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Original poster

What happens if a child doesn't complete practical for GCSE PE?

39 replies

Windowcleaning · 28/04/2023 11:35

Just that, really. It's a loooooong story, but it's looking like dd is going to refuse to do her GCSE practical.

Anyone any idea whether she'll automatically fail?

And is only getting eight GCSEs disastrous, or one of those things that no-one will care about in a few years?

Her sixth form offer is 'six GCSEs grade 6 or above' btw.

TIA

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Original poster
Windowcleaning · 03/11/2023 18:59

I don't think she's got anything to worry about based on my dd's experience.

My dd didn't want to do GCSE PE (looooong story) but did the course work and exams and practically nothing towards the practicals.

I asked for her to be withdrawn from the exam at some point because it was causing her so much unnecessary and pointless stress. She seems to have done something because she passed the GCSE.

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henri6383738 · 01/11/2023 21:34

My DD is extremely stressed about her GCSE PE practical footage,so far she has not got any filming and it is due in a month.She plays netball outside of school however doesnt usually get much game time since her team is of a high standard.On top of this,her other sports are quite weak since shes had to pick them up for the GCSE (one is being moderated in school so we don’t have to worry about filming).While I’m sure she will manage to get the footage in time since she plays sport outside of school,she is very doubtful and is constantly worrying about not submitting it on time or getting low marks.So can anyone give me any idea of how they tend to mark the practical footage?Do teachers /moderators tend to be quite harsh?I’m just looking for anything to reassure her since its alot to be worrying abiut on top of exams in May.

Original poster
Windowcleaning · 13/05/2023 11:33

Hi. She hasn't done the practical element and isn't intending to sit the theory papers, so I guess will receive ungraded.

A shame for her and the teachers, but there we have it. She's preparing for her other eight GCSEs and has a conditional offer for sixth form, so hopefully this will be behind us soon.

Best of luck to your dd.

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Hersetta427 · 10/05/2023 09:50

How are things going ? Any progress?

Original poster
Windowcleaning · 03/05/2023 16:19

She doesn't play any sport to a high level. It is a bit of a mess, but we'll see.

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Hersetta427 · 03/05/2023 16:01

Gosh what a mess. You would have thought the school would know how she performs and could mark her performance as they have seen it and see how moderation went. I am surprised they said she didn't need to video her out of school sport as they want footage if you play a sport to a higher level than she would play at school. DD had over 2 hrs of submitted footage for her main sport (but she is national team level and it's not a sport they play at her school).

Unsurprisingly it wasn't moderated.

I hope you can get something sorted so she can get something marked as it maybe too late now to withdraw her.

Original poster
Windowcleaning · 03/05/2023 11:22

She does one of her sports outside of school, but the school agreed that they would video it, so all three were meant to be videoed last Thursday, then yesterday.

No idea whether they have footage from throughout the year - dd says no.

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Hersetta427 · 03/05/2023 10:23

Does your DD play any of her sports outside of school in which case they expect you to provide footage - was this done as it sounds like it wasn't. Sports played in school can be recorded by school or some schools even mark without footage as they have seen her general performance. Its so unclear what has gone on and if she has had any sports assessed by the school at all.

Moderation is usually in one sport only (they usually choose a sport that they can moderate a few students). DD's school they chose trampolining, netball and badminton. DD plays netball but she wasn't chosen for netball moderation at all so keeps her school assessed mark. its not really a test at all and is quite low key.

Original poster
Windowcleaning · 03/05/2023 09:19

But she has gone into school today and has her first GCSE tomorrow, so things could be worse.

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Original poster
Windowcleaning · 03/05/2023 09:14

Yes, I'm not sure what will happen now, I agree that they won't want to withdraw her from the exam but if she's refusing to do the practical, I don't know what their options are.

There has been a breakdown in communication. I've emailed and spoken to both her class teacher and the head of PE a few times over the last couple of years to get clarity over what dd should be doing, and it's never been clear. They said she had to provide video footage, then they would do it, which is what she bottled going into school for.

As far as I know, dd hasn't been assessed in her three sports over the last two years as have none of the class.

Dd does hold some responsibility definitely, but the general chaos (which is very unlike this school) hasn't helped.

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ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 02/05/2023 22:04

I doubt the school will agree to withdrawing anyone from exams. Those days unfortunately are long gone.

Nowfeeltheneedtopost · 02/05/2023 21:57

Yes, it still seems there has been some massive misunderstanding. It doesn’t sound as if OP’s DD has had any assessments of her three sports? While your DD may be referring to moderation when she talks about a “practical test” it would be unusual (in my limited experience) of a child to have all three of their assessments moderated. Can I ask why the head of PE had your Dd in tears at parents evening? Are you sure it wasn’t because they had asked for footage to demonstrate her skills in three sports and she hadn’t provided? I don’t mean to blame anyone because however it happened it sounds like a catastrophic breakdown in communication between you and the school. I think therefore you are probably right to withdraw her from the GCSE if she will score 0 on the practical skills assessment. I’m so sorry this has happened to your DD.

