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This lesson introduces the Personal Exercise Programme (PEP) — Component 4 of the Edexcel GCSE PE specification (1PE0). The PEP is a piece of coursework worth 10% of your overall GCSE grade and is marked out of 20 marks. It is unique to Edexcel — no other exam board requires a PEP at GCSE level. You will plan, carry out and evaluate a personal training programme designed to improve one or more components of fitness. The final written document should be approximately 1,500 words long (not including data tables and graphs) and must demonstrate your ability to apply theoretical knowledge from Topics 1–5 of the specification to a real, practical training programme.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Component | Component 4: Personal Exercise Programme |
| Weighting | 10% of the overall GCSE |
| Total marks | 20 |
| Word limit | Approximately 1,500 words (excluding data tables and graphs) |
| Sections | 3 — Planning and Analysis, Implementing and Monitoring, Evaluation |
| Marking | Levels-based (Level 0 to Level 5) |
| Assessed by | Your teacher (internally assessed), then moderated by Edexcel |
| Unique to Edexcel | Yes — AQA, OCR and WJEC do not have a PEP component |
Exam Tip: The PEP is internally assessed, meaning your teacher marks it. Edexcel then selects a sample of work from your school to moderate. This means your teacher's marking must be accurate and consistent. You should aim for the highest possible level because moderation can only adjust marks — it cannot improve the content of your work.
The PEP is divided into three sections. Each section has a specific focus and contributes to the overall 20 marks. All three sections are marked together using a single levels-based mark scheme — there are no separate marks for each section. However, to achieve the higher levels, you must demonstrate quality across all three sections.
graph LR
A["Section 1<br><b>Planning and<br>Analysis</b><br>Pre-PEP data,<br>SMART targets,<br>training method"] --> B["Section 2<br><b>Implementing and<br>Monitoring</b><br>12+ sessions,<br>training diary,<br>progressive overload"]
B --> C["Section 3<br><b>Evaluation</b><br>Post-PEP data,<br>compare pre/post,<br>analyse targets"]
style A fill:#3498db,color:#fff
style B fill:#27ae60,color:#fff
style C fill:#e67e22,color:#fff
In this section you:
In this section you:
In this section you:
The PEP is marked using a levels-based mark scheme with six levels (Level 0 to Level 5). This means you are not simply awarded one mark per correct point — instead, the marker reads the whole PEP and decides which level descriptor best fits the quality of the work overall, then awards a mark within that level.
| Level | Marks | Descriptor Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Level 0 | 0 | No rewardable material |
| Level 1 | 1–4 | Basic, limited knowledge; superficial treatment of the three sections; data may be absent or incorrect |
| Level 2 | 5–8 | Some relevant knowledge shown; some data collected and presented; targets may lack justification; limited application of principles |
| Level 3 | 9–12 | Reasonable knowledge and application; data collected and compared to normative data; SMART targets set but justification may be incomplete; some evidence of progressive overload |
| Level 4 | 13–16 | Good knowledge and detailed application; thorough data collection and presentation; well-justified SMART targets; clear evidence of progressive overload; thoughtful evaluation |
| Level 5 | 17–20 | Excellent, sophisticated knowledge and application; comprehensive data analysis; fully justified SMART targets with clear rationale; strong evidence of progressive overload throughout; insightful evaluation with specific, realistic improvements |
graph TB
L5["<b>Level 5</b> (17–20 marks)<br>Sophisticated, fully justified,<br>insightful evaluation"] --- L4["<b>Level 4</b> (13–16 marks)<br>Good detail, well justified,<br>thoughtful evaluation"]
L4 --- L3["<b>Level 3</b> (9–12 marks)<br>Reasonable, some justification,<br>some progressive overload"]
L3 --- L2["<b>Level 2</b> (5–8 marks)<br>Some knowledge,<br>limited application"]
L2 --- L1["<b>Level 1</b> (1–4 marks)<br>Basic, superficial,<br>data absent or incorrect"]
L1 --- L0["<b>Level 0</b> (0 marks)<br>No rewardable material"]
style L5 fill:#27ae60,color:#fff
style L4 fill:#2ecc71,color:#fff
style L3 fill:#f1c40f,color:#000
style L2 fill:#e67e22,color:#fff
style L1 fill:#e74c3c,color:#fff
style L0 fill:#95a5a6,color:#fff
Exam Tip: The difference between Level 3 and Level 4/5 is almost always justification and application of theory. It is not enough to state what you did — you must explain why you did it, linking to components of fitness, principles of training, and SMART targets. The word "because" should appear frequently in a high-scoring PEP.
