This discussion is now closed.
Check out other Related discussions
- Should i pick PE or RE
- Pe
- Im not sure about if i should take pe and triple science? :/
- A level options
- I don't know what A-levels to pick
- Questions about Games/PE teachers
- A level choices
- a level biology???
- 4 a levels - Options help
- Aqa A level PE
- What degrees can I do with a level biology, PE and maths?
- The GCSE Subject Hurt / Heal Game
- Can I get into medicine with A LEVEL BIOLOGY but not A LEVEL CHEMISTRY?
- What degrees and jobs can I do with a level biology, chemistry and PE
- What are the best Gcses?
- gyg y11 🪐
- GCSE PE
- GCSE options (yes I'm still young)
- Gcse Combined Science
- geo with econ at LSE
Do you take GCSE PE?
Poll
Do you take GCSE PE?
Something I've noticed over the time I've spent here (oh dear, this is starting to sound like a valedictory speech 
) is that, from reading posts and signatures mainly, not many people seem to take PE at GCSE.
At my school it's compulsory to take at least short course PE at GCSE unless you're in the lower group, but normally only about 5 or 6 people opt for the non-exam course. Quite a few people do full course as well- I was going to, and only didn't because it would have meant taking full course Food (due to the compulsory technology subject rule), and not being able to do some of my other subjects.
Anyway, I'd be interested in finding out whether it's compulsory at other schools, and in that case if people just don't mention it here; or whether it isn't really seen as important or beneficial as other subjects.
Edit- Ooh, it might be obvious- but even if you've already taken your GCSEs feel free to vote too.
) is that, from reading posts and signatures mainly, not many people seem to take PE at GCSE.At my school it's compulsory to take at least short course PE at GCSE unless you're in the lower group, but normally only about 5 or 6 people opt for the non-exam course. Quite a few people do full course as well- I was going to, and only didn't because it would have meant taking full course Food (due to the compulsory technology subject rule), and not being able to do some of my other subjects.
Anyway, I'd be interested in finding out whether it's compulsory at other schools, and in that case if people just don't mention it here; or whether it isn't really seen as important or beneficial as other subjects.
Edit- Ooh, it might be obvious- but even if you've already taken your GCSEs feel free to vote too.
Scroll to see replies
It's available as an option subject at my school for GCSE and you don't have to take it with anything else. However, if you decide not to choose P.E as an exam subject, you still do P.E as non-exam. You choose from various activities such as swimming, ice skating, golf, aerobics, HRE, football, netball etc, and this is compulsory (2 lessons per week) until the end of year eleven. For those lucky enough to take P.E as an exam-based subject, they also take part in the non-examined part as well - which for them totals give lessons per week. My school also encourage P.E in the sixth form too, where you go bowling, play table tennis, football etc, but it is no longer compulsory as you are expected to take care of your own body from them on
Reply 2
i took PE as an option. full course.
i took it due to loving sport & playing for hours every week.
though gcse pe is very different i hate the theory side of things; it bores me to death, i mean learning about:
"if you leave some benches out in a gym its dangerous as others might trip over them.."
but yeah at least its an easy choice 60% practical means ive already passed it. & the exam is such a doddle! its all good ; p
i took it due to loving sport & playing for hours every week.
though gcse pe is very different i hate the theory side of things; it bores me to death, i mean learning about:
"if you leave some benches out in a gym its dangerous as others might trip over them.."
but yeah at least its an easy choice 60% practical means ive already passed it. & the exam is such a doddle! its all good ; p
Simon-J
It's available as an option subject at my school for GCSE and you don't have to take it with anything else. However, if you decide not to choose P.E as an exam subject, you still do P.E as non-exam. You choose from various activities such as swimming, ice skating, golf, aerobics, HRE, football, netball etc, and this is compulsory (2 lessons per week) until the end of year eleven. For those lucky enough to take P.E as an exam-based subject, they also take part in the non-examined part as well - which for them totals give lessons per week. My school also encourage P.E in the sixth form too, where you go bowling, play table tennis, football etc, but it is no longer compulsory as you are expected to take care of your own body from them on
Five lessons per week?
