Nationals in Sport SLA

BTEC Nationals in Sport

Entry Guidance:

Students should be achieving a minimum of 5 A* - C grades at GCSE level especially in English, Maths and Science. A Sport qualification at GCSE or BTEC level 2 is another key requirement for students wishing to enrol on a BTEC National Sport Course. Students must also have very good attendance record; have a vested interest in Sports and Physical Education; good ICT skills and have an excellent work ethic and attitude towards their learning.

Syllabus Outline:

The courses are made up of 6, 12 or 18 units of work depending on the course you take. 

BTEC National Award is equivalent to 1 A-Level A – E (6 units of work)
BTEC National Certificate is equivalent to 2 A- Levels A- E (12 units of work)
BTEC National Diploma is equivalent to 3 A-Levels A-E (18 units of work)

These courses are also based on Guided Learning Hours (GLH). These are a guide to how long each course should take to complete and student timetables should reflect these hours.


BTEC National Award – 360 glh
BTEC National Certificate – 720 glh
BTEC National Diploma – 1080 glh

For each course you have to complete a number of compulsory core units and then choose the required number of optional units depending on the size of the course. The 3 core units are the same for each course:

* Unit 1 – The Body in Action
* Unit 2 – Health and Safety in Sport
* Unit 3 – Training and Fitness for Sport

Once the three core units have been completed the required number of optional units are then taken and these will cover the minor areas of study for Sport e.g. Work Placement, Sports Coaching, Sport and Society, Outdoor and Adventurous activities, Leadership in Sport, etc.

Methods of assessment:

All units are assessed and graded by course tutors whose marking is then moderated by an external assessor. An overall grade for the qualification is awarded to all learners who successfully complete all units. Grades awarded are Pass, Merit or Distinction.

General Comments:

BTEC Nationals are level 3 courses i.e. equivalent to A-Levels. They are practical, hands on and work related courses. Students achieve by completing projects and assignments that are based on realistic workplace situations, activities and demands.

It introduces learners to particular areas of employment and provides a good basis to go onto higher education or straight into work in a variety of Sports industry related careers. A key component of this course is obtaining a work placement in the sports and leisure industry and completing visits to local facilities to assess the opportunities they provide.

A BTEC National is divided into 3 levels depending on the number of units you wish to undertake and therefore the weighting of the final qualification. The examination body for this course is Edexcel.

If you are interested in this course then see a member of the Physical Education Faculty to see whether or not you this is the course for you!