May 2023 Physical and health education

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2023

International Baccalaureate® | Baccalauréat International® | Bachillerato Internacional®
May 2023 subject report Physical and health education

Overall grade boundaries

Grade: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Mark range: 0-3 4-7 8-12 13-16 17-20 21-24 25-32

The range and suitability of the work submitted

The May 2023 partially completed unit planner (PCUP) provided a clear framework for development by
schools. It was evident in the samples received that most schools had taken the approach to develop the
unit to their own context around the PCUP guiding framework. Schools that took the time to read the May
2022 examination session PHE subject report, acted on the IA feedback from that session, and used the
task specific clarification were able to better prepare their students this session.
It was apparent that schools understood the intent of the PCUP, as schools did not submit work different
to the required four tasks. Samples were generally easy to follow with the appropriate work submitted for
each task; however due to the nature of the tasks, evidence was sometimes found in different sections
where it best
seen through analysis of the client in the video of Task 3.
The submitted PHE ePortfolios covered a range of sports and activities, though a smaller range than
submitted in previous years. Most students continued to choose components of fitness as their health
goal. Students were engaged and physically active both as a client and a coach. Students presented their
client analysis with a wide range of information that
physical and health situation.
Less successful portfolios did not enable students to engage fully because they did use research to help
them better understand what proper technique looks like. Using research helps students to gain
procedural knowledge so that the skills developed and drills used in the performance plan are effective.
When progress is not made, using research helps the students adapt the plan to close the skills gap.
Disappointingly, there were still many schools that did not follow the submission requirements. Some
work still exceeded the maximum limits for the report both in terms of written work, as well as lengths of
video. Some work was submitted with very small fonts or with embedded screenshots which were difficult
for examiners to read. This should be addressed by the school before work is uploaded.
Academic Integrity continues to be the biggest concern in the PHE ePortfolio. Far too many schools did
not include a bibliography, which is against the IB rules on academic integrity. In order for students to
achieve, research needs to be included in the portfolio; and as well as text, images, music and other work
not created by the student must be cited. This should also be addressed by the school before work is
uploaded.
Schools that have chosen to use a template for their students have had mixed success, as templates often
cause students to write in bullet form, or answer the question asked in the template. This does not allow
students to explain, evaluate and justify - which limits students reaching the highest achievement bands.

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© International Baccalaureate Organization 2023
May 2023 subject report Physical and health education

Comments included by the school to support the work of the students have shown improvement, and it
has been easier for examiners to better understand the grades given by the school. Personalized
comments that analyzed each strand without using the wording of the IB criteria were often closer aligned
to the work submitted. Schools should ensure to read the personalized IA feedback sent, to help guide
them for even better results next year.
There were many excellent examples of PDPs where students showed a good integration and transfer of
conceptual knowledge into a practical and purposeful document for their client. The enthusiasm and
engagement of students was positive and refreshing as the unit allowed students not only to show what
they have learned throughout the MYP program and IB areas such as ATLs and LP; but gave them an
opportunity to make physical and health goals and plans that have lifelong meaning towards maintaining
a healthy lifestyle.
The examining team hopes that the skills learned in this portfolio process will be valuable for a lifelong
focus on healthy living and personal development.

Candidate performance against each criterion

Criterion A
• Including an evaluation and analysis of the interview with the client is effective in task 1, in showing
understanding of all areas of knowledge. Including the questions and answers themselves should be
avoided.
• Inclusion of (for some students) and a deeper understanding of (for many students) conceptual
knowledge and links to the global context, key concept and related concepts still needs development.
The connection to conceptual knowledge continues to be the least developed of all knowledge aspects
across the four tasks. Students still find it difficult to connect their task 1 planning in task 2 with
conceptual knowledge or within the context of the global context. Some students connected
conceptual knowledge to the reflection in task 4, which was appropriate and effective.
• Students had a good understanding of factual knowledge about the activity they chose - both physical
and health related. This type of knowledge included understanding about the components of health,
fitness, individual skills that are important in certain sports or activities, important strategies, and what
drills and skills may be used to be successful.
• Appropriate physical education terminology was mostly well developed throughout the tasks,
especially by schools that used research to support their statements.
• Greater procedural knowledge and understanding, which leads to the development of each of the skills
being coached, is still needed. Research must be included (and cited) in this process. In order to be able
to create an effective plan, the coach must be knowledgeable in what the skill looks like if done
correctly. This might include biomechanics, anatomy, body movement or technique. Once the coach
has examined the initial starting point of the client, the coach can analyze the current ability. The plan
is then developed in order to close the gap between current execution of the skills and what it looks
like performed correctly.
• Some basic procedural knowledge of health and how it is used to support physical development was
included. A majority of the health education included was fitness related, and where it deviated away
from fitness was not particularly successful as it was difficult to measure as a goal. There was some

