The written exam in LCPE (Leaving Cert Physical Education) is worth 50% of your total Leaving Cert grade and assesses all of the theory covered across the two strands of the course. Strand one ( towards optimum performance) is covered in 5th Year and strand 2 (contemporary issues in physical activity) is covered throughout 6th Year.
Guide
How to get a H1 in your Leaving Cert PE exam
By Karen Lynch - 5 minute readPE teacher, Karen, gives her advice on how to achieve a H1 result in your Leaving Cert Physical Education exam.
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Introduction
Action verbs
Before you tackle the exam, it is a good idea to familiarise yourself with the PDST action verb poster:
There are a range of key action verbs that will continuously pop up in exam questions. How you should approach your answers will be determined by the level at which each verb lies. Verbs at levels 1-3 on the chart will generally require lower-order answers, whilst levels 4–6 require more detailed answers and a higher level of thinking.
Be sure to examine each verb carefully because sometimes you may be expected to write more than the obvious answer. For instance, the verb ‘identify’ requires you to not only list but provide a brief description of something. So, if asked to identify a fitness test for cardiovascular endurance, it is not enough to simply name the test i.e. ‘the Cooper run’, you must elaborate and explain how the Cooper run is a cardiovascular endurance test which assesses how far an athlete can run over a 12-minute time period.
The following criteria from the PDST will help you develop your answers and achieve maximum points in the exam:
Exam breakdown
The paper is 2.5 hours long for both higher and ordinary levels and is divided into three sections:
Section A: short questions
Here's a breakdown of this section with some tips and tricks included:
It is recommended to spend approximately 50 minutes on this section.
You will answer 10 out of 12 short questions from all theoretical aspects of the course.
Each short question is marked evenly and is generally asked using lower-order questioning (levels 1-3).
It’s a good idea to try and answer an extra question if you have time.
Section B: case study
Here's a breakdown of this section with some tips and tricks included:
It is recommended to spend approximately 40 minutes on the case study question.
You will be asked about a recent sporting event that has been in the news and you will apply your theoretical knowledge to your answers.
Generally, this question will be divided into 4 or 5 parts which usually begin with basic action verbs and progress into higher-order questioning.
The case study question will ask about a sport that most students are not familiar with. You are expected to apply your knowledge of theory and show your ability to read the data/graphs provided.
Common theory-related questions for this question may include the principles of training, rest and recovery strategies, injuries and treatments associated with the sport, training outside the activity, etc.
Sports assessed so far
Sports assessed so far in higher and ordinary-level papers (and are possibly unlikely to pop up again in coming years) include the following:
| Higher level | Ordinary level |
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Section C: long questions
Here's a breakdown of this section with some tips and tricks included:
You should spend approximately 1 hour on this section.
You have to complete 3 long questions out of 5.
You can attempt an extra question if you have the time but always read the question carefully.
It’s common for long questions to contain multiple topics so do not begin answering until you have read all parts of the question.
You should read the questions in full before you decide on which topics you are most comfortable with. The last thing you need in an exam is to waste time on a question you cannot fully complete and gain full marks in.
Past papers
There are 4 past/sample papers currently available for higher level and 3 for ordinary level. Each of these, along with marking schemes, can be found by accessing the examinations archive website: https://www.examinations.ie/exammaterialarchive/
Best of luck in the exam! You will be great.
By Karen Lynch
A PE and Geography teacher and graduate of UL, Karen works at St Declan’s college in Dublin. She has been teaching 5th and 6th years for the past 2 years and is passionate about the new course.