathway in a range of sports:

• Men’s and Women’s Football
• Basketball
• Badminton
• Rugby
• Netball

This brand new course has been designed to allow talented athletes to achieve their maximum potential in their desired sport.  The syllabus has been structured so that all of its components, both theoretical and practical, enhance the knowledge of a performer who wishes to excel as a player and/or follow a chosen career in sport. As part of the course you will have a minimum of two coaching sessions a week whilst also representing the College in the Hampshire Colleges League every Wednesday afternoon.

The college has a range of local, regional, national and international partners who will support the delivery of this course in order to ensure that you can reach the level of performance your ambition requires. This includes potential scholarships opportunities in the U.S (football) as well as Italy and Sweden (basketball). If you would prefer to carry on into higher education locally this programmes dovetails with a number of University of Portsmouth courses and initiatives including: Sports Development, Sports Science, Up for Sport and a number of the Athletic Union sports clubs.

We are also able to offer paid coaching opportunities, through the Soccerette Academy and the Goals Centre, to those students who show a passion to follow a career in coaching.

Specific Content
Year 1 - Certificate (AS Level)
(in addition to the practical hours delivered through the Sports Academy)
Unit Topics
1 -        Principles of Anatomy and Physiology in Sport
2 -        The Physiology of Fitness
7 -        Fitness Testing for Sports and Exercise Science
3 -        Assessing Risk in Sport

Year 1 - Subsidiary Diploma (One A Level)
Unit Topics
27 -    Technical and Tactical Skills in Sport
28 -    The Athletes Lifestyle
8 -    Practical Team Sports

Year 1 – Diploma (Two A Levels)
Unit Topics
4 -    Fitness Training and Programming
11 -    Sports Nutrition
17 -    Psychology of Sports Performance

Year 2 – Extended Diploma (Three A Levels)
Unit Topics
5 -    Sports Coaching
14 -    Exercise, Health and Lifestyle
18 -    Sports Injuries
19 -    Analysis of Sports Performance
20 -    Talent Identification and Development in Sport
22 -    Rules, Regulations and Officiating in Sport
23 -    Organising Sports Events
26 -    Work Experience in Sport
41 -    Profiling Sports Performance

How will I be assessed?
The BTEC Level 3 in Sport: Performance & Excellence is continually assessed throughout each year, students will gain an overall grade for each unit e.g. pass, merit or distinction. At the end of the course these grades will be totaled together to give the student an overall grade for their chosen pathway.

The teaching staff will use a variety of assessment methods replicating those used within universities e.g. research projects, practical participation, video diaries, coursework and basic examinations.  

The Community Sports Leadership and Higher Sports Leadership awards are embedded into the Extended Diploma and assessment is completed through coaching sports to local primary and secondary schools. These additional qualifications can therefore be achieved as part of the BTEC.

Where could the subject take me in the future?

• University to study;  Sports Science, Sports Development, Sports Coaching, PE, Sports Therapy, Sports Management, or Physiotherapy
• Employment within the Sports/Leisure industry eg. coaching, officiating