Supporting Students in Practical Assessments for Water Sports Listed in the OCR Approved Activity List

Assisting students with their practical assessments can be challenging—particularly when the qualification involves an activity that the teacher or assessor has little or no direct experience with. If you are approached by a student seeking support with their GCSE or A Level assessment in a water sport listed on the OCR approved activity list, the following guidance aims to provide clarity and direction.

OCR’s list of approved water-based activities includes kayaking, canoeing, windsurfing, rowing, sailing, and sculling. Full details can be found in the Guide to Non-Exam Assessment (NEA), available on the OCR website.

For both GCSE and A Level Physical Education, students are required to submit video evidence of their performance in their chosen water sport. As these are classified as ‘off-site’ activities, live moderation by OCR assessors at school is not possible. Therefore, video evidence becomes a crucial component in the assessment process.

The Guide to NEA outlines the specific skills students are expected to demonstrate for assessment purposes. These are categorized into core and advanced skills. As the term suggests, advanced skills are designed to showcase a student’s higher level of competence and performance. While all listed skills must be evident, it is not necessary for them to be filmed in isolation; many core skills naturally appear within advanced skill demonstrations.

Students have up to two years to collect their video evidence and refine their performance, with the final submission deadline for marks falling on 15 March of the assessment year. It is strongly recommended that students begin gathering footage as early as possible—ideally from 1 September of the course start year, or as early as 1 June of Year 9 (GCSE) or Year 11 (A Level), depending on the competitive season of the sport.

The Guide to NEA also includes a section on ‘Filming Guidance,’ which is intended to ensure that the video evidence supports accurate and fair marking. To meet OCR standards, footage should be of high quality, clearly show the student performing the required skills, and, where possible, be filmed from multiple angles. Skills may be shown either in isolation or during participation in a competitive environment.

A frequently asked question concerns the definition of a “competitive environment.” It does not necessarily refer to a formal competition organized by an external body. Acceptable examples include club-level competitions or competition-style sessions, provided that official rules are followed, formal starts and finishes are observed, and appropriate courses or formats for the sport are used.

Once the footage has been collected, it should be shared with the relevant teacher or assessor. This evidence will form the basis for the final mark awarded. Early collection is vital to mitigate the risk of unforeseen circumstances such as injury or illness that might prevent the student from participating later in the course.

In cases where the school has limited experience with a particular sport, teachers may reach out to the student’s coach for further insight. Coaches can play an invaluable role in helping teachers understand the performance context and ensuring that marks are allocated appropriately based on the skills demonstrated.

Summary of How You Can Help

• Familiarise yourself with the Guide to NEA and the sport’s skill list
• Plan ahead to start capturing footage early
• Support quality filming, ensuring all relevant skills are clearly visible
• Assist with competitive-style opportunities, even in informal club settings
• Offer guidance to teachers, especially if they lack experience in the sport

Your support—whether as a coach or parent—can make a significant difference in helping the student reach their full potential in this important part of their PE qualification.