I only have one.. but then again if we had five, then it would account for a fifth of all of our lessons, which seems quite a lot.It's interesting that it's an options subject at your school though. I suppose to a degree it is an option at my school, but it isn't included in the blocks; and everyone is pretty much encouraged to do at least short course anyway.
Bexx
i took PE as an option. full course.
i took it due to loving sport & playing for hours every week.
though gcse pe is very different i hate the theory side of things; it bores me to death, i mean learning about:
"if you leave some benches out in a gym its dangerous as others might trip over them.."
but yeah at least its an easy choice 60% practical means ive already passed it. & the exam is such a doddle! its all good ; p
i took it due to loving sport & playing for hours every week.
though gcse pe is very different i hate the theory side of things; it bores me to death, i mean learning about:
"if you leave some benches out in a gym its dangerous as others might trip over them.."
but yeah at least its an easy choice 60% practical means ive already passed it. & the exam is such a doddle! its all good ; p
I know what you mean- I did silver D of E, and that counts as full marks for one of the two practicals, and in the fitness module I got a 9 or 10, so it's quite easy to pass from just the practical section. The exam for short course is only multiple choice anyway, and it's fairly straight forward.
Well if you remember my whole fiasco with short course GCSE PE, Susie... Yeah, I did it until January of Year 11, which was when I realised I could never get above a C/D. After much cajoling I managed to drop out of it at the last minute - and though it was a bit embarrassing at the time I'm so glad I've dropped it! At our school some form of PE was compulsory: either short course PE, JSLA, or entry level certificate thingy.
Yeah, I did it until January of Year 11, which was when I realised I could never get above a C/D. After much cajoling I managed to drop out of it at the last minute - and though it was a bit embarrassing at the time I'm so glad I've dropped it! At our school some form of PE was compulsory: either short course PE, JSLA, or entry level certificate thingy.
Normal PE lessons are compulsary for everyone [but lots of people say they have too much coursework and get to skip it ] but my school tries to make that interesting in year 11, offering Self-Defence, JSLA, CSLA etc.
Some people do GCSE PE, but only the great sportspeople. Some then go on to do A Level in year 11, if they did it a year early.
I am completely greateful for the fact that i don't have to a GCSE in PE, i know i would have failed miserably
] but my school tries to make that interesting in year 11, offering Self-Defence, JSLA, CSLA etc. Some people do GCSE PE, but only the great sportspeople. Some then go on to do A Level in year 11, if they did it a year early.
I am completely greateful for the fact that i don't have to a GCSE in PE, i know i would have failed miserably
Excalibur
Well if you remember my whole fiasco with short course GCSE PE, Susie... Yeah, I did it until January of Year 11, which was when I realised I could never get above a C/D. After much cajoling I managed to drop out of it at the last minute - and though it was a bit embarrassing at the time I'm so glad I've dropped it! At our school some form of PE was compulsory: either short course PE, JSLA, or entry level certificate thingy.
Yeah, I did it until January of Year 11, which was when I realised I could never get above a C/D. After much cajoling I managed to drop out of it at the last minute - and though it was a bit embarrassing at the time I'm so glad I've dropped it! At our school some form of PE was compulsory: either short course PE, JSLA, or entry level certificate thingy.I do remember it indeed! In fact it must have been around this time last year.. it makes you realise how quickly time goes by.
I'm glad they let you drop out in the end- I think you shouldn't really be obliged to carry on with a course which you really aren't enjoying, and especially if it won't have a bearing on what you're doing next year either.Bexiness!
Normal PE lessons are compulsary for everyone [but lots of people say they have too much coursework and get to skip it ] but my school tries to make that interesting in year 11, offering Self-Defence, JSLA, CSLA etc.
