Physical Education - National Moderator's Report

Insights

92016: Apply movement strategies in an applied setting

Performance overview

The standard requires students to identify and demonstrate a range of movement strategies in an applied setting.

Examples of good practice observed by moderators include:

• Kaiako evidence of live observation detailing the students’ identified movement strategies being demonstrated in an applied setting at level 6 of the curriculum.
• The inclusion of characteristics of the identified movement strategies on the live observation sheet or assessment schedule for each student, providing clear evidence of how the final grade was awarded.
• Supporting evidence such as kaiako commentary and/or student videos to validate the grade awarded.

Practices that need strengthening

Common issues seen in moderation include:

• Inaccurate interpretation of the movement strategy.
• Inappropriate selection of the applied setting.
• Insufficient evidence collection.
• Over-assessing.
• Insufficient evidence of how the final grade was awarded.

Movement strategy 

Students are required to demonstrate movement strategies, rather than movement skills or communication. A movement strategy is an approach or tactic used to achieve a movement outcome or goal. Examples of such outcomes or goals include creating an attacking opportunity or successfully negotiating terrain.

Each movement strategy must include its characteristics, which are the quality indicators showing how the strategy is demonstrated at level 6 of the curriculum. Examples of characteristics include anticipating and responding to external cues, coordination, fluidity, speed, and changes of pace.

For example:

• In an invasion game such as Turbo Touch, a movement strategy with characteristics could be “anticipating and responding to the opposition by changing direction quickly to move into space to receive the ball, creating an attacking opportunity.”
• In an outdoor education activity such as mountain biking, a movement strategy with characteristics could be “anticipating and responding to environmental conditions (wet, slippery, dry, dusty) by adjusting pace, speed, technique, and body positioning to successfully negotiate the terrain.”

Consultation with their kaiako prior to the demonstration would allow students to identify movement strategies that are appropriate for the movement context and curriculum level. 

From 2026, the identified strategies must be planned for specific situations, such as adapting to terrain or responding to opponents, to achieve a particular outcome.

The term ‘characteristics’ has been replaced by “the ways in which each strategy is applied and the quality of its execution.” This may include elements such as coordination, purpose and fluidity, ihi, wehi, wana, anticipating and responding to external cues or changes in direction, speed, or pace.

Applied setting

Students are required to demonstrate their identified movement strategies in an applied setting, rather than during drills or other preparatory activities. An applied setting provides an authentic environment that enables students to purposefully demonstrate movement strategies.

Examples of applied settings include:

• A class tournament (with officials, scoring, and clear game rules).
• A modified game, such as 3-on-3 basketball.
• An outdoor experience.
• An event or festival.

Collecting evidence

Kaiako are required to assess the range of movement strategies in a live performance within an applied setting for each student, rather than assessing a recorded version of the performance. The assessed movement strategies should match those identified by the student prior to the demonstration.

Each movement strategy should include characteristics on the live observation sheet, assessment schedule, or within ongoing kaiako commentary. This ensures kaiako know what they are observing when assessing each movement strategy, as well as providing evidence of the quality of execution and the curriculum level.

Live observation sheets should include dates and/or game details to indicate when the demonstration occurred. Evidence of the demonstration may include notes, symbols, video, voice-recorded ongoing commentary, or a combination of these.

Consistent and effective evidence of movement strategies should be observed on multiple occasions, either within a single game or outdoor experience, or across a series of games (such as a tournament) or outdoor experiences. This should be recorded on the live observation sheet and may be supported by student video evidence or ongoing kaiako commentary.

Over-assessing

While student evidence can support the overall grade, students are only required to identify and demonstrate the movement strategies. Including a written description of how and why they applied their movement strategy goes beyond the requirements of the standard. Students’ written evidence should not be assessed and does not contribute to their overall grade.

At times, students provided too many videos, or extended game videos for each demonstrated strategy. One or two videos for each strategy is sufficient, or a time-stamped video. Examples of good practice clearly showed identification of the student, the movement strategy demonstrated in the context of the game or experience, and voiceover or text commentary supporting the student’s demonstration. 

Insufficient evidence of how the final grade was awarded

The final grade should be based on the kaiako live observations of the student identified movement strategies, in the applied setting, rather than only video evidence after the performance has taken place. Kaiako commentary and student evidence is beneficial to support the grade awarded.

92017: Demonstrate understanding of the application of strategies in group movement

Performance overview

The standard requires students to demonstrate an understanding of the application of strategies in movement. There must be a discussion of kotahitanga throughout the application of these strategies.

Examples of good practice observed by moderators include discussions about kotahitanga that clearly link to the application of movement strategies. These were supported with specific examples from the student’s own experience. For example, what the student said or did when applying each strategy that promoted kotahitanga in the movement context.

