Skills for Life: Leading a Sport Activity Session
Leading a sport activity session is a Pearson Skills for Life unit in which learners help plan and lead a sport or physical activity session, from setting out equipment and assisting at Entry 1 to planning, leading and adapting a whole session at Level 2, then reflecting on how it went. It is one 20 hour unit that learners combine with others into a Pearson Skills for Life Award, Certificate or Diploma, at any level from Entry 1 to Level 2, graded pass or fail. Digital demand is low. No criterion needs digital tools; the annex suggests video recording for review and digital planning tools, and sources and AI use must be acknowledged.
- Awarding body
- Pearson
- Level
- Entry Level 1 to Level 2
- Guided learning hours
- 20
- First taught
- September 2027
- Amount of digital work
- Low
- Specification
- Open the specification
How this unit is assessed
- Entry Level (Entry 1, Entry 2, Entry 3): One assessment criterion at each of Entry 1, Entry 2 and Entry 3: list or state the equipment for a sport activity session and carry out tasks to assist in leading it, and at Entry 3 outline and apply simple leadership skills while following a basic plan. Centres choose the type of evidence; it is internally assessed by the centre and quality assured by Pearson through standards verification. 20 guided learning hours.
- Level 1 and Level 2: One assessment criterion at each of Level 1 and Level 2: describe and apply straightforward leadership skills to assist in planning and leading a session safely (Level 1), or explain key leadership skills, apply them when planning and leading a session and adapt them to different situations (Level 2), then review the session. Centres choose the type of evidence; it is internally assessed by the centre and quality assured by Pearson through standards verification. 20 guided learning hours.
The digital skills in this qualification
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Recording sessions on video for review
The annex suggests learners use video recording so they can review a session they have led, which supports the end of session review of strengths and areas for improvement at Entry 3 to Level 2. Video is not required by the criteria, but it is a practical way to evidence the leadership, since achievement cannot be inferred from performance.
DCF: Creating digital content, Evaluating and improving digital content
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Pupils film a partner demonstrating a warm up stretch on a tablet and watch it back to check the stretch is shown clearly.
- Year 8
- Pupils film a short drill they lead in a PE lesson, trim the clip, and add a caption naming one thing that went well.
- Year 9
- Pupils record a section of a session they lead, edit it into a two minute clip with on screen notes on their communication, and share it with their teacher for comments.
Show the specification wording and the DCF statements
Where it is in the specification: Unit SfL 29, Essential information for assessment decisions, Entry 3, page 134, Level 2, page 135; Annexe C, Digital Links, page 165
“Video recording for review, digital planning tools”
Progression step 3
I can use a range of software to select, produce and edit a range of multimedia components for a purpose, such as:
- text and images, e.g. format text (bold, underline, italics, highlight); insert and edit text boxes; columns; use refine tools (spellchecker, find and replace); word wrap; crop; alter size and shape; alter images; add effects; trim and split sound and video clips; transitions; onion skin
- presentation, e.g. page orientation; animations; transitions; remove and alter images; use background; use action buttons to create hyperlink; embed objects.
I can invite feedback/responses from others, e.g. use 'comment' in online platforms, asking questions or adding suggestions.
Progression step 4
I can select and use a variety of appropriate software, tools and techniques to create, modify and combine multimedia components for a range of audiences and purposes, such as:
- text and images, e.g. explore and use effectively image manipulation techniques; explore and use appropriately the many aspects of document layout; use animation, video and audio effects such as echo, tempo, envelope, layering, frame rate, key frames
- presentation, e.g. use design tools; adapt themes and colours to suit the purpose; create master templates.
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Writing session plans with digital tools
Level 1 learners write part of a session plan for a progressive drill with timing, activities and resources, and Level 2 learners create structured plans tailored to participants. The criteria require the plan, but the annex only suggests digital planning tools, so producing it digitally is not assessed.
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Pupils type a simple warm up plan in a table with three activities and the equipment for each.
- Year 8
- Pupils use a session plan template in Word or Google Docs to plan a ten minute drill, adding a diagram of the layout.
