The Cost of a Free Education - GSCE PE

Cog is doing GSCE PE.  It is seen as a light weight subject not to be taken seriously.  It is in fact a damned hard subject to pass.  Not only is it a hard one, it's also an expensive one.

In fairness we were warned in advance that a pass would cost money.  I don't think I appreciated quite how much.

They have to take 4 sports actively, spread across different criteria, so you can't do some sports together.

Cog has tennis,  across the years I think I will have paid in the region of £2500 on it.  She isn't enjoying it now as much as she used to so it has become a bit of a ball and chain.  She will be glad to finish the GCSE and stop playing for a while.

She is also doing trekking.  DofE has cost me about £1000 for Bronze, Silver and kit.  She could have done it cheaper through the school but the company she did it with were marvellous, very supportive, organised and helped her achieve top marks.

 Archery.  She has had to do the training, join a club, insurance, and the kit.  Her father feeds the cost of this habit.  But I have had to spend a day recently in the cold and wet, filming evidence for the school to support the marks she is being awarded by her coaches.

I had to buy a new camera up to the job and editing software to put together the right evidence for them.

Riding....oh the emptier of wallets extreme, and we don't own a horse!

She is however, a natural rider and always has been.  She loves the horses with a passion that I am pleased is passed onto her four legged friends and not channelled into boys.  But the cost of helmets, body protectors, boots, clothes, brushes, lessons (getting my horse poo covered car cleaned) all add up.

I had to spend 2 afternoons filming for this one and pay for the private time in the riding school for the assessment.

For a while she was toying with using trampolining and was going to a club for that.  Badminton was also a consideration.  And if only she could have used orienteering, but that cannot be used alongside trekking and horse riding which apparently are the same type of sport!


I'm guessing the cost of this GCSE so far at about £7000 and she is still only staring a C grade in the face right now.

But she is incredibly fit and these years invested in her health will put her in good stead for the rest of her life....even if the Gove value of the qualification amounts to nothing at all.