Which WACE Physical Education Studies past paper do students score lowest on?

The 2020 Exam, averaging 63.3% across 124 marked attempts on AusGrader. The 2022 Exam is the highest on 79.0%.

Which WACE Physical Education Studies dot points give the best return on revision time?

3.3.3 (3.6 marks at risk per 100), 3.3.5 (2.2 marks at risk per 100) and 3.3.1 (2.0 marks at risk per 100). Marks at risk combines a dot point's share of paper marks with the marks students drop on it, so it ranks by recoverable marks and not by score alone.

How many attempts is each WACE Physical Education Studies figure based on?

8,400 marked attempts overall, with the per-row count shown in every table. Any cut below 50 attempts is withheld instead of published.

Do these averages show how the SCSA cohort performed?

No. They are AusGrader users' marked attempts, a self-selected group practising when they chose to and often without exam timing. They corroborate what SCSA publishes about this subject and do not replace it.

WACE Physical Education Studies hardest topics

Across 8,400 marked attempts on AusGrader, WACE Physical Education Studies students average 72.5% on questions taken from board external papers. Explain is both the lowest scoring command verb on 70.1% and the costliest, because it carries 25.4% of the paper on its own. These are self-selected users practising when they chose to, not the SCSA cohort under exam conditions.

How to read these numbers

The figures are AusGrader users' marked attempts, not SCSA results. They corroborate what the board publishes about this subject and do not stand in for it.
Any cut with fewer than 50 attempts is withheld, which on this page is 12 dot points and 20 verbs. Every figure shown carries its attempt count.
Scores cover questions mapped to the WACE Physical Education Studies syllabus from any board's external papers, which is why the sample is larger than the 6 SCSA papers alone. The paper table below is the exception and uses SCSA papers only.
Internal assessment and school-uploaded exams are excluded throughout, so these averages differ from the ones on WACE Physical Education Studies performance stats, which count every attempt.

Score by past paper

Year	Exam	Average	Attempts
2025	Exam	69.9%	119
2024	Exam	77.0%	175
2023	Exam	70.7%	128
2022	Exam	79.0%	129
2021	Exam	73.9%	115
2020	Exam	63.3%	124

The lowest average belongs to the 2020 Exam on 63.3% from 124 attempts, and the highest to the 2022 Exam on 79.0% from 129 attempts. A paper's average reflects both how hard it was and who chose to sit it, so treat the spread as a guide to which papers make demanding practice.

Score by question type

Question type	Average	Attempts
Extended response	55.6%	52
Short answer	72.3%	1,334
Multiple choice	74.2%	7,014

Score by unit

Unit	Average	Attempts
Unit 3: Developing and Maintaining Physical Performance	71.9%	4,515
Unit 4: Enhancing and Sustaining Physical Performance	73.3%	3,905

An attempt counts once per unit, so a question assessed across two units appears in both rows and the column adds to slightly more than 8,400.

The priority list: heavy topics with low scores

Topic	Share of marks	Average	Attempts	Marks at risk
Exercise physiology	32.3%	72.7%	3,421	8.8
Biomechanics	26.1%	70.6%	1,552	7.7
Functional anatomy	15.6%	69.5%	1,094	4.8
Motor learning and coaching	15.1%	73.2%	1,522	4.0
Sport psychology	10.9%	81.2%	813	2.0

Exercise physiology tops the list on 8.8 marks at risk per 100 paper marks, 1.2 ahead of Biomechanics.

The same cut at dot-point level

Dot point	Content	Share of marks	Average	Attempts	Marks at risk
3.3.3	considerations for performing in varying environmental conditions (heat/humidity, cold, altitude) temperature regulation mechanisms (radiation, convection, conduction, evaporation); physiological changes in these environments; acclimatisation processes and the adaptations gained; strategies to manage performance in these environments	8.5%	58.0%	158	3.6
3.3.5	components of periodisation micro cycle; meso cycle; macro cycle; pre-season (preparation); in-season (competition); off-season (transition)	5.2%	57.7%	115	2.2
3.3.1	relationship between energy demands and nutritional requirements pre-, during and post-competitive sporting activity fats; proteins; carbohydrates; glycaemic index (low and high)	6.2%	67.5%	1,110	2.0
4.3.3	application of biomechanical principles to analyse physical skills balance; base of support; height of centre of gravity; line of centre of gravity; mass; summation of forces; simultaneous; sequential/ segmental interaction; optimal projection	5.2%	69.7%	782	1.6
3.2.8	characteristics of fast and slow twitch fibres and their relationship to physical performance types (sprint, endurance) Type I; Type IIa; Type IIb	4.6%	68.3%	595	1.5
3.3.6	principles of training peaking; tapering; recovery (including strategies); maintenance	6.0%	77.3%	1,721	1.4
4.3.1	impulse–momentum relationship characteristics of the interacting bodies affecting coefficient of restitution in the application to sport; temperature; equipment and surfaces; velocity	4.7%	72.6%	474	1.3
4.3.2	definition of, application and relationship between the following concepts in sport moment of inertia; angular velocity; conservation of angular momentum; third class levers within the body and as applied to sporting contexts; resistance arm; force arm	4.5%	73.1%	286	1.2
4.2.7	learning and skill development in relation to correction and improvement of self and others use of video analysis; checklists; peer/mentor/coach feedback; questionnaires	3.9%	74.2%	505	1.0
4.4.1	strategies used pre- and during performance, to manage stress, motivation, concentration, self-confidence and arousal levels self-talk; relaxation; performance routines; goal-setting; imagery	4.9%	80.5%	777	1.0
3.2.7	relationship between muscle contraction and nerve function ‘all or none’ law; motor unit size and number; fibre recruitment (preferential recruitment); frequency of impulse	1.8%	64.6%	766	0.6
3.3.4	physiological risks and benefits associated with the use of performance enhancers protein powders; anabolic steroids; caffeine; creatine; EPO; blood doping	2.5%	76.5%	55	0.6
4.2.4	use of the Knudson and Morrison model through the application of the preparation, observation, evaluation, intervention and re-observation of tasks to improve performance	2.4%	81.9%	75	0.4

Which command verbs cost the most marks

Verb	Share of marks	Average	Attempts	Marks at risk
explain	25.4%	70.1%	463	7.6
outline	21.3%	73.8%	201	5.6
describe	21.7%	74.9%	183	5.5
identify	17.3%	73.5%	88	4.6
name	10.1%	74.6%	116	2.6
discuss	4.7%	70.2%	118	1.4
state	2.0%	82.8%	123	0.3

Explain is both the lowest average at 70.1% and the costliest verb at 7.6 marks per 100, because it carries 25.4% of the paper. Each verb above is practised in the WACE Physical Education Studies question bank, where the marking criteria show what SCSA expects the answer to do.

What this does not measure

Where to practise

Work the priority list from the top: Exercise physiology and Biomechanics first, then the dot points above. Each topic page holds real SCSA questions with marking criteria attached. For what the papers actually cover, read WACE Physical Education Studies most tested topics.

Syllabus and assessment material referenced in this guide is used under licence, © School Curriculum and Standards Authority. See our SCSA licensing notice. The School Curriculum and Standards Authority does not endorse this publication or product.