Some people do GCSE PE, but only the great sportspeople. Some then go on to do A Level in year 11, if they did it a year early.
I am completely greateful for the fact that i don't have to a GCSE in PE, i know i would have failed miserably
] but my school tries to make that interesting in year 11, offering Self-Defence, JSLA, CSLA etc. Some people do GCSE PE, but only the great sportspeople. Some then go on to do A Level in year 11, if they did it a year early.
I am completely greateful for the fact that i don't have to a GCSE in PE, i know i would have failed miserably
That certainly beats our activities
- I think our GCSE activity choices were one from dance, badminton and netball; and one from trampolining, fitness (not as bad as it sounds- I did this 
) and rounders. The non exam course people do table tennis in the winter, and join in with rounders in the summer.It's nice that they try to make it interesting for you though (even if it doesnt necessarily work
). And I'm sure you wouldn't have failed, Becky. Reply 9
I managed to skive off PE from halfway through yr. 10 onwards. It's an option at GCSE but everybody had to take it for one hour a week anyway even if you didn't choose it (apart from me ). Funny though, how I managed to get a rather good report for yr. 11 PE without going to a single lesson...
). Funny though, how I managed to get a rather good report for yr. 11 PE without going to a single lesson...Lola_in_Slacks
I managed to skive off PE from halfway through yr. 10 onwards. It's an option at GCSE but everybody had to take it for one hour a week anyway even if you didn't choose it (apart from me ). Funny though, how I managed to get a rather good report for yr. 11 PE without going to a single lesson...
). Funny though, how I managed to get a rather good report for yr. 11 PE without going to a single lesson...My friend did exactly the same from years 7-9 and received a better report than most of the people who actually did the lessons..
Reply 11
At my school, full course PE was one of the expressive arts options and there were 2 top sets, one for girls and one for boys. They had 2 x 1 hour 45 minutes a week. Even if you didn't choose it as an option, you could do short course in normal lesson time (1 x 1 hour 45 minutes a week) if you were in one of the middle sets, again one for girls and one for boys. If you were in the mixed bottom set (like me) you still had to have the compulsory 1 lesson a week, but you didn't have to take any sort of qualification. We did things like fitness, trampolining, rounders and table tennis. Or we did in Year 10 anyway- in Year 11, we had a complete pushover for a teacher, so we told him what we wanted to do, which was generally sitting in the weights room listening to the radio and not using any of the equipment He wasn't around most of the time anyway. In the sixth form, sport and PE is an A-level option, but there's no compulsory PE. I second Bexiness; if my school had made me take GCSE PE, it would have ruined my claim of straight A*-Bs!
you still had to have the compulsory 1 lesson a week, but you didn't have to take any sort of qualification. We did things like fitness, trampolining, rounders and table tennis. Or we did in Year 10 anyway- in Year 11, we had a complete pushover for a teacher, so we told him what we wanted to do, which was generally sitting in the weights room listening to the radio and not using any of the equipment He wasn't around most of the time anyway. In the sixth form, sport and PE is an A-level option, but there's no compulsory PE. I second Bexiness; if my school had made me take GCSE PE, it would have ruined my claim of straight A*-Bs!There was no option to take GCSE PE at my old secondary school, although some people did take JSLA in Year 11 (I didn't as I was under the impression that you actually had to have some ability in whatever sport you were attempting to teach!). So I basically just did badminton, netball, fitness and trampolining until I got sick of them and spent most of my PE lessons in the music department finishing coursework.
Reply 13
Hello no
It was optional, and 2/3 of the year did it - AQA A Full course.
