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Original poster

Anyone understand GCSE PE?

32 replies

hanginginthere1 · 24/08/2012 10:49

DD got results yesterday. A'S and A*'s, so we are very, very pleased.
Despite being predicted a* in pe, she got an A. OK, you might say, that is still very good. Unfortunately, however, she managed only a D in the theory paper of the Double award. S he was put in for this in addition to the single award. She gained full marks in the practical aspect of the course[County/national std in her chosen sport]. I am in no doubt that this D was due to poor/lazy teaching. the double course was tagged on at the end of the course, approx 3 lessons, one of which the teacher didn't show up for.No real preparation/practise etc. Without wishing to appear arrogant, DD is a very capable girl, as her other results show, yet she has basically failed this part of the course. I feel really angry about this, since there are other issues that we have not been happy with concerning her PE teacher. Have spoken to head, and expressed my concern, and he admitted that this result was "odd". The others in the class are similar.
We are going to get the single award remarked, since she was only one mark short of the A*. Head, of course, did not really want to listen to my daughter's concerns about her teacher, but assured us that the results would be analysed.
i have never fully understood what this double award was all about. At parents even, teacher talked about lots of different thing, e.g. coaching, that my daughter could do. When daughter asked about this, then told that there was no longer enough time to do this!
Can anybody shed any light on what this double award is really all about, and what questions I need to really be asking there teacher, byway of an explanation.
Not a rant about teachers, by the way. i am one myself. I do know however that some teachers will close ranks when being criticised, and a full explanation is un likely to be forthcoming.
My daughter is very upset. Her ambition is to study medicine, and rightly or wrongly, she feels that she has been deprived of at least one A* that she should have got.

OP posts:
longingforsomesleep · 24/08/2012 23:22

I am told that one of the issues at my son's school is that the PE teachers are expected to do so much extra curricular activity (school matches after school and Saturday mornings) that they don't have time to prepare lessons properly.

Original poster
hanginginthere1 · 24/08/2012 17:12

I think my daughter got a in practicals, and in some of the theory, but it was the D in the double award that stopped her getting an overall a.
We were told that she could do a wide range of sports, but it soon became evident that this wasn't going to happen.
IMO the class were badly taught in the theory. I have just spoken to a Governor who admitted that the schools getting lots of complaints about PE.

OP posts:
SecretSquirrels · 24/08/2012 16:44

It seems to be the practical test.
He got A* in the exam which is basically anatomy but lower marks in the practicals. They have to do 5 sports I think and can include something they do outside of school for example rowing or fencing.
Even those who were high achievers at club and county level in their particular sport did not get overall A* for the practicals.

Original poster
hanginginthere1 · 24/08/2012 16:02

This is very interesting. Why?

OP posts:
SecretSquirrels · 24/08/2012 15:39

I thought it was just our school but maybe it isn't.
DS1 just got an A in PE.
He regretted choosing PE fairly quickly because he discovered that no one ever achieved A. He is very athletic and academic and yet never had a hope of an A.

Original poster
hanginginthere1 · 24/08/2012 14:50

Still time yet. Your sitn sounds quite similar to ours. I feel as if the teacher has blinded us with science, talked the talk and then not delivered.
Again, my daughter has also had some issues with her [female] PE teacher.
How crazy is this? My daughter is a national standard tennis player. Over the course of the whole GCSE, she was required to use a tennis raquet just once. She was provided with one by the school. It had plastic strings, and was so badly warped, that she was unable to hit the ball. this was her practical assessment session! On another occasion, she wanted to represent her school at an inter school tennis tournament, but told she was not allowed to because she was too good and had represented her county. We wonder why school sport often leaves much to be desired.
My advice to you would be to monitor the PE very closely. Make sure your son knows where he is regarding grades/coursework etc. Don't hesitate to question the teacher if you need to.

OP posts:
longingforsomesleep · 24/08/2012 13:15

watching this thread with interest. DS2 has just finished year 10. Already has a few GCSE A grades under his belt and, in his last report, was predicted A/A* in every subject ..... except PE where he was predicted a B. He is a very good sportsman and clearly has no problems academically. I did speak to the Head of PE briefly to say that his PE grade stuck out like a sore thumb. I know there's a personality clash between DS and his PE teacher but even so!!!

I'm seething as ds was dithering between history (which he was excellent at) and PE when choosing his options and I sort of steered him towards PE thinking it would be easier and take the strain off him a bit. Big mistake on my part I think.