Summer 2021 grading – FAQs for GCSE, AS and A Level Physical Education

In the past weeks, we’ve been running online Q&A events to give you a chance to ask subject-specific questions about this year’s grading process. This followed our roundtable video, which gives suggestions on how to use support materials and answers many general grading questions. In this blog, I’ve summarised the questions asked at our general qualifications PE Q&A event.

Will the adaptations for 2021 GCSE apply to 2022 candidates?

At this point we do not know. There is a consultation ongoing regarding this and we will let you know the outcome of this as soon as we can.

Should there be a written record for every single student to justify the final grading outcome?

Yes there should. However it really doesn’t need to be extensive in most cases. Given the requirement for consistent sources of evidence across a class or cohort, what many centres are doing (and it seems a very sensible approach) is making a record at class or cohort level of what evidence they have used and why. Then for each candidate they just confirm that they have used that evidence, or if they have moved away from consistency (for example. because someone was ill for a mock or similar) they have noted that for the candidate in question.

They would also note if they had needed to take into account a failure to provide access arrangements, or special consideration, or anything like that. Finally, if the candidate was in anyway borderline, they would explain why they went for one grade and not another.

So effectively in some cases you will have very little to write because the candidate had the same evidence as everyone else, there were no circumstances to take into account and nothing much to say on the grading determination as it was very straightforward. In others there will be a longer record.

It is completely up to the centre how they want to record the information about the grading determination, but there are some templates that JCQ has produced at the end of the JCQ grading guidance document that may be helpful.

Is there a minimum amount of evidence?

The evidence doesn’t need to cover every aspect of the specification. The aim is to include evidence that shows the student’s ability across the range of content taught and, where possible, all assessment objectives.

Consider whether the evidence is sufficient. If not, assessment materials provided by us could be used to supplement or help confirm student performance.

Can I use the November 2020 grade boundaries?

November 2020 was an atypical year. The last ‘regular’ exam series was 2019. Use the grade boundaries as a guide, but do remember, it is a holistic look at the evidence for the student. There isn’t a requirement to use the additional assessment materials and turn the result into a grade, the mark might suffice when compared to grade descriptors and exemplification.

Do I have to tell my students the NEA results so they can appeal?

No. Awarding organisations are not moderating NEA for GCSEs and A Levels this year. While you might choose to use completed or partially completed NEA as one source of evidence of learner attainment, there is no requirement to do this and the work will not be being assessed as it normally would be. You do not have to offer learners the right to an internal appeal of the mark by the centre before the submission of teacher assessed grades.

Can we use a coach’s statement of evidence to support practical assessment?

Yes, by all means contact coaches and trainers to obtain any times, results, statements or other supporting evidence that they may have.

If we have struggled to complete practical sports and filmed evidence due to lack of facilities at our school, can we omit practical grade/ score and just use coursework and mock/ assessment grades as evidence?

For this year you should obtain and use the evidence you have to create the TAG, if this means not including elements of the practical then that is absolutely fine.

With logbooks, are we getting competitive fixtures or training logged that they have done over the past year, or can we go back to year 9?

For this year we would advise widening the logs to include any training as well as fixtures. We are also allowing the inclusion of the summer season before the start of the course. So for example, cricket and athletics had a summer season immediately before students started the course in year 10 or 12, and this can be used for this year’s candidates.

Stay connected

If you have further questions about this summer’s grading process, you can email us at pe@ocr.org.uk, call us on 01223 553998 or Tweet us @OCR_PhysEd. You can also sign up to subject updates and receive information about resources and support.

All advice and guidance provided by awarding bodies regarding arrangements for summer 2021 undergoes ratification by the JCQ (Joint Council for Qualifications). This is to ensure that awarding bodies provide consistent information to centres. The content of the above blog is currently being reviewed by the JCQ and is therefore potentially subject to some change in wording.

About the author

Sara took on the PE subject advisor role in 2014 and brings a wealth of sports knowledge to the role. Having previously worked within the sports industry as a swimming, rugby and martial arts coach she also brings with her a BSc in Sports Science and a background within examinations processing and awarding.