Did you know that you can study windsurfing as part of your GCSEs? Charlie (pictured below) may not be the first to use windsurfing as one of his assessed sports, but we’re guessing he could be one of the first to have such a formal criteria for assessment set out and organised by Darren Hebert.

From our experience it is possible to use windsurfing as an assessed sport at both GCSE and A level, the ease of doing this differs from school to school, but it absolutely possible (even if the teachers say it isn’t at first!). Our very own editor and many other top windsurfers used their favourite sport to boost their PE grades!

Good luck to Charlie and (hopefully) the many more of you that will use windsurfing in your GCSEs in the near future.

“Charlie – studying at the Twynham School, Christchurch, Dorset – is one of, if not the first student in the UK to take windsurfing as a module for his GCSE PE Practical assessment. This is worth 15% of his overall GCSE grade. To attain a top grade in windsurfing he will have to:

* Show he can sail in planing conditions, using the harness and footstraps.

* Confidently sail on all points of sailing, tacking and gybing when appropriate.

* Show the beginnings of the water start and carve gybe.

Charlie windsurfs locally, in Christchurch Harbour and has been sailing for 2 years. His passion and dedication to the module will contribute to his desired A grade in his GCSE PE.”

Text credit Quiver Windsurfing School.