- Year 9
- Pupils create a full session plan document for a younger group, formatting timings, activities, resources and safety notes so another leader could follow it.
Show the specification wording and the DCF statements
Where it is in the specification: Unit SfL 29, Essential information for assessment decisions, Level 1, page 134, and Level 2, page 135; Annexe C, Digital Links, page 165
“writing a part of a session plan for a progressive drill with timing, activities and resources”
Progression step 3
I can use a range of software to select, produce and edit a range of multimedia components for a purpose, such as:
- text and images, e.g. format text (bold, underline, italics, highlight); insert and edit text boxes; columns; use refine tools (spellchecker, find and replace); word wrap; crop; alter size and shape; alter images; add effects; trim and split sound and video clips; transitions; onion skin
- presentation, e.g. page orientation; animations; transitions; remove and alter images; use background; use action buttons to create hyperlink; embed objects.
I can use software tools to enhance the outcomes for specific audiences.
Progression step 4
I can explore and develop a range of formal text document structures for different audiences and purposes.
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Referencing sources and acknowledging AI
Learners must certify that their evidence is their own and that they have referenced any sources and any AI they used, for example drills or session plans taken from coaching websites. Using AI without acknowledging it is malpractice. This is a requirement of the unit's assessment rules at every level.
DCF: Digital rights, licensing and ownership, Sourcing, searching and planning digital content
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Pupils find a warm up game on a sports website and write the website name under the game in their plan.
- Year 8
- Pupils compare a session plan written by an AI tool with one from a governing body website and discuss which is more trustworthy and how to credit each.
- Year 9
- Pupils reference every drill they borrowed in their session plan and add a note saying whether they used AI and for what.
Show the specification wording and the DCF statements
Where it is in the specification: Unit SfL 29, Requirements relating to permitted/prohibited resources, page 136
“they have clearly referenced any sources and any artificial intelligence used”
Progression step 3
I can understand that copying the work of others and presenting it as my own is plagiarism.
I can cite sources when researching and explain the importance of this, e.g. create simple lists for the referencing of digital and offline sources.
Progression step 4
I can evaluate the reliability of sources of information, justify my opinions and reasons for choices, and reference using appropriate methods.
Good to know
- The unit is "SfL 29 Leading a sport activity session" with "20" guided learning hours (Unit summary, page 6). WJEC has no equivalent leadership unit in its Skills Suite.
- A unit is achieved at one level only: "Learners can only achieve each unit once, at a single level" (Rules of Combination, page 6).
- Evidence is the centre's choice: "there are no mandatory evidence requirements and centres can select the type of evidence" (Essential information for assessment decisions, page 134). Learners must still provide evidence because "achievement cannot be inferred from performance" (page 9), so practical leadership needs observation records, witness testimony or recordings.
- Centres need participants, a space and sports equipment for learners to lead a real session, and "The centre can decide any specific resource requirements" (Requirements relating to permitted/prohibited resources, page 136).
- The teaching content is not printed in the specification: it "can be found in the Teaching and Learning Support document for this unit" (Unit content, page 134).
- AI may be used only if it is acknowledged: "A learner will have committed malpractice if they use AI tools without acknowledging them" (Requirements relating to permitted/prohibited resources, page 136).
- The specification points to "Section 6 Glossary" (Units, page 11) when the glossary is section 7.
Links with other qualifications
WJEC has no Skills Suite unit on leading a sport session; its closest unit, Exercise for all, is about taking part in physical activity rather than leading it. The Pearson unit sits closest to the WJEC VCSE in Sport and Leisure, whose optional Unit 4, Leadership and Coaching in Sport and Leisure, covers the same planning, leading and reviewing at greater depth with filmed coaching evidence, and to the WJEC Foundation in Sport and Leisure, whose Unit 2 has learners plan, set up, support and review a real activity. It also links to the coaching option in the GCSE Physical Education and Health performance unit. Across all of these the shared digital thread is filming sessions for review.
Source: Pearson Entry Level 1 to Level 2 Skills for Life Award, Certificate and Diploma Qualifications specification, Issue 1, August 2026, Unit SfL 29: Leading a sport activity session.