Difference between BTEC and GCSE PE?

[LynetteScavo]

DS1 is about to go into Y10, and tells me he is doing BTEC, rather than GCSE PE.

His school split the year into two haves for PE, and DS is at the top end of the lower half. The top half are now going on to do GCSE PE, and the bottom half are doing BTEC.

DS says there is more writing and less actual moving involved in the BTEC than the GCSE, which is why the less sporty people do it.

What is the real difference?

They have different syllabuses, so are assessing different things. GCSE has an exam, BTEC doesn't

Also BTECs comes in different levels (eg Level 1 is equivalent to D-G GCSE and Level 2 is A*-C GCSE)

Unless your DS want's a career in sport then I can't imagine which one he does will make any difference to his life, so I wouldn't worry about it.

But then wouldn't it make more sense for the more academically able to do the GCSE, rather than the more physically able?

DS is good at exams (he's academically able), but doesn't like course work, because it takes some effort.

He definitely doesn't want a career in sport, though!

BTECs do now have an exam but it is not too onerous.
It is similar in that there is theory and practical- but the folder and the exam are the only means of assessment whereas in GCSE you are assessed on 4 sports.
As long as he does no more than 2 BTECs he will be fine and it will be less pressure when it comes to the end of year 11.

To do well in GCSE PE, a child needs to be sporty.

At ds's school you can only do GCSE PE if you represent the school at A or B team level in at least 2 sports (it's a v sporty school so their B team is many schools' A team standard). So many of the marks depend on the practical assessments that unless you are very sporty you're not going to get an A or A*

Thank you - it seems to make sense now.