It was optional, and 2/3 of the year did it - AQA A Full course.
kellywood_5
At my school, full course PE was one of the expressive arts options and there were 2 top sets, one for girls and one for boys. They had 2 x 1 hour 45 minutes a week. Even if you didn't choose it as an option, you could do short course in normal lesson time (1 x 1 hour 45 minutes a week) if you were in one of the middle sets, again one for girls and one for boys. If you were in the mixed bottom set (like me) you still had to have the compulsory 1 lesson a week, but you didn't have to take any sort of qualification. We did things like fitness, trampolining, rounders and table tennis. Or we did in Year 10 anyway- in Year 11, we had a complete pushover for a teacher, so we told him what we wanted to do, which was generally sitting in the weights room listening to the radio and not using any of the equipment He wasn't around most of the time anyway. In the sixth form, sport and PE is an A-level option, but there's no compulsory PE. I second Bexiness; if my school had made me take GCSE PE, it would have ruined my claim of straight A*-Bs!
you still had to have the compulsory 1 lesson a week, but you didn't have to take any sort of qualification. We did things like fitness, trampolining, rounders and table tennis. Or we did in Year 10 anyway- in Year 11, we had a complete pushover for a teacher, so we told him what we wanted to do, which was generally sitting in the weights room listening to the radio and not using any of the equipment He wasn't around most of the time anyway. In the sixth form, sport and PE is an A-level option, but there's no compulsory PE. I second Bexiness; if my school had made me take GCSE PE, it would have ruined my claim of straight A*-Bs!Ooh, I remember I had to take one of the bottom groups when Miss Kelly was away I think, and we were supposed to do rounders- but we ended up just sitting on the field with an exam invigilator.
Was your group mixed in Year 10/11?Crazy_emz
There was no option to take GCSE PE at my old secondary school, although some people did take JSLA in Year 11 (I didn't as I was under the impression that you actually had to have some ability in whatever sport you were attempting to teach!). So I basically just did badminton, netball, fitness and trampolining until I got sick of them and spent most of my PE lessons in the music department finishing coursework.
Wow- I can't imagine my school ever letting us do that.. we're not even allowed to drop PE after starting the GCSE course apparently, for reasons which only our headteacher can explain.. (although has failed to so far
)Reply 17
I did it all those years ago. Got an A without any work at all
Reply 18
suuuuuuseh
Bonsoir Cal- long time no see! What did you get to do whilst they did it?
What did you get to do whilst they did it?Just the way the option blocks panned out, Physics group B was on against PE
No contest, really Although, I still had an hour of sport a week - either football/swimming/climbing/squash/badminton... at the local sports centre, which was for Years 10 and 11 on a Friday morning.
Reply 19
suuuuuuseh
Ooh, I remember I had to take one of the bottom groups when Miss Kelly was away I think, and we were supposed to do rounders- but we ended up just sitting on the field with an exam invigilator. Was your group mixed in Year 10/11?
Was your group mixed in Year 10/11?Yep, that sounds about right!
My group was mixed all the way through, Years 7-11. That's what they did with us useless people!Related discussions
- Should i pick PE or RE
- Pe
- Im not sure about if i should take pe and triple science? :/
- A level options
- I don't know what A-levels to pick
- Questions about Games/PE teachers
- A level choices
- a level biology???
- 4 a levels - Options help
- Aqa A level PE
- What degrees can I do with a level biology, PE and maths?
- The GCSE Subject Hurt / Heal Game
- Can I get into medicine with A LEVEL BIOLOGY but not A LEVEL CHEMISTRY?
- What degrees and jobs can I do with a level biology, chemistry and PE
- What are the best Gcses?
- gyg y11 🪐
- GCSE PE
- GCSE options (yes I'm still young)
- Gcse Combined Science
- geo with econ at LSE
Latest
Trending
Last reply 1 day ago
[edited] List of Poems 2017-2024 for English Lit Paper 2 AQALast reply 2 days ago
AQA GCSE Computer Science Paper 1 - Monday, May 12, 2025 [Exam Chat]Last reply 6 days ago
I got mostly 9's in my GCSE's, so ask me anything!Last reply 1 week ago
OCR GCSE Latin Paper 1 - Friday, May 9, 2025 [Exam Chat]
