BTEC International Level 3 Sport

Unit 36: Functional Sports Massage — assessment criteria

Learners will study the sports massage profession, the importance of sports massage to the performer and undertake a consultation and assessment and carry out a sports massage.

Internal60 GLH12 criteria3 learning aims
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Assessment criteria

Reproduced verbatim from the Pearson specification — the same grid the assignment brief carries. A unit grade is the highest band where all criteria in that band (and every band below it) are met.

Pass

5 criteria
A.P1Explain the role of a sports massage practitioner, the relevant standards of practice.
A.P2Explain the physiological and therapeutic responses to sports massage.
A.P3Explain the psychological responses to sports massage.
B.P4Conduct client consultations and assessments on two contrasting sports performers and formulate safe treatment plans for each performer.
C.P5Conduct sports massage treatments appropriately for two contrasting sports performers, ensuring sports massage standards are upheld.

Merit

4 criteria
A.M1Discuss sports massage standards of practice and professional associations, using specific examples.
A.M2Discuss the physiological, therapeutic and psychological responses to each sports massage, with regard to the requirements of the sports performers.
B.M3Conduct client consultations and assessments on two contrasting sports performers in a confident and effective manner and produce a safe and effective treatment plan for each.
C.M4Conduct sports massage treatments in a confident and effective manner for two contrasting sports performers, providing justification for treatments administered.

Distinction

3 criteria
A.D1Evaluate the importance of sports massage and the industry standards in a variety of sporting environments, and the benefits of working in a multidisciplinary team.
B.D2Justify the consultation and assessment procedure adopted, as well as both treatment plans produced for the two contrasting sports performers.
C.D3Evaluate two sports massages performed, justifying the effectiveness, future recommendations and considerations.

Command verbs in this unit

The verb decides the depth expected — that is what separates Pass from Merit and Distinction work on the same learning aim.

EvaluateExplainDiscussJustifyConduct
Pearson's ladder runs Identify → Describe → Explain → Compare / Analyse → Evaluate / Justify / Assess. A Merit or Distinction criterion on the same aim always implies the Pass beneath it: an “evaluate” answer that never first “explains” fails, however polished it reads. Hover a verb for what it demands.

Learning aims

  • A. Explore the importance of the sports massage profession for sports performers
  • B.
  • C. Carry out sports massage on a sports performer

How checkb.tech checks this unit

Upload a learner's submission and checkb.tech reads it against exactly these criteria, reporting each one as met, partly met, or not met — with the evidence that informed the verdict cited, so every call is auditable.

The check runs against the official Pearson documents for this unit, and identical evidence always produces an identical result — the same script gets the same verdict every time.

It never awards a grade. You stay the assessor: confirm, dismiss, or act on every criterion before your assessment decision is final.

Verification & Quality Tools for Unit 36

Free Lead IV and assessor utilities configured for Pearson BTEC International specifications.

More Level 3 Sport units

Criteria and aim text reproduced for teacher reference from the official Pearson qualification documentation (Pearson BTEC International Level 3 Qualifications in Sport). BTEC is a registered trademark of Pearson Education Limited. checkb.tech is an independent tool — not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Pearson. It never awards a grade; the teacher stays the assessor.