Caving as a potential PE activity?

[maxb727]

But the staff at your local gym are probably not a representative sample, just shows that where you live there are a number of obese people....

My brother has a degree is a sports related subject, he coached other uni climbing teams ready for competition, he has completed an ironman in a not to be sniffed at time too - however he too is probably no representative of all people.

There is the middle ground. People who study sport and all the background information like nutrition, biology, etc who go on to take jobs which are benefiting from their learnings.

There is no reason why kids cannot cave with school.

 

[cap n chris]

There is no reason why kids cannot cave with school.

Agree. Money will make it happen. Is there any?

 

[r_walklate@hotmail.com]

It is and can be affordable.

Misrepresentation of what? The fact you don't think GCSEs do not have any value.

GCSE in dribbling??!?!

 

[maxb727]

No one said about it costing no money. Just because it becomes an option which a child can choose does not mean the school has to sort it all out.

Horse riding is on the list. When I was at school you took the assessment list to a horse riding instructor and were filmed completing the assessment. The teachers never got involved apart from to send the video off for moderation.

By adding caving, anyone interested in caving can then try to reach the required standard (it's all graded - and that would need defining) and decide whether to submit it as one of their chosen sports.

Payment would be up to individuals but at least those who wanted it would have the choice to choose it.

 

[cap n chris]

The fact you don't think GCSEs do not have any value.

Where did I say that GCSE Mathematics, English, Geography etc. do not have any value?

 

[r_walklate@hotmail.com]

GCSE IN DRIBBLING

 

[cap n chris]

By adding caving, anyone interested in caving can then try to reach the required standard (it's all graded - and that would need defining) and decide whether to submit it as one of their chosen sports.

Payment would be up to individuals but at least those who wanted it would have the choice to choose it.

Sounds more like it.

 

[cap n chris]

Stating "as a fact" that I hold GSCEs to be of little value is incorrect. Stating my belief that a GSCE in PE, or Dribbling, is of little value remains valid, depending on the work/interview for which you are submitting your CV.


e.g. Having five GSCEs might look good at first glance to a putative employer but if they are in PE, Religious Education, Social Studies, Media Studies and Art they're not in the same league as many of those which people are more familiar with such as Mathematics, Chemistry, Geography, History, English, Spanish etc. and hence will be less likely to lend themselves towards a favourable application.

 

[r_walklate@hotmail.com]

Horses for course Chris.

 

[Rachel]

GCSE PE.

Really?

Gobsmacking.

Yes, really. It comprises of 60% theory - mainly anatomy and physiology - and 40% practical - partly 'doing' physical activities and partly coaching others. Quite a useful choice for a teenager considering going on to study medicine or physiotherapy at university.

The practical part focuses on four activities/games. This could be a combination of school-based (hockey, football etc) and other activities that the teenager already does and just needs to be accredited for. For example, my daughter has been going to a lifeguarding class for the last couple of years, so someone would come out to the pool to assess her, for it to count as one of the four activities. There isn't any expectation that the school would provide these - it's up to the pupil/parents to organise.

The practical side of being assessed would be simple enough. For a teenager who is already a member of a caving club, has BCA insurance and knows a couple of people qualified to assess, it seems very straightforward. The only issue is that caving is not on the exam board's list of approved activities.

I'm not suggesting that whole classes should be going caving in PE lessons - that would be as impractical as people have pointed out. But if it is possible for a regular climber/skier/horse rider/whatever to use their hobby as one of their activities, why not a caver? I suspect that caving hasn't made the list up to now simply because it is a fairly minority activity and nobody has asked the question before. I just thought that if the question were asked by an official organisation, the likelihood of getting a positive response would be much higher than an enquiry by a parent.

 

[cap n chris]

Thank you Rachel - your post makes perfect sense and explains things comprehensively and informatively - it sounds a bit like a hybrid or offshoot from Human Biology crossed with assessment of a clutch of practical skills/activities. Your point about caving being given consideration for inclusion stands up well, in this light.

I'm clearly out of touch (it WAS a long time ago); PE was daps/pants/vests and running around, or pathetic attempts at "gymnastics".
I stand corrected. I have learned something today. Ta!  :bow:

 

[damian]

Rachel - I'm always happy to write official letters of this nature (assuming it's for something sensible, of course). I am guessing this is probably a QCA issue, but maybe it's down to the individual Exam Boards and their own syllabi. Would you be able to find this out for me and I'll see what I can do at some point in the next few months ... can't promise to get a result for your daughter, but it's worth the question for the future. In fact if you to send me a draft letter too, it may happen quite quickly (!)

 

[Rachel]

You're welcome Chris 

 

[Rachel]

Thank you Damian - that's very kind of you. I will find out which exam board the school uses and try to put something together.

 

[bograt]

Surprised no-ones mentioned the 'competition' aspect of the sport yet, caving is the only sport so far mentioned that there are no inter-personal or inter-team competitions, in my experience of funding bodies, no competition means minimal funding and minimal interest.


I also recall about 35years ago the scout badge book had a series of requirements for a boy scout to get his caving (adventure) badge, one of the requirements was to be able to splice a wood and rope ladder! I was the regional advisor at the time and I often ignored that one

 

[robjones]

My sons gained their Scouts caver activity badges only a few years ago and one of them gained the advanced caver activity badge. The detailed requirements seem now to be on a members-only part of the Scouts website but from memory the requirements were:

* show a knowledge of how caves form
* show a knowledge of conservation issues and how caving can affect them
* show a knowledge of caving equipment and how it is used
* undertake four trips to at least two different caves and keep a log describing the trips

There might have been something requiring a short ladder and/or abseil as well.

The advanced was basically more of the same: more detail on knowledge, and more trips over a longer period.

Much of this bore close comparison to the Climber activity badge (which one of my sons gained) as this too emphasised knowledge of equipment, techniques and conservation, with only a small number of top-roped low grade climbs required.

 

[TheBitterEnd]

Not at GCSE level but the school my kids attend offers caving to all year 7's as part of an activity week along with gill scrambling, kayaking, etc. So I guess issues around changing, insurance and the like can be overcome.

Where there's a will there's a way.

 

[Jenny P]

Note that caving was also a Duke of Edinburgh's Award subject where you could gain bronze, etc. awards.  From memory the assessment must have been similar to the Scout Caving badge system but it did require the young person to go caving and there was a minimum number of hours of caving required to achieve the award.

Always remember this because one of our young club members had just started on his bronze level (which required 5 hours caving) but he got caught up in the Donna Carr rescue in Giants Hole as one of the cavers in the group which were first on the scene after the accident.  He did a straight 10 hours there and then in helping with the rescue!  He did get his award though.  This was in 1965 so it may have changed now.

 

[topcat]

Surprised no-ones mentioned the 'competition' aspect of the sport yet, caving is the only sport so far mentioned that there are no inter-personal or inter-team competitions, in my experience of funding bodies, no competition means minimal funding and minimal interest.

This used to be the case with climbing, but look at it now.  Be careful what you wish for: caving would have to change and it's unlikely to be for the better.  Competion has been crow-barred into all mountain sports and I hate to see that happen to caving.  But it will?

 

[alanw]

Competion has been crow-barred into all mountain sports and I hate to see that happen to caving.  But it will?

There's the Speolo Olympics at Hidden Earth. Already we have the Men's 30m prusik.

Other suggestions
100m rope wash
Sump dive: lying face down in a bathtub pulling on a guide line. Longest length wins.