How is your practical performance assessed, and how do you choose and prepare your three activities?
The structure of the non-exam assessment (three activities including at least one team and one individual), how practical performance is assessed under competitive or formal conditions, the approved activity lists, and how skills, techniques and decision making are marked.
A focused answer to OCR GCSE PE practical performance: the structure of the non-exam assessment (three activities, at least one team and one individual), assessment under fully competitive or formal conditions, the approved activity lists, the marking of skills and decision making, and how the practical marks fit the qualification.
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What this dot point is asking
OCR wants you to understand the structure of the non-exam assessment, how practical performance is assessed under competitive or formal conditions, the approved activity rules, and how skills and decision making are marked.
The structure of the non-exam assessment
The practical is internally assessed by the centre and externally moderated by OCR, with video evidence recorded to support the marks.
Choosing your three activities
You should choose the activities you are strongest in and play regularly. The team-and-individual rule means you cannot offer three team games or three individual sports, so plan a balanced set, for example football (team), athletics (individual) and badminton (which can be played as singles, an individual activity). Picking activities where you compete regularly means the assessment reflects your true standard.
How practical performance is assessed
Preparing for the practical assessment
Why practical performance matters
Practical performance is the largest single slice of the qualification and is where the theory comes alive: the components of fitness, skill classification, methods of training and feedback all shape how a learner trains and performs. It also feeds the AEP, where the learner analyses and evaluates a performance and plans how to improve it (linking to the AEP dot point).
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of OCR exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
OCR 20186 marksExplain how a learner should choose and prepare their three activities for the OCR GCSE PE non-exam assessment to maximise their practical marks.Show worked answer →
A planning question reflecting how the NEA works. Mark for understanding the rules and a sensible strategy.
The learner must offer three activities from the OCR approved lists, including at least one team activity and at least one individual activity. They should choose activities they are strongest in and play regularly, because marks reward the quality of skills and decision making under fully competitive (or formal) conditions.
Preparation: train the core skills and the advanced skills of each activity, play in real competitive situations so the assessment reflects their true standard, work on fitness specific to each activity, and gather video evidence for moderation.
A strong answer notes the team-and-individual rule, the focus on competitive performance, and choosing the activities where the learner is strongest.
OCR 20214 marksExplain what assessors look for when marking a learner's practical performance in a competitive game.Show worked answer →
An item on how performance is marked.
Assessors reward the range and quality of skills and techniques performed accurately and consistently, the ability to perform them under pressure in a fully competitive situation, and the quality of decision making and tactics (selecting the right skill at the right time, positioning, reading the game).
They also consider how effectively the learner applies the rules, adapts to the situation, and contributes to the outcome. Isolated skills practised in a drill score less than the same skills used effectively in real competition.
Markers want the focus on skills plus decision making and tactics applied under competitive conditions, not just technique in isolation.
Related dot points
- The Analysis and Evaluation of Performance (AEP): analysing a performance to identify strengths and weaknesses, prioritising one weakness, and producing a justified action plan to improve it that draws on the theory content.
A focused answer to OCR GCSE PE on the Analysis and Evaluation of Performance (AEP): how to analyse a performance to find strengths and weaknesses, prioritise one weakness, and produce a justified action plan that uses the theory (components of fitness, training methods, skill acquisition), and how the task is marked under controlled conditions.
- The components of physical fitness (cardiovascular endurance, muscular endurance, strength, speed, power, flexibility, agility, balance, coordination and reaction time), their definitions, and their importance to performance in different sports.
A focused answer to OCR GCSE PE Component 01 on the components of fitness: the definitions of cardiovascular endurance, muscular endurance, strength, speed, power, flexibility, agility, balance, coordination and reaction time, and how each is important to performance in named sports.
- The classification of skills on continua (simple to complex, open to closed, and others), the characteristics of each type, and the use of classification to plan practice and analyse performance.
A focused answer to OCR GCSE PE Component 02 on skill classification: classifying skills on the simple-to-complex and open-to-closed continua (and others), the characteristics of each type, and how classification helps a coach plan practice and analyse performance.
- The methods of training (continuous, fartlek, interval, circuit, weight, plyometric and high-intensity interval training), how each is carried out, the components of fitness they develop, and their advantages and disadvantages for different performers.
A focused answer to OCR GCSE PE Component 01 on the methods of training: continuous, fartlek, interval, circuit, weight, plyometric and high-intensity interval training, how each is carried out, the components of fitness they develop, and the advantages and disadvantages of each for different performers.
- The types of guidance (visual, verbal, manual and mechanical), the types of feedback (intrinsic and extrinsic, knowledge of results and knowledge of performance, positive and negative), and how each suits beginners and elite performers.
A focused answer to OCR GCSE PE Component 02 on guidance and feedback: the four types of guidance (visual, verbal, manual, mechanical), the types of feedback (intrinsic and extrinsic, knowledge of results and performance, positive and negative), and which suit beginners and elite performers.
Sources & how we know this
- OCR GCSE (9-1) Physical Education J587 specification — OCR (2016)