All twelve areas of the 8386 syllabus - explained, applied and self-marked. Free, no login.
Both pages list the same topics, in the same order. Here is the difference in one line each.
Use the syllabus page to check you are revising the right things. Use this page to learn them.
Cambridge AS Level PE 8386 (Sport & Physical Education) is twelve syllabus areas and forty topics, and every one of the forty has its own revision page on this site, in Cambridge's own order. The areas run from the anatomy and the mechanics of movement, through the physiology of the heart and the lungs, to the psychology of how skills are learned and the sociocultural questions around sport.
Joints, movements and muscles is five topics: Joints and Movements, Functions of Muscles, Types of Muscle Contraction, Muscle Fibre Types and Movement Analysis of Actions. Biomechanics is five more: Linear Motion, Newton's Laws of Motion, Angular Motion, Parabolic and Non-Parabolic Flight and Properties of Bodies and Objects.
The cardiovascular system is four topics: Structure and Function of the Heart, The Conduction System and the Cardiac Cycle, Factors Affecting Cardiac Output and Function of the Vascular System. The respiratory system is two: Mechanics and Regulation of Breathing and Gaseous Exchange and Respiration.
Skill and ability is two topics: Classification of Skills and Abilities. Theories of learning is three: Motor Programmes, Theories of Learning Motor Skills and Schmidt's Schema Theory. Information processing is four: Information Processing and Performance, Feedback, Memory and Response Time.
Practice and learning is five topics: Types of Practice, Types of Guidance, Stages of Learning, Transfer of Learning and Motivation. Sociocultural issues is five more: The Conceptual Basis of Sport and Physical Education, Sport, Physical Education, Regular Participation and Achieving Excellence. Ethics and deviance is three: Performance-Enhancing Drugs, Violence in Sport and Competition Manipulation. Commercialisation and the media and The use of technology in sport are one topic each, and they close the syllabus.
8386 has one route only. It is an AS Level, so the highest grade open to you is an a, and there is no Core and Extended split - every candidate studies all twelve areas and sits the same two components. Half of the marks are awarded for performing rather than writing, because Component 2 Coursework is 50% of the qualification, so this site is plain about what it can do for you: it teaches and tests the whole of Component 1 Theory, and the coursework half is assessed in your school and externally moderated.
| Route | Papers you sit | Grades open to you | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| AS Level PE - the only route | Component 1 and Component 2 | grades a to e | Both components are taken in the same exam series and they are equally weighted, at 50% of the AS Level each. Component 1 Theory is a written paper; Component 2 Coursework is assessed in your school and externally moderated, in two physical activities of your choice. Cambridge does not split 8386 into a Core and an Extended route, so there is no choice of paper to make. |
Component 1 Theory is 50% of the AS Level and Component 2 Coursework is the other 50%.
| Paper | Time | Marks | What it tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| Component 1 - Theory | 1 h 45 min | 70 marks | Structured questions and extended response questions testing AO1 and AO2. Some questions assess mathematical skills. |
| Component 2 - Coursework | assessed in school | 70 marks | Coursework in two physical activities of your choice, 35 marks each, internally assessed and externally moderated. Tests AO3. |
Half the marks on this syllabus are for performing, not for writing: AO3 is 50% of the AS Level and it is the coursework. Inside the components the split is clean - Component 1 is 50% AO1 and 50% AO2, and Component 2 is 100% AO3. Every question on this site's AS Level PE pages is tagged AO1 or AO2, the two objectives Component 1 tests, so you can see which one you are practising.
The full topic list, with every topic linked to its revision page, is on the AS Level PE 8386 syllabus page. Work through the areas below in order, or jump straight to what you need tonight.
Work through them in order or jump straight to what you need tonight. Each topic page teaches the content, then tests it.
Joint types and movement, muscle function, contraction types, fibre types and full movement analysis of sporting actions.
Linear and angular motion, Newton's laws, projectile flight and the properties of bodies and objects.
Heart structure and function, the conduction system and cardiac cycle, cardiac output and the vascular system.
Mechanics and regulation of breathing, gaseous exchange and respiration.
Classification of skills across the continua, and the abilities that underpin them.
Motor programmes, theories of motor skill learning and Schmidt's schema theory.
Information processing and performance, feedback, memory and response time.
Types of practice, types of guidance, the stages of learning, transfer of learning and motivation.
The conceptual basis of sport and physical education, sport, physical education, regular participation and achieving excellence.
Performance-enhancing drugs, violence and competition manipulation.
The factors driving commercialisation, the golden triangle, and how to evaluate its effects.
Technology in equipment, clothing, footwear, surfaces, facilities, cameras and software - and how to evaluate it.
Knowing the content and scoring marks are two different skills. These tools train the second one.
Every command word Cambridge uses, what it actually means, and what the examiner wants to see. Includes a trainer that shows you the difference between a 1-mark and a 2-mark answer to the same question.
OpenEvery question on the site in one place. Filter by topic, command word, marks or AO1/AO2, then build a set and mark yourself against the scheme.
OpenReal student answers that score badly, the exact reason each one loses marks, and the version that scores. This is where most marks are quietly thrown away.
OpenTen random questions. Get a score, a breakdown by area, and a focused follow-up set built from whatever you were weakest on.
OpenYour Learn / Practise / Test / Mastered status for every topic, saved in this browser. Shows exactly what is left.
OpenPick the time you actually have. The plan changes to fit it.
No packs to buy, no subscription and no login. Every topic, every question and every diagram is open to any student who needs it.
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