The PEP is not just a practical task — it is a chance to demonstrate your theoretical understanding from across the Edexcel specification. The following topics feed directly into your PEP:
| Specification Topic | How It Links to the PEP |
|---|---|
| Topic 1: Applied Anatomy and Physiology | Understanding which muscles are being trained and how joints move during exercises |
| Topic 2: Physical Training | Components of fitness, fitness testing, principles of training, training methods |
| Topic 3: Sport Psychology | Goal setting (SMART targets), intrinsic and extrinsic motivation during the programme |
| Topic 4: Sport and Society | Barriers to participation (facilities, equipment, time) that affect your programme design |
| Topic 5: Health, Fitness and Well-being | Links between exercise and physical, mental and social health |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| PEP | Personal Exercise Programme — a structured, planned training programme designed to improve one or more components of fitness |
| Component of fitness | A specific aspect of fitness (e.g. cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, flexibility) that can be tested and trained |
| Normative data | Published tables of average fitness test results for a given population, usually organised by age and sex |
| SMART targets | Goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound |
| Progressive overload | Gradually increasing the intensity, duration or frequency of training to continue making improvements |
| Levels-based marking | A marking method where the marker reads the whole piece and matches it to a level descriptor, rather than awarding individual marks for each point |
Although the PEP is coursework, the concepts behind it can appear in the written exam (Paper 1 or Paper 2). Common mistakes include:
Consider Alex, a 15-year-old netball goal attack. His pre-PEP 1-minute press-up score was 25 reps (below average for males aged 15–16, where average is 30–36). Across the whole PEP, the three sections look like this:
Section A: Planning — aim, objective and success criteria table:
| Element | Alex's Entry |
|---|---|
| Aim | Develop upper-body muscular endurance to sustain repeated high contests and shooting movements across four quarters of netball. |
| Objective (SMART) | Raise 1-minute press-up score from 25 reps to 36 reps in 6 weeks via three 35-minute circuit sessions per week (PAR-Q cleared; MHR = 220 − 15 = 205 bpm). |
| Success criteria | (1) Post-test ≥ 36 press-ups. (2) ≥ 15 of 18 sessions completed safely. (3) Visible FITT overload across the weekly log. |
Section B: Carrying Out — 6-week progressive overload log (sample):
| Week | Work (s) | Rest (s) | Rounds | Avg HR (% MHR) | Press-Ups/Session | Overload Applied |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 30 | 30 | 2 | 70% | 30 | Baseline |
| 2 | 30 | 25 | 2 | 72% | 34 | Rest reduced |
| 3 | 40 | 25 | 2 | 74% | 44 | Work extended |
| 4 | 40 | 20 | 3 | 76% | 60 | Volume added |
| 5 | 45 | 20 | 3 | 78% | 66 | Work extended |
| 6 | 45 | 15 | 3 | 79% | 72 | Rest reduced |
Weekly evaluation entry — Week 4:
"Session 10, Week 4. First week at 3 rounds — total press-ups 60 (up from 30 in Week 1, +100%). Average HR 155 bpm (76% MHR), in the aerobic/anaerobic overlap zone that matches the repeated-effort profile of netball. RPE 7/10. Plank hold dropped from 45 s to 32 s by round 3, indicating core fatigue as the weak link. Next session I will reorder the circuit so plank is second to protect technique."
