Performance Analysis (Strengths and Weaknesses)

Overview

The Analysing and Evaluating Performance (AEP) component is a cornerstone of your OCR GCSE PE qualification. It moves beyond simply playing a sport and challenges you to think like a coach or a sports scientist. You will be required to critically observe a live or recorded performance—either your own or a peer's—and dissect it to identify what works well (strengths) and what needs development (weaknesses). This isn't just about spotting mistakes; it's about understanding why they happen and creating a robust, evidence-based plan to improve them. This task directly assesses your ability to apply theoretical knowledge from across the specification to a real-world sporting context, making it a crucial test of your AO2 and AO3 skills.

Key Knowledge & Theory

Core Concepts

To produce a high-level analysis, you must be confident in distinguishing between the three core areas of performance:

1. Skills/Techniques: These are the specific, learned actions required to perform a sport. A key requirement is to break down any given skill into its constituent phases: Preparation, Execution, and Recovery. For example, a tennis serve involves the ball toss and backswing (Preparation), the strike and follow-through (Execution), and returning to a ready position (Recovery). Marks are awarded for identifying the exact phase where a strength or weakness occurs.

2. Components of Fitness: These are the physical attributes that underpin your ability to perform skills effectively. It is vital that you do not confuse these with skills. For instance, "Speed" is a fitness component, whereas a "Fast Sprint" is the application of that fitness within a skill. Your analysis must correctly classify and justify why a specific fitness component is a strength or weakness, such as, 'My lack of cardiovascular endurance (fitness) was a weakness, evidenced by my slower recovery times between sprints in the final ten minutes of the match.'

3. Tactics/Strategies: These are the plans and decisions made before and during a game to increase the chance of success. This could involve team formations, set-plays, or individual decision-making (e.g., choosing to pass instead of shoot). Analysis should focus on the effectiveness of a chosen tactic, referencing its impact on the game's outcome.

Technical Vocabulary

Using precise terminology is non-negotiable for achieving high marks. Examiners are looking for candidates who can communicate their analysis with the clarity of a subject expert. You must integrate the following terms into your work:

• Movement Analysis: Use biomechanical terms like flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, rotation, centre of gravity, levers, and planes of movement to describe why a technique is effective or flawed.
• Fitness Components: Be specific. Instead of 'stamina', use cardiovascular endurance or muscular endurance. Use terms like agility, balance, coordination, power, reaction time, and flexibility correctly.
• Principles of Training: When designing your action plan, you must apply the principles of SPOR (Specificity, Progressive Overload, Reversibility) and the FITT principles (Frequency, Intensity, Time, Type).

Practical Skills

Techniques & Processes

The core practical skill is the analysis itself. A high-scoring approach is the Impact-Cause-Consequence Model:

1. IMPACT (What?): State the observable strength or weakness. e.g., "My lay-up shot consistently missed the target."
2. CAUSE (Why?): Explain the technical or physical reason for it. This is where you apply your theoretical knowledge. e.g., "Biomechanical analysis shows that during the execution phase, my centre of gravity was too far forward, causing me to be off-balance upon take-off."
3. CONSEQUENCE (So what?): Describe the effect this had on the performance or game outcome. e.g., "This resulted in 5 lost scoring opportunities and allowed the opposition to regain possession."

Portfolio/Coursework Guidance

Assessment Criteria

Your AEP is marked against the Assessment Objectives. Understanding this is key to knowing where to focus your effort.

• AO1 (Knowledge): This is for using the correct terminology and showing you understand the concepts.
• AO2 (Application): This is for applying your knowledge to the specific performance you are analysing.
• AO3 (Analysis & Evaluation): This is the most heavily weighted. It's for making judgements about the quality of performance, explaining the causes of weaknesses, and creating a justified action plan. This is where the Impact-Cause-Consequence model is vital.

Building a Strong Portfolio

Your AEP is a written or verbal report. To make it strong:

• Use Specific Examples: Do not make generic statements. Refer to exact moments in a competitive game. For example: "In the third quarter of the match against Saddleworth Netball Club on Saturday, my opponent intercepted my pass because I failed to use a shoulder pass (tactic) and instead opted for a chest pass which had a longer flight time."
• Embed Evidence: If possible, use video clips or diagrams to support your analysis. You can annotate these to pinpoint the exact moment or technical flaw you are describing.
• Justify Everything: Every point you make must be justified. Why is it a strength? How do you know? What was the effect? Why will your proposed action plan work? Link your plan directly to the weakness and explain how the chosen training methods will lead to improvement, referencing SPOR and FITT.