OCR A Level PE (H555) Past Papers 2026

Physiological Factors Affecting Performance

Duration: 2h

Psychological Factors Affecting Performance

Duration: 1h

Socio-Cultural Issues in Physical Activity and Sport

Duration: 1h

Practical Performances (NEA)

Duration: Non-exam assessment — completed during the course

Evaluating and Analysing Performance for Improvement (NEA)

Duration: Non-exam assessment — completed during the course

Applying EPOC to context — linking recovery time to the level of anaerobic demand, not just listing phases

Successful responses considered why the performer who sprinted round the track took longer to recover, this included a description of the increased demand of anaerobic work and implication on EPOC. Less successful responses described the two phases of EPOC, however did not explain this factual information in relation to the performer's higher demands.

H555/01

Muscular adaptations to aerobic training — distinguishing structural (mitochondrial density, myoglobin, glycogen stores) from functional (VO2max, endurance capacity)

Less successful responses included indirect functional adaptations such as increased endurance capacity and VO2max. The response gave three identifications however point 1 was not specific to aerobic training and needed to be directed to the SO muscle fibres or the aerobic energy production of FOG muscle fibres.

H555/01

Chronic injury identification — providing both cause and sporting example (not one without the other)

Most candidates identified two chronic injuries however few responses provided correct descriptions of these injuries. Some candidates could use a sporting example to describe the possible cause although many either gave an example without the cause or vice versa. Both possible cause and sporting example were required.

H555/01

Globalisation of sport — distinguishing worldwide business process from 19th-century public school spread

Many candidates confused globalisation of sport with the public schools' spread and export of games. Globalisation is the process which involves sport as a worldwide business, including worldwide media coverage, freedom of movement for players and spectators and corporate brands, leading to greater exposure of people to sport.

H555/03

Roles of UK Sport versus the National Institutes of Sport — not conflating the two organisations or attributing World Class Programme stages to the NIS

Some candidates were hampered by a lack of knowledge of the role of the National Institutes of Sport and so produced imbalanced answers. In the second part there were many misconceptions about the role of the NIS and confusion between the NIS, UK sport and the NGBs. Common misconceptions were that NIS provides coaching, funding and equipment.

H555/03

Commercialisation of sport (AO3) — distinguishing media coverage, sponsorship, and advertising as separate concepts and their relationship

The application of knowledge about the commercialisation of sport (AO3) continues to be a challenge for many candidates, with confusion in the nature and relationship of media coverage, sponsorship and advertising evident.

H555/03

Attitude formation — applying specifically to 'negative' attitude formation rather than general attitude components

Candidates were required to apply their knowledge of attitude formation to specifically a 'negative' attitude. Responses referring to general attitude formation were therefore not credited. Some candidates wrote about attitude components instead and were not given the marks.

H555/02

Lever systems evaluation in Section C — evaluating both mechanical advantage and disadvantage of 2nd and 3rd class levers, not just one side

While most candidates showed some knowledge and understanding of lever systems, many responses did not fully evaluate their role. Many candidates described the mechanical advantage of a 2nd class lever and the mechanical disadvantage of a 3rd class lever without considering the other side of evaluation.

H555/01