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© International Baccalaureate Organization 2023
a International Baccalaureate
Baccalaureat International
Bachillerato Internacional
May 2023 subject report Physical and health education

success with nutrition as a health goal, in terms of plan development, but again the ability to measure
success was limited.
• Citing of sources, photos, images and music was not always included. Upon submission of work, schools
acknowledge that the work submitted is that of the student, but often that is not what is evidenced by
the examiners.
• Students who used images of the client in still positions and who were able to show understanding of
current level of skills, were more successful in showing their understanding of procedural knowledge.
• Schools that used research or evidence to support statements of understanding were more successful
in Tasks 1, 2 and 4. Use of appropriate terminology was often more successful in work that was
supported by research.

Criterion B
• Students who understood and effectively used SMART goals to frame their health and physical goals
were more focused and generally prepared better development plans, and were more successful in task
4 (Criteria Dii).
• Students with better procedural knowledge and understanding were able to set challenging but
achievable goals based on the initial performance.
• The inclusion of at least one physical and one health goal was well done by most students, and most
students used a component of fitness as a health goal.
• Students that used data as evidence to show how goals may or may not have been met were more
effective in their analysis.
• Students who used a chart format were often better able to organize their plan, and include all the
information needed in its development.
• The number of training sessions students used in building their plan continued to vary greatly this year.
Students who did not have many training sessions were not as successful in the progression of skills.
• Analysis of the client's performance during the training sessions was not well documented and this

technique or drill changes (modifying the plan) going forward for the rest of the training sessions. This
ties directly to students' lack of procedural knowledge and understanding.
• The depth of understanding of procedural knowledge (how to close the gap in terms of current skill
level and correct skill execution) still limited many students to be effective in this task.
• Some students used the same exercises repetitively over the course of the training sessions, without
adaptation. These plans lacked creativity and did not have progressional development that is needed
to close the skill gap. Research should be used (and cited) to ensure an effective selection of drills and
skills are used.
• Many students, while including both a health and physical plan, did not make connections between
them in terms of holistic development.
• Some students included images, photos of skills and an inclusion of drills not created by them, which
were not cited in a bibliography.

Criterion C
• The choice of activity/skills to be performed was not always at a complex level that would be expected
of a student in MYP 5.

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© International Baccalaureate Organization 2023
May 2023 subject report Physical and health education

• Students who submitted evidence of performing fitness exercises or parts of the training program were
often limited in the complex range of exercises performed.
• For students who submitted aesthetic activities, the standard of work was often high, if the students
performed complex sequences of moves that were linked together.
• The final "performance" did not always give sufficient evidence of the success of their training program,
often due to the short length of the final performance clip. This section of the video should be the
longest part.
• Some students submitted evidence over the 3 minutes maximum, and so this evidence was not able to
be assessed.
• Students who showed their skills in a performance situation were overall more successful. These
students increased the performance complexity by adding dif
environment and structure. Students who showed their skills in isolation were less successful as it was
difficult for the examiners to see strategies chosen, and the success of those strategies in play.
• Selection of evidence to be submitted needs to be considered more carefully. Some students did not
show any skills (i.e. Touch the ball, make plays) during the video clip that was submitted.
• Additions such as text on the screen and voice overs were well received by the examining team.
Speeding up the video in order to include more evidence was not as well received. Speeding up video
clips negatively affects the ability for the examiner to assess strategies and movement concepts.
• Too much analysis did not allow the examiners to see enough game play.
• Clearer identification of the student to be assessed is still needed by some schools. This can be done on

• Due to its difficulty in being assessed in a performance situation, strand 3 is not assessed in Task 3.
• Many students included music not created by them, which was not cited in the bibliography. Music is
not needed unless it is a strategic component of a performance.
• Some video evidence included small clips of the client being successful in certain skills at certain
moments. Video evidence should show the context around the skill being shown, with panning out to
the team situation, so as for the examiner to see the real-life performance situation as a whole.
• In sports such as table tennis and badminton, the angle of the camera is important. The examiners need
to see the field of play, to see if the chosen strategy and/or skills used were successful in their execution.