Kaiako commentary and/or feedback on the student evidence further supported how the final judgement was made.

Practices that need strengthening

Common issues seen in moderation include:

• Lack of discussion of kotahitanga in the context of the strategies.
• Inappropriate strategies.
• The movement context.
• The absence of personal examples.
• Over-assessing.
• Insufficient depth of evidence for Achieved, Merit, and Excellence.
• Level of guidance in the task.

Kotahitanga

While students generally demonstrate a good understanding of kotahitanga, their discussion must explicitly refer to kotahitanga and link to how each strategy was applied. For example, what did the student specifically say or do in the movement context that promoted kotahitanga?

The focus should be on unity, togetherness, solidarity, or collective action rather than on winning. Providing a clear definition of kotahitanga could form the basis for further discussion about how kotahitanga was promoted.

Strategies 

Authentic strategies that provide opportunities to promote kotahitanga should be applied. Examples include effective communication, manaakitanga, whanaungatanga, tuakana-teina, or problem solving. Strategies such as teamwork, self-management, self-confidence, fair play, social responsibility, or active participation are not considered appropriate strategies in movement. 

Respecting, supporting, and encouraging others can be aspects of manaakitanga or whanaungatanga. When applying cooperation, students should describe how they worked with others to promote kotahitanga, rather than simply telling others what to do.

Movement 

Students should apply their strategies while working in a group during movement activities. For example, in a basketball game, drills, or when trekking, rather than in tasks such as putting up tents, cooking, solving puzzles, or picking up rubbish.

For Adventure-Based Learning activities, the selection of appropriate tasks that involve movement is required.

From 2026, students must apply their strategies while working in a group of 3 or more participants during movement activities.

Personal examples 

The application of strategies and the discussion about how kotahitanga is promoted must be supported with specific examples from the student’s own experience. For example, what did the student specifically say or do (“I”) when applying their strategies in movement, rather than what others said or did (“we”).

Depth of evidence 

Successful students at Achieved level provided reasons for applying their strategies in the movement activity and described applying these strategies using personal examples that led to kotahitanga being promoted.

Successful students at Merit level discussed how and why the strategies were applied using personal examples that led to kotahitanga being promoted. For example, the ‘how’ describes what occurred when the student applied each strategy and the ‘why’ using words such as “because”, “this meant”, “this allowed”, or “this resulted in”.

Successful students at Excellence level drew conclusions explicitly about the effectiveness of how the strategies were applied, using personal examples from their own experiences that supported kotahitanga being promoted.

Over-assessing

Students commonly produced more evidence than the standard required. Using the evidence from the log entries to create a written report could allow for more depth in the student responses and reduce the volume of evidence produced.

Too much guidance

Using a template with leading questions provided too much guidance for students and limited their opportunity to produce authentic written responses. The intent of the standard is for students to personally apply strategies in movement that promote kotahitanga and reflect on these experiences in their own words.

Level 3 standards: Questioning and challenging assumptions

Performance overview

For Excellence, most Level 3 standards require students to question and challenge assumptions relevant to both the standard and the selected context. Examples of good practice observed by moderators included standards 91498 and 91500, where students successfully challenged assumptions within the context of their own experiences.

Similarly, for standard 91505, students related these assumptions specifically to the selected contemporary leadership principles and how these principles were applied.

Practices that need strengthening

Students should clearly identify assumptions relating to their topic and question, and can challenge these assumptions from different perspectives, rather than supporting them. For example, “this is not always the case…”, “I can challenge this assumption because the research shows…”, “I wonder what would have been the result if I had tried a different strategy…” or “I wonder if my assumptions are untrue because I saw…”

91789: Devise strategies for a physical activity outcome

Performance overview

The standard requires students to devise strategies for achieving a physical activity outcome.

Examples of good practice observed by moderators included a clear, succinct physical activity outcome and clearly identified, relevant strategies appropriate to level 8 of the curriculum. How and why these strategies would be applied to meet the intended physical activity outcome was explained with specific examples, before they were trialled and adjusted. Strategies were trialled and supported with evidence, then adjusted, with a clear explanation of how and why the changes related to achieving the intended physical activity outcome.

Practices that need strengthening

As part of the devising strategy process, students should clearly identify an intended physical activity outcome for themselves or others, rather than several outcomes. The explanation of knowledge underpinning each strategy should directly relate to achieving this outcome. This step of the process should occur before trialling the strategies.

Evidence of trialling the strategies should include supporting examples. Any adjustments made should align with the trialling of these strategies and clearly relate to achieving the intended outcome.

In many cases, an evaluation of strategies at the end of the physical activity event, programme, or experience was included, rather than an evaluation resulting from trialling or adjustment during the process.

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