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Understanding why people participate in physical activity — and why they do not — is a core part of AQA GCSE PE Paper 2. The specification identifies twelve key factors that influence participation in sport and physical activity. You need to know every one of them, be able to explain how each works, and give sporting examples for each.
Physical activity contributes to physical, emotional and social health. Governments, national governing bodies (NGBs) and charities all invest in increasing participation because of the proven benefits:
| Area of Health | Benefit of Participation |
|---|---|
| Physical | Reduces risk of heart disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes |
| Emotional | Releases serotonin, reduces stress, improves self-esteem |
| Social | Builds friendships, teaches cooperation and teamwork |
Despite these benefits, participation levels in the UK remain uneven across different social groups. The twelve factors below help to explain why.
flowchart TD
P[Factors Affecting Participation]
P --> PE[Personal]
P --> SO[Social]
P --> PR[Practical]
PE --> PE1[Attitudes]
PE --> PE2[Role models]
PE --> PE3[Familiarity]
SO --> SO1[Sexism / stereotyping]
SO --> SO2[Culture / religion]
SO --> SO3[Family commitments]
SO --> SO4[Media coverage]
PR --> PR1[Accessibility]
PR --> PR2[Leisure time]
PR --> PR3[Education]
PR --> PR4[Socio-economic / disposable income]
PR --> PR5[Adaptability / inclusiveness]
A person's attitude towards sport and physical activity is shaped by their experiences, beliefs and values. Someone who had negative experiences of PE at school may have a lifelong reluctance to take part. Equally, someone who was encouraged and praised during childhood is more likely to remain active.
Exam Tip: When a question asks about attitudes, always explain how the attitude was formed (e.g. early experiences, media portrayal) and how it affects behaviour (e.g. avoidance or engagement).
A role model is someone a person admires and wants to imitate. In sport, role models can inspire people to take up activities, especially when the role model shares characteristics with the individual (e.g. gender, ethnicity, background).
| Positive Effect | Negative Effect |
|---|---|
| Inspires young people to try a sport | Lack of role models from a certain group reduces participation in that group |
| Encourages dedication and fair play | A role model who cheats or behaves badly can damage the sport's image |
For example, the success of the Lionesses in women's football has been credited with a significant increase in girls' football participation across England.
Accessibility refers to how easy it is for a person to reach and use sporting facilities. This includes:
If facilities are difficult to access, participation drops, particularly among older people, those with disabilities, and those on lower incomes.
The amount and type of media coverage a sport receives directly affects participation levels. Sports that are heavily televised — such as football, tennis during Wimbledon, or athletics during the Olympics — tend to see spikes in participation following major events (often called the "inspiration effect").
Conversely, sports that receive little media coverage struggle to attract new participants because people simply do not know about them. Women's sport has historically received far less coverage than men's sport, which has contributed to lower female participation rates.
Sexism is discrimination based on a person's sex. Stereotyping is making assumptions about an individual based on the group they belong to. In sport, sexism and stereotyping create significant barriers:
Exam Tip: AQA frequently asks about how stereotyping affects participation. Use specific examples — e.g. the perception that dance is "for girls" discourages boys from participating, even though dance develops strength, flexibility and coordination.
A person's cultural background and religious beliefs can influence their participation in sport:
Many NGBs and sports organisations have responded by offering single-sex sessions, adapted kit rules and flexible scheduling to be more inclusive.
People with family commitments — particularly parents of young children and carers — often struggle to find time for sport and physical activity. The demands of childcare, household tasks and supporting elderly relatives leave little leisure time.
This factor disproportionately affects women, who still tend to take on a larger share of caring responsibilities in the UK.
Leisure time is time free from work, education and other obligations. People with less leisure time have fewer opportunities to participate in sport. This is affected by:
People are more likely to participate in activities they are familiar with. If someone has never been exposed to a particular sport — perhaps because it was not offered at school or in their local area — they are unlikely to take it up later.
Schools play a crucial role here: a broad and varied PE curriculum exposes young people to a wide range of activities, increasing the chance they will find something they enjoy and continue into adulthood.
Education affects participation in two main ways:
There is a well-documented link between higher levels of education and higher rates of physical activity participation.
Socio-economic status refers to a person's position in society based on income, education and occupation. Disposable income is the money left after essential bills have been paid.
| Higher Socio-Economic Status | Lower Socio-Economic Status |
|---|---|
| Can afford gym memberships, equipment, coaching | May struggle to afford participation costs |
| More likely to live near good facilities | May live in areas with fewer sporting facilities |
| More likely to have had positive PE experiences | May have attended schools with limited PE provision |
| Greater access to private clubs and activities | Reliant on free or subsidised provision |
Sports like golf, sailing and equestrianism have traditionally been associated with higher socio-economic groups, while football and running are more accessible because they require minimal equipment.
Adaptability refers to how well a sport can be modified to suit different needs. Inclusiveness is how welcoming a sport or facility is to all people, regardless of ability, age, gender or background.
