Jon Varey, PE and Sport Subject Advisor

The Non-Exam Assessment (NEA) in OCR’s A Level and GCSE Physical Education (PE) courses plays a crucial role in evaluating students’ practical skills and their ability to analyse and evaluate performance. Understanding the moderation process is essential for teachers to ensure fair and consistent assessment for all candidates. 

In this post I’ll explain the key steps in moderation and what you can do to ensure the process runs smoothly.

What is NEA in OCR PE?

NEA refers to the internally assessed components of our PE qualifications, encompassing practical performances and evaluative tasks. For A Level PE, this includes a practical performance and the Evaluation and Analysis of Performance for Improvement (EAPI). In GCSE PE, it comprises three practical performances and the Analysing and Evaluating Performance task (AEP).

Overview of the moderation process

Moderation ensures that the internal assessments are consistent and align with national standards. The process involves several key steps: 

1. Internal assessment and standardisation 

Teachers assess students based on criteria outlined in the NEA guides. It’s vital to conduct internal standardisation to ensure uniformity in marking, especially in centres with multiple assessors. 

2. Submission of marks

After internal assessments, centres submit their marks to OCR by the specified deadlines. It’s important to inform students of their marks and provide an opportunity for them to appeal before final submission. 

3. Selection of sample for moderation

Once marks are submitted, OCR requests a sample of students/student work for moderation. The sample size depends on the number of candidates and the number of activities the centre have assessed candidates in, and is selected to represent the range of attainment. 

4. Submission of evidence

Centres provide the requested sample. For the evaluative tasks this could be written or video evidence and for the practical component it may include video evidence of practical performances. Detailed guidance on filming requirements and evidence submission is available in the NEA guides. 

5. Live moderation/moderation of evaluative component

Selected candidates attend the live moderation day for the practical component. The purpose of moderation is to assess whether a centre has been marking consistently and accurately in line with the marking criteria and national standards. This is done through selecting a sample of candidates from across the cohort and mark range and the moderator determining whether the marking criteria has been applied accurately and consistently for these candidates. If a centre is found to be marking inaccurately or inconsistently, the marks of the full cohort may be subject to adjustments. Adjustments are based on the differences between the centre marks and moderator marks and the overall trend and pattern of marking seen in the sample. The same process is implemented for the moderation of the EAPI and AEP with the submitted work. 

6. Feedback

Post results, OCR provides feedback to centres through a moderator’s report which will provide centres with information related to the assessment of the component. If you are unhappy with the outcomes of the moderation, we recommend that you apply for a Service 3 Post Series Review of Moderation.

Key considerations for teachers

• Adherence to guidelines. Mark sure you strictly follow the NEA guides and specifications to ensure assessments meet OCR’s requirements. 
• Accurate record-keeping. Maintain records of assessments, including video evidence and written evaluations, to support the moderation process.
• Timely communication. Keep abreast of OCR communications regarding deadlines, submission procedures, and any updates to the moderation process. Make sure you sign up to subject updates. 

By understanding and following the OCR PE moderation process, teachers can ensure fair, consistent, and accurate assessments of their students.

Stay connected

If you have any questions, you can email us at pe@ocr.org.uk, call us on 01223 553998 or message us on X @OCR_PhysEd. You can also sign up to subject updates to receive information about resources and support.

If you are considering teaching any of our qualifications, use our online form to let us know, so that we can help you with more information.

About the author

Jon joined OCR as a PE and sport subject advisor in September 2021 having taught in a variety of secondary schools across the country for over 20 years, gaining a wealth of experience and subject knowledge. During this time, he has set up, delivered, and assessed a wide range of courses within physical education and sport. In his spare time, he is a keen runner and enthusiastic mountain biker, enjoys attending sporting and music events when possible and walking his two whippets.