PE Assessments

PE assessment

We review our assessment model regularly updating the document to include new activities we’ve written; for example, our new basketball scheme.  Importantly, we also reflect to see if we can do things better.

Assessing PE without levels

In PE we assess without levels.  Therefore, any assessment we undertake must be in line with what is being taught.  Most importantly what is being taught should meet children’s needs.

Assessment should be directly linked to learning outcomes.  So our assessment document only suits our schemes of work as there are specific outcomes in each unit, which are reflected in the assessment statements.

There is no one size fits all assessment tool for PE.  As stated in my previous blog on the subject there are no specific attainment targets in PE.  Any assessment needs to take into consideration what pupils can ‘do’.   In addition, it should record the progress they made over a specific time period.

Any assessment model should link directly to what is being taught.  Therefore it should be structured in such a way that pupils can show what they have learned in line with the outcomes.

Head, Hand, Heart

Physical Education is not sport or physical activity. That is to say, PE should develop a web of fundamental skills beyond just the physical.

For example, high quality physical education has been shown to: contribute to children’s confidence, self-esteem and self-worth; enhance social development by helping children to co-operate and compete and to develop a sense of fairness, justice and respect; reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression; benefit cognitive function and academic achievement; and encourage school attendance and engagement (Harris & Cale, 2018; ICSSPE, 2010).

Our curriculum has been written to encompass all these factors following afPE’s model of Head, Hands, Heart.

Head – The thinker; confident, deep learner and decision-maker.

Hand – The physical being; physically competent, physically active and competitive.

Heart – The behaviour changer; developing socially and emotionally, involved and engaged, developing character and values, leading a healthy active lifestyle.

Any outcomes we write are with these in mind, and therefore, corresponding assessment statements are, too.  You can see an example of our assessment statements in our knowledge organisers.

Learning activities

All learning should be structured so pupils can meet the outcomes.  The activities should directly correlate with what children need to learn and what criteria they will be assessed against.  Children should know what is expected of them at every stage.

Opportunities to develop across the 3 strands of Head, Hand and Heart should be given.  There may be different weight afforded to each area depending on the activity being taught and the level the learners are at.  For example, in year 6 you might expect children to apply a broader range of skills than pupils in year 2.

In conclusion, our assessment model suits our curriculum and expected outcomes.  The learning activities designed within our curriculum are set to draw out these outcomes in a progressive way.

Whether you’re writing your own schemes or looking to others for support, consider your intent for your pupils.  Any scheme you teach should match what pupils need to learn.