GCSE PE Skiing Video Evidence – AQA

Assessment conditions

Download the Original AQA GCSE PE skiing assessment criteria document.

• Students being assessed in skiing cannot also be assessed in snowboarding

• Students can be assessed outdoor on snow or indoor on snow

• Students cannot be assessed on dry ski slopes

Skiing skills assessed

1. Basic turning – turning both ways using parallel or carved

2. Stopping – parallel stop or skid to halt, stopping to the left and right

3. Linked turns over distance – whole indoor snow zone run or outdoor run including narrow and wide turns at different angles

4. Traversing in both directions – different speeds and angles

5. Skiing at speed – slalom through gates or round poles or moguls or tight turns

Marks breakdown

Total marks available: 25

• Part 1 – Skills: 10 marks

• Part 2 – Full context performance: 15 marks

Part 1 – Skills (10 marks)

Students should perform the core skills and techniques in increasingly demanding and progressive drills. Progressive drills may start with the skill in isolation but should aim to increase speed and incorporate further difficulty in gradient. This must not be in a fully competitive skiing run.

Skills 1, 3 and 5 have options to allow the skier to choose what is appropriate to their ability or what is available to them.

Level descriptors – Skills

Level 5 (9–10 marks)
The quality of technique is maintained for all skills and throughout all practices. When faced with speed and or harder gradient, decision making in relation to when to perform the skill and at what angle is consistently effective. There are very few errors and the student is adaptive when faced with progressively challenging situations, speed or gradient. They almost always produce the intended results and accuracy.

Level 4 (7–8 marks)
The quality of technique is maintained for all skills but may start to deteriorate in the most challenging practices at speed or gradient. When faced with speed and or harder gradient, decision making is usually effective in relation to when to perform the skill and at what angle. There may be occasional minor errors but the student is usually adaptive when faced with progressively challenging situations, speed or gradient. They regularly produce the intended results and accuracy.

Level 3 (5–6 marks)
The quality of technique is maintained for most skills but sometimes deteriorates in the most challenging practices at speed or gradient. When faced with speed and or harder gradient, the effectiveness of decision making is inconsistent. The student makes more effective decisions at slightly slower speeds and or on easier gradients. There may be occasional errors and the student is sometimes adaptive when faced with progressively challenging situations, speed or gradient. They sometimes produce the intended results and accuracy.

Level 2 (3–4 marks)
The quality of technique is maintained for some skills but usually deteriorates in the most challenging practices, speed or gradient. When faced with speed and or harder gradient, decision making is only occasionally effective. They are significantly more proficient at slower speeds or easier gradients. There may be frequent errors and the student is only occasionally adaptive when faced with progressively challenging situations, speed or gradient. They infrequently produce the intended results and accuracy.

Level 1 (1–2 marks)
The quality of technique is maintained for few skills and deteriorates in the most challenging practices at speed or gradient. When faced with speed and or harder gradient, decision making may be ineffective. Any proficiency is shown at slow speed or easier gradients. There are likely to be frequent errors and the student may be unable to adapt when faced with progressively challenging situations, speed or gradient. They rarely produce the intended results and accuracy.

Level 0 (0 marks)
Nothing worthy of credit.

Part 2 – Full context (15 marks)

Students should perform two timed runs on appropriately challenging slopes against the clock.

These can be:

• In an indoor snow zone around 10 poles or cones

• Outdoor around poles or cones or on suitable downhill runs

If outdoor, the colour of the run chosen should be appropriate to the level of ability of the performer.

Level descriptors – Full context

Level 5 (13–15 marks)
The student shows a high level of ability to make successful and effective tactical and strategic decisions, almost always fully relevant to an appropriate line being chosen. The student’s pace is highly effective, significant and sustained for almost all of the timed runs. The student maintains a high level of technique, accuracy and consistency in the performance of all skills even on the most challenging parts of the slope. The application of skill is fully appropriate to the position of the poles and gradient of the slope. The student demonstrates a high level of ability to select and apply the most appropriate skills and is usually successful in gaining excellent times, while hardly ever losing control.

Level 4 (10–12 marks)
The student shows the ability to make successful and effective tactical and strategic decisions, usually relevant to choosing an appropriate line, with only minor lapses. The student’s pace is usually effective and significant and is sustained for the majority of the runs. The student maintains technique, accuracy and consistency in the performance of all skills on most of the more challenging parts of the slope. The application of skill is usually appropriate to the poles and gradient, though there may be some lapses. The student demonstrates the ability to select and apply the most appropriate skills, often gaining a good time but occasionally losing control.

Level 3 (7–9 marks)
The student shows the ability to make successful and effective tactical and strategic decisions but there may be some obvious weaknesses in the line chosen and they are occasionally not relevant to the demands of the slope. The student’s pace is sometimes effective and significant but it is not entirely sustained throughout the runs, with the student losing speed during some turns. The student maintains technique and accuracy in the performance of most skills on the slope but it is not always consistent on the most challenging parts. The application of skill is not consistently appropriate to the position of the poles and gradient. The student demonstrates some ability to select and apply appropriate skills, sometimes gaining good times, though there may be some obvious areas of weakness and they can lose control.

Level 2 (4–6 marks)
The student shows some ability to make tactical and strategic decisions in the line chosen but there are significant weaknesses and inconsistencies in their relevance to the demands of the slope. The student’s pace is inconsistent throughout the runs and only occasionally effective on the most challenging turns. The student shows some technique and accuracy in the performance of some skills on the slope but there are obvious inconsistencies and weaknesses. The application of skill is only occasionally appropriate to the position of the poles and gradient. The student occasionally demonstrates the ability to select and apply appropriate skills, but only occasionally gains good times and frequently loses control.

Level 1 (1–3 marks)
The student shows only a limited ability to make tactical and strategic decisions in the line chosen and they are seldom relevant to the demands of the slope. The student's pace is generally slow and is seldom effective or significant when turning. The student shows only limited technique and accuracy in the performance of a few skills on the slope. The application of skill is rarely appropriate to the position of the poles and gradient. The student demonstrates only very limited ability to select and apply appropriate skills, rarely gaining good times and usually loses control.

Level 0 (0 marks)
Nothing worthy of credit.

Download the Original AQA GCSE PE skiing assessment criteria document.

Criteria reproduced for reference from the AQA GCSE Physical Education (8582) specification. Assessment remains subject to AQA moderation and guidance.