Section C: Monitoring and Evaluating — post-PEP data and judgement:
| Test | Pre-PEP | Post-PEP | Change | Target Met? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-minute press-up | 25 | 38 | +13 | Yes (target 36) |
| 1-minute sit-up | 32 | 42 | +10 | N/A |
| Resting HR | 72 bpm | 66 bpm | −6 bpm | N/A |
"My SMART target was exceeded — 38 press-ups against a target of 36. Progressive overload was applied on all three FITT variables (intensity: rest reduced 30 s → 15 s; time: work extended 30 s → 45 s; volume: rounds increased 2 → 3). Total press-ups per session rose 140% while average HR rose only from 70% to 79% MHR, evidence of real cardiovascular adaptation."
This worked example shows — in a single, coherent case study — how Alex's data flows from Section A (planning with SMART objective and success criteria), through Section B (visible weekly FITT overload), to Section C (post-PEP comparison against the target). Every Level 5 PEP follows this shape: plan with evidence, carry out with data, evaluate honestly against the target.
Common misconception: "The PEP is a fitness test of me — if I don't improve, I'll fail." This is wrong. Edexcel's PEP mark scheme rewards the quality of your planning, application of theory, monitoring and evaluation — not your raw fitness gain. A student who improves only modestly but whose write-up includes a fully justified SMART objective, visible FITT progression, and an honest, data-driven evaluation of why the gain was small can still score Level 5. A student with a huge fitness gain but a thin write-up is capped at Level 2–3. The PEP assesses your thinking, planning and analysis, not your body.
Question: "Describe the three sections of the Edexcel PEP and explain what each section is assessed on. (6 marks — equivalent to Section A Planning / Section B Carrying Out / Section C Monitoring and Evaluating overview.)"
Grade 3–4 response (Level 2, 5–8 marks on PEP descriptor):
"The PEP has three sections. You plan a programme, then do it, then evaluate it. It is worth 20 marks and is coursework for Edexcel."
Examiner comment: Basic overview, identifies three sections but gives no detail on what each is assessed on. Meets descriptor at a limited level.
Grade 5–6 response (Level 3, 9–12 marks on PEP descriptor):
"Section A is Planning, where you do a PAR-Q, fitness tests, and set a SMART target with a training method. Section B is Carrying Out, where you complete at least 12 sessions and record each one with progressive overload. Section C is Monitoring and Evaluating, where you retake the fitness tests and compare pre- and post-PEP data to see if your target was met. The whole PEP is marked together using one levels-based mark scheme out of 20."
Examiner comment: Reasonable — names each section, lists their main tasks, identifies the mark scheme. Missing — no reference to what quality looks like, no link to justification. Meets descriptor at a reasonable level.
Grade 7–9 response (Level 4–5, 13–20 marks on PEP descriptor):
"The Edexcel PEP is a single piece of coursework assessed across three integrated sections using one levels-based mark scheme (Level 0–5, out of 20). Section A Planning is assessed on the quality of baseline evidence and objective justification: PAR-Q, targeted fitness tests with normative-data comparison, identification of the priority component of fitness, and a fully justified SMART objective in which every letter (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound) is individually defended with reference to personal data and resources. Section B Carrying Out is assessed on safe training practice (full warm-up and cool-down recorded), minimum 12 sessions completed (3 × 4 weeks), and visible progressive overload applied through one or more FITT variables across the programme — with at least one justified adaptation if the data warrants it. Section C Monitoring and Evaluating is assessed on the quality of the pre/post comparison, an explicit judgement against each SMART objective using post-PEP data as evidence, an honest evaluation of which principles of training drove the outcome, and specific, individually-justified improvements for any future programme. The three sections are marked together, and the single biggest differentiator between Level 3 and Level 4/5 across all three is justification — the word 'because' should appear on almost every page."
Examiner comment: Sophisticated — names all three sections with their full Edexcel titles, identifies the distinct quality criteria of each, links back to principles of training and FITT, and correctly identifies justification as the level-differentiator. Fully meets the combined Section A/B/C descriptor at Level 5.
This content is aligned with the Edexcel GCSE Physical Education (1PE0) specification, Component 3: Practical performance — Personal Exercise Programme (PEP). For the most accurate and up-to-date information, please refer to the official Pearson Edexcel specification document.