PE GCSE reforms cricitised

Plans to reduce the amount of physical activity in PE GCSE are being criticised by a Colchester teacher who says it will have a long lasting and damaging effect on the health and fitness of future generations.

Currently 60% of the marks awarded at GCSE are given for practical achievement in PE and 40% for theory but that could change to 70% for theory and just 30% awarded for practical.

The proposed changes form part of the second stage of GCSE reforms. The government says it’s about raising standards to match those of the highest performing countries, but with one-third of children in England overweight or obese some are questioning whether reducing the physical element of PE is the right decision.

Tom Chapman says the changes will also take away another avenue for students who are less academic to be successful and get a qualification in an area that they may wish to follow as a career.

Last summer the department for education ran a consultation on the content of PE GCSE, outlining plans to drop up to 40 activities including rounders.

It is for the exam regulator Ofqual to decide how much the PE GCSE practical assessment counts towards the final grade. That decision is expected to be made by the end of January.

Click here for Mr Chapman’s petition.