Sports that are highly adaptable tend to have higher participation rates among diverse groups. For example:
Exam Tip: When discussing inclusiveness, give specific examples of adapted sports or inclusive policies. This shows the examiner that you have a thorough understanding of the topic.
| Factor | Key Point |
|---|---|
| Attitudes | Positive/negative experiences shape willingness to participate |
| Role models | Inspiring figures encourage participation in their sport |
| Accessibility | Ease of reaching and using facilities |
| Media coverage | Televised sports see participation spikes |
| Sexism/stereotyping | Gender assumptions create barriers |
| Culture/religion | Dress codes, observances and expectations affect involvement |
| Family commitments | Caring responsibilities reduce available time |
| Leisure time | Less free time means fewer opportunities |
| Familiarity | People choose activities they know |
| Education | Knowledge and school provision both matter |
| Socio-economic/disposable income | Money affects access to equipment, facilities and coaching |
| Adaptability/inclusiveness | Modified sports widen participation |
Exam Tip: In extended-answer questions about participation, try to link two or more factors together. For example: "A person from a low socio-economic background (disposable income) who lives in a rural area (accessibility) and has never been introduced to the sport at school (familiarity/education) faces multiple barriers to participation." This demonstrates higher-level thinking and earns more marks.
Consider a scenario that regularly appears in AQA exam papers: "A 65-year-old woman living in a rural Welsh village on a low income. Explain the factors that may prevent her from taking part in sport."
A strong response weaves together multiple factors rather than listing them. Accessibility is the most visible barrier — rural Welsh villages often have no leisure centre within walking distance, and public transport to the nearest town may run only a few times a day. Disposable income and socio-economic status compound this — a state pension may not cover gym fees, specialist kit, or taxi fares to classes. Age brings additional barriers: confidence in starting new physical activities is often lower in older adults; joint problems or fear of falling may reduce willingness to try unfamiliar sports. Gender and family commitments continue to matter — women of this generation are more likely to be primary carers for grandchildren or elderly relatives, eating into the leisure time that would otherwise allow participation. Familiarity and education are also relevant; if she attended a school with limited PE provision decades ago, she may never have been exposed to the adapted sports (walking football, walking netball, tai chi) now designed for her demographic. Finally, role models may be lacking — the media rarely profiles 65-year-old active women, reducing the visibility and normalisation of older women exercising.
The strongest exam answers explain how Welsh Government schemes such as the Foundation for Community Dance or Age Cymru's exercise programmes, and national initiatives like This Girl Can (aimed at adult women of all ages), try to remove these barriers by combining adapted provision, subsidised pricing, transport links and targeted role-model imagery. Weaving the factors into a realistic scenario like this — rather than simply listing them — is what pushes a response into the top band of the AQA mark scheme, because it demonstrates both knowledge of the twelve factors and the ability to apply them to a real context.
A common misconception is that technology and modern investment always widen participation. In reality, technology can create new accessibility barriers: fitness apps assume ownership of a smartphone; wearable trackers cost money; online class bookings exclude people who lack digital skills, especially older adults. Equally, expensive sports kit aimed at "tech advantages" (aerodynamic tri-suits, carbon-plated running shoes) widens socio-economic gaps between well-funded and poorly-funded participants. AQA expects students to recognise that modernisation can be a double-edged factor — improving participation for some groups while creating new barriers for others.
6-mark question: "Explain three factors that may affect a person's participation in physical activity." (6 marks)
Grade 3-4 response: "Money affects how much sport people do. If they cannot afford equipment or gym fees they cannot take part. Family can also be a factor because parents have to look after children. Accessibility matters too — if facilities are far away people cannot get there easily."
Examiner commentary: Three factors identified with some explanation, but points are brief and lack specific sporting context. Would score around 2-3 marks.
Grade 5-6 response: "One factor is socio-economic status and disposable income — sports like equestrianism or sailing require expensive equipment and membership fees, which people on low incomes cannot afford. A second is accessibility — rural areas often have fewer facilities and poor transport links, limiting choice. A third is family commitments — parents and carers have less leisure time because they are looking after children or elderly relatives, which disproportionately affects women in the UK."
Examiner commentary: Three AQA factors, each explained with a clear example and linked to a group. Uses correct terminology. Would score 4-5 marks.
Grade 7-9 response: "Socio-economic status and disposable income limit participation because sports like golf, sailing and equestrianism require expensive equipment, coaching and membership fees, whereas football and running are more accessible, creating unequal participation patterns between income groups. Accessibility adds to this — rural areas in Wales, Scotland and the north of England often lack leisure centres within walking distance, and public transport may be infrequent, which particularly affects older adults, disabled people and those on low incomes. Family commitments disproportionately reduce leisure time for women in the UK, who still take on a larger share of childcare and elder-care; this combines with stereotyping to produce the clear gender gap seen in Sport England's Active Lives data. These factors rarely act in isolation — a low-income rural mother faces multiple overlapping barriers, which is why schemes like This Girl Can and subsidised council leisure memberships try to tackle several factors together."
Examiner commentary: Three AQA factors developed in depth, with UK-specific examples, quantitative/institutional evidence and explicit linking between factors. Would score the top band (6 marks) using AQA's Level 3 evaluative descriptors.
This content is aligned with the AQA GCSE Physical Education (8582) specification, Paper 2: Socio-cultural influences and well-being — Socio-cultural influences. For the most accurate and up-to-date information, please refer to the official AQA specification document.