Criterion D: Reflecting
• Reflections were less often stated a

behind what happened throughout the tasks.

• Students that used their final video in Task 3 as a guide to analyze and evaluate their own final
performance (Diii), were often more successful.
• Health performance evaluation must also be included alongside physical.
• Students who demonstrated more detailed examples of collaboration and communication strategies
were more successful in Di.
• Analysis and evaluation of the effectiveness of the performance plan (Dii) based on the outcome lacked
detail, which did not allow students to reach the highest levels. Students tended to focus more on the
training program and the performance of the client, not the effectiveness of the plan itself on the
outcome.

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© International Baccalaureate Organization 2023
May 2023 subject report Physical and health education

• When students exceeded the maximum number of pages in the portfolio, it was criterion D grades that
were affected, as the examiners stopped reading after 15 pages. This had a negative impact for too
many students this year.

Recommendations and guidance for the teaching of future candidates

• Schools must ensure that students use research to support their work and that all music, images, videos,
and text are cited correctly. Bibliographies must be included with the work submitted (see the PCUP for
more details of these requirements)
• Schools should encourage students to view the exam portfolio as an inquiry where each task is
dependent on all the others in terms of development and connections.
• Schools are encouraged to introduce the coach/client model in MYP 4 so that students and schools
have a practice unit to help better prepare students for the final exam portfolio. Schools are also
encouraged, throughout the MYP, to create summative assessments that assess conceptual knowledge
and understanding.
• Schools should ensure there is a development of health knowledge (not only including health related
fitness) over the five years of the programme, so that it can be showcased alongside physical knowledge
at the same level.
• Schools should ensure that the level of skills being taught and assessed in all years of the MYP program
are age appropriate and challenging, moving from individual/isolated basic skills in the earlier MYP
years to a range of interconnected complex skills in the upper MYP years.
• Schools should ensure explicit teaching of background information for the development of the unit and
ensure that there is a minimum of 20 hours spent on developing and completing the exam portfolio.
• Schools should ensure that all students and teachers understand the command terms, so that students
can clearly understand what is expected in each achievement band. Schools should refrain from using
incorrect command terms in their teaching materials.
• Schools should not give a set template for the portfolio, as it hinders student imagination and
development of answers. When schools use closed questions, it can limit student responses and the
depth of evidence provided.
• Schools need to ensure that there is time given to fully explain the PCUP, including discussion around
the SOI and key concepts, outside of the 20 hours for the set tasks.
• Students should evidence factual, procedural, and conceptual knowledge throughout all tasks of the
exam portfolio, from both a health and physical knowledge perspective.
• Schools should encourage students to include a paragraph analysis of the initial interview instead of
the interview itself, as the question/answer format of the interview often affects the maximum total
page number and does not include all the information needed (as stated in the task specific
clarification).
• Schools are encouraged to effectively teach SMART goals as part of development through the MYP
years, so that students are better able to create challenging goals and justify their choices.
• Students are encouraged to consider how they will demonstrate an understanding and application of
strategy in their final performance and how that will be evidenced in their performance video.
• Schools are encouraged to have students use data as evidence of success of the goals. This should be
evidenced in Task 1 through benchmark testing during initial performance, evidenced as how and what

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© International Baccalaureate Organization 2023
a International Baccalaureate
Baccalaureat International
Bachillerato Internacional
May 2023 subject report Physical and health education

