Jon Varey, Physical Education and Sport Subject Advisor

Here at OCR we’ve had lots of queries from centres in recent weeks about marking coursework, or non-exam assessment (NEA) for GCSE, AS and A Level Physical Education. 

There have been questions about how to apply the mark scheme. This isn’t surprising as it hasn’t been assessed for two years, so a larger number of teachers than normal will be submitting marks for moderation for the first time. We’ve also had questions about administrative requirements, and most particularly about whether any allowances should be made when marking for the abnormal and difficult circumstances many students have had to contend with while completing their assignments. 

Regarding that last point, the JCQ (Joint Council for Qualifications) has recently released guidance, which makes it clear that all NEA must be marked in the same way as before the pandemic disruption. This is really important, as it will help ensure that all students’ work is marked to the same standards. 

As the JCQ guidance also says, the 2022 grading process that takes place after marking, when the grade boundaries are set, will provide a safety net. So please don’t think that by marking your students’ work to pre-pandemic standards this year, you are in any way doing them an injustice. (For more on 2022 grading, please see this Ofqual article from September last year.) 

In the light of that recent JCQ announcement, and the queries we’ve had from you, we thought it would be helpful to provide a quick summary of the support available to ensure that you are marking to the correct standard.

Guides to applying the mark scheme

GCSE Physical Education, J587

There are several resources that will help you have confidence in your application of the mark scheme for GCSE:

• A free on-line marking course is available on OCR Train. This can be completed in your own time and includes a series of tests designed to ensure that you are correctly allocating levels to the AEP and practical performances. 
• You’ll find the Practical Assessment Grid and the AEP Assessment Grid useful when completing your marking. 
• You’ll find exemplar material with commentary for the AEP on our website. 
• Each year we run CPD sessions which include exemplar scripts as well as advice and guidance. You can access the materials from past courses on the CPD section of our website. 
• Finally, do refer to the reports which are published after each series, which often include pointers on marking and annotation. You can access these on the Assessment section of our website.

AS and A Level Physical Education H155, H555

There are several resources that will help you have confidence in your application of the mark scheme for AS and A Level Physical Education: 

• A free on-line marking course is available on OCR Train. This can be completed in your own time. It includes a series of tests designed to ensure that you are correctly allocating levels to EAPI verbal responses and practical performances pieces of work. (Note that although the EAPI material is based on the 2019 series, the commentaries have been updated to reflect the changes made for the summer 2022 series.) 
• You’ll find the Practical Assessment Grid, the Coaching Assessment Grid and the EAPI Assessment Grid, useful when completing your marking. 
• You’ll find exemplar material with commentary for the EAPI on our website. 
• Each year we run CPD sessions which include exemplar scripts as well as advice and guidance. You can access the materials from past courses on the CPD section of our website. 
• Do refer to the reports which are published after each series, which often include pointers on marking and annotation. You can access these on the Assessment section of our website. 
• We have a video which discusses the EAPI, how it is assessed and how to avoid common errors. (Note that changes to the EAPI task were made in September 2021 for first assessment 2022. This video is based on the task requirements before these changes were introduced, but is still a good indicator and provides relevant guidance.)

Administrative points to remember

General information on NEA administration is available on our website. For GCSE, AS and A Level Physical Education specifically, there are a couple of points to remember: 

• Please check the updated forms and moderation processes for PE qualifications.
  
• For A Level, please note changes to the EAPI task were made in September 2021 for first assessment 2022. The video mentioned above is based on the task requirements before these changes were introduced. But this is still a good indicator and provides relevant guidance.

Looking forward to next year’s cohort

Finally, we will, as always, be offering CPD in the next school year. Keep an eye on the website and be sure to sign up for PE updates (details below) to get details of when these become available.

Stay connected

If you have any questions, 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.

About the author

Jon joined OCR as a PE and sport subject advisor in September 2021 having taught in a variety of secondary schools across the country for over 20 years gaining a wealth of experience and subject knowledge. During this time, he has set up, delivered, and assessed a wide range of courses within physical education and sport. In his spare time, he is a keen runner and enthusiastic mountain biker, enjoys attending sporting and music events when possible and walking his two whippets.