Hersetta427 · 02/05/2023 21:43

But moderation just checks the marking that is done by the teachers is appropriate- it doesn’t sound like that has even happened yet. Dd had her moderation 2 days after they returned from Easter

MrsAvocet · 02/05/2023 17:13

Nowfeeltheneedtopost · 02/05/2023 07:42

Sorry, that should say does NOT have any practical test coming up.

Show quote history

It's probably moderation. Certain sports will be picked in some schools to be reviewed by external examiners to assess the quality of the internal marking. So some students will experience this and others won't.
My DS is going to the local A level moderation for his sport tomorrow (he's in year 12 so not actually being assessed himself but they need extra players) so I can well believe GCSE moderations are due too.

Stettafire · 02/05/2023 17:01

Yes, if they receive a low grade don't include it on a CV. As a person on an interview panel at best we don't care, at worse it clutters up your CV and makes it harder for us to spot your actual qualifications. Anything below a C grade (or numerical equivalent) don't include it.

Original poster
Windowcleaning · 02/05/2023 14:58

Hersetta427 yes dd is very good at the theory - it's a shame that she couldn't overcome whatever her blocks are about the practical moderation.

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Original poster
Windowcleaning · 02/05/2023 14:57

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 02/05/2023 10:02

If none of this has been done already the fault really lies with the school and I would be having serious words with them

Im not defending the school. But grades don’t need to be at the exam boards until about 10th May

I taught a practical based subject, and we aimed to get coursework done before Easter. But the school can choose when to do it. I wouldn’t ever have left it so late though.

Thanks, that's useful to know. The course work element was due to be handed in in February. DD handed it in, then redid it in response to feedback and handed it in again. Found out last week that what she had been told to alter was the wrong thing, and that she has to redo it again.

It's been very disorganised, which hasn't helped.

Dd much calmer now. I've asked both head of PE and HOY that she be withdrawn from this exam. Head of PE has acknowledged my email, so we'll see.

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NoSquirrels · 02/05/2023 11:43

DD has now said that she isn't going into school to do any GCSEs, as she's scared of bumping into the PE teacher who will shout at her.m

Then school urgently need to give reassurances that this won’t happen. Focus on that. Don’t be drawn on any more conversations, persuasions etc. Tell them she is withdrawing from PE GCSE, there can be no more discussion on that, and that she is threatening not to come in for any exams and how can they alleviate her concerns and make sure she is not prevented from completing her education with them?

Hersetta427 · 02/05/2023 10:57

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 02/05/2023 10:02

If none of this has been done already the fault really lies with the school and I would be having serious words with them

Im not defending the school. But grades don’t need to be at the exam boards until about 10th May

I taught a practical based subject, and we aimed to get coursework done before Easter. But the school can choose when to do it. I wouldn’t ever have left it so late though.

Definitely - thats only 8 days away with another bank holiday weekend thrown in too. Definitely too close for comfort is there no time then for external moderation of teacher assessed grades?

I am very revleived this one is in the bag already so DD can just concentrate on the science side of the topic.

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 02/05/2023 10:02

If none of this has been done already the fault really lies with the school and I would be having serious words with them

Im not defending the school. But grades don’t need to be at the exam boards until about 10th May

I taught a practical based subject, and we aimed to get coursework done before Easter. But the school can choose when to do it. I wouldn’t ever have left it so late though.

Original poster
Windowcleaning · 02/05/2023 08:47

Thanks all. Yes, the school has messed up.

DD now refusing to go in. After trying to persuade her, I've agreed to email HOY and ask the school to withdraw her from this GCSE.

DD has now said that she isn't going into school to do any GCSEs, as she's scared of bumping into the PE teacher who will shout at her.

I am desperate for both of us to stop talking and thinking about this, but I do want her to do her other exams, which she has been revising for.

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NoSquirrels · 02/05/2023 07:47

I’d let her withdraw, tbh. Whatever has happened, it’s unlikely it can be salvaged if she’s not going to put her best into it and it’s 40% of the mark, so then - as you say - you can stop talking about it. If 8 GCSEs is an achievement over the last couple of years, if she only needs 6 at 6+ to go on to sixth form and you & she feel that’s achievable then just let her withdraw.

If she’s likely to fail it anyway, why push?

Hersetta427 · 02/05/2023 07:46

That is our experience too. Practical all done and dusted including moderation. Even coursework marked. We have all DD’s scores (each sport is marked out of 25 as is the coursework) so you get an overall mark out of 100.

If none of this has been done already the fault really lies with the school and I would be having serious words with them.

Nowfeeltheneedtopost · 02/05/2023 07:42

Nowfeeltheneedtopost · 02/05/2023 07:32

This makes no sense to me. My DD is doing GCSE PE and does have a “practical” test coming up. 40% of the total grade comes from assessment of physical skills in the three sports they have done. She needed to submit video footage to PE staff for assessment and there was sn element of assessment or moderation by external assessors. But this all happened before Easter.

Sorry, that should say does NOT have any practical test coming up.

Nowfeeltheneedtopost · 02/05/2023 07:32

This makes no sense to me. My DD is doing GCSE PE and does have a “practical” test coming up. 40% of the total grade comes from assessment of physical skills in the three sports they have done. She needed to submit video footage to PE staff for assessment and there was sn element of assessment or moderation by external assessors. But this all happened before Easter.