; and for the coach to be more objective than

subjective in assessing the success of the performance plan in Task 4.
• The teaching of sport specific skills and components of fitness should focus on understanding and using
the correct technique; both for skill development and safety. This is procedural knowledge and should
be supported by research when evidenced in the portfolio.
• Students should be encouraged to record extra video evidence during performance situations, so that
there are best-fit video clips available at the end to be used. This may increase the evidence provided
and show a range of skills and movement patterns and the application of techniques and strategies in
their best performance over the unit. Video clips should not be of only the client, but show a wider view
as choice of skills and movements are affected due to what is happening before and after the client is
involved.
• Students should be encouraged to choose sports/activities where the physical goals are not performed
as single isolated skills. Some activities may not be recommended for this unit, due to the structure of
the coach-client model. This feedback can be found in the IA feedback.
• Schools should ensure all students are performing at their best, both in the initial performance, as well
as during game situations where they are being filmed or not. It can be effective to have all students
being filmed at the same time (using different colour bibs to identify students). However, this does not
mean piecing together small clips of only successful moments that do not include context in the
performance itself.
• Students are highly encouraged to include written comments on the screen and/or voice over on the
video to explain the components of the performance in more depth than video alone. Schools need to
ensure that the student (client) is clearly identified in the video evidence.
•
While comments should include the command terms and reflect all strands of each criterion, they
should not be the same wording from the IB guide.
• Schools must ensure that all identifying information (school name, student name, etc) are removed
from all submitted work.

Recommendations and guidance for the development of partially completed unit

planners.
• Schools must be held accountable in the area of Academic Integrity, and each portfolio must include a
bibliography.
• Schools are encouraged to be creative in their own context in ensuring that the framework of the PCUP
is built and then fully developed into a completed exam portfolio. This is the opportunity for students
to showcase their 5 years of knowledge, understanding, skills and attitudes in MYP PHE.
• Schools are encouraged to look at all the components of the PCUP and begin teaching students earlier
in the MYP program, so that by MYP 4, students are able to complete a practice unit, to be ready for the
MYP 5 exam portfolio. This progression of teaching would help ensure students are well prepared.
• Schools are encouraged to share samples of well-developed health and physical goals as well as
samples of completed past unit planners so that current students can see what the tasks and
assessment look like in each achievement band, and what an exemplary portfolio exam would consist

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© International Baccalaureate Organization 2023
May 2023 subject report Physical and health education

of. Students should have a clear understanding of the command terms and how they are directly linked
to the criteria achievement bands.
• Schools are encouraged to begin the unit by teaching first the concepts and working through the
statement of inquiry. The given inquiry questions listed in the PCUP are a good starting point.
Conceptual knowledge is important for the assessment of Criterion A, but evidence should be seen
throughout Tasks 1, 2, and 4. Background information needs to be taught by the school in order for
students to be able to develop the tasks appropriately. Knowledge cannot be assumed, and therefore
preparation is very important so that students have the best chance of success.
• Schools are encouraged to develop a greater understanding of how to effectively alter the development

need to make adaptations as the coach will not know where the client is until a training session is
completed. Only then, through thoughtful reflection and procedural understanding will the coach be
able to analyse what changes are needed for the next session. These changes need to be documented
alongside the original plan.
• Schools are encouraged to clarify with students that the initial performance should be in a meaningful
authentic performance environment so that the coach is able to analyse it using the procedural
knowledge they have gained throughout the MYP and with the support of research.
• The video evidence should allow the students to perform a range of skills, techniques, strategies, and
movement concepts - in different contexts (such as offense vs. defence).
• Schools are encouraged to clearly state maximum page limits and video evidence and ensure not to
submit evidence over these maximums. Examiners will not assess work after the maximums are
reached. Appendices are not used in the PHE ePortfolio and will be included in the 15 page maximum.
Students should not use a font size smaller than 10 or larger than 12. Students should not embed
screenshots of text.

Further comments
Students should have access to the criterion achievement levels throughout the unit. Resources on My IB
provide schools with access to:
• The PHE subject guide
• The PHE teacher support material
• MYP Assessment Procedures
• ePortfolio user guide
• Task-specific clarification for PHE ePortfolios within the publication Further guidance for MYP physical
and health education
It is essential that MYP PHE schools regularly consult with these documents, regardless of previous
experience, and make appropriate information available to students during the course.

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