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The Extended Project Qualification (EPQ
The Extended Project Qualification is one of the most innovative and inspirational educational exercises available. It offers you the unique opportunity to study and explore anything that genuinely interests you in a level of depth that is simply not possible in any A Level course. Whilst the subject matter is entirely open, the intellectual disciplines required are rigorous and will extend you beyond those expected at A Level. The EPQ is therefore exciting in the freedom that it allows and demanding in the standard of scholarship that is expected. It can take the form of a 5000-word essay, or an essay of a minimum of 1000 words which will accompany a relevant artefact. It is advisable to choose a topic of personal interest. It may be a topic related to something that you hope to study when you leave school. Whatever form the project takes, you will develop your ability to plan, manage, complete and review your work. You will research your topic and write a fully referenced account of what you have discovered. You will then use your research as the basis of your project, whether that is a dissertation or an artefact. An essential part of the EPQ is the assessed presentation, when you present your journey and findings in front of an audience and answer their questions. It is left to the individual student to choose whether she wants to undertake a full EPQ. However, all students in Year 12 attend a weekly lesson in which the basic knowledge needed to complete a project is taught and, more importantly, practised. This includes sessions on understanding research methodologies, critical thinking, evaluating and referencing resources, the structure and language of arguments, and how to formulate questions that allow room for debating. These sessions take place in the Autumn Term and the first half of the Spring Term. In the second half of the Spring Term all students complete and present a 1000-word essay, their University Preparation Project (UPP), which should form the basis of a full project should they decide to continue. These are often notable for the range and originality of the ideas produced, the enthusiasm and confidence the exercise engenders and the satisfaction the students feel from having done something independently. If you choose to do a full EPQ, you will start work on it after the end of your mocks in Year 12. Further, more detailed, individual guidance is given and you will be assigned a supervisor. You will then be required to do 40-80 hours’ work on your project over the summer holidays and produce your first full draft, or significantly progress with the production of your artefact by your return for the Autumn Term of Year 13. Your final submission date is just before the Christmas holidays. Over that period, you will take the time to reflect on what you have produced, provide an appraisal and also plan your presentation. The presentations take place in the first half of the Spring Term, before the mock exams. The EPQ is internally assessed and externally moderated by the exam board (AQA). It is worth half an A Level in UCAS points and graded from A* to E. Universities recognise that it is a considerable achievement to complete an Extended Project and so they prize it highly. Indeed, a student who has done an EPQ is likely to stand out from others who are equally strong in their field. In addition, the subject matter of a person’s EPQ underlines their commitment to their subject, gives an extra dimension to their Personal Statement and provides a focus for discussion at interview. Some universities go as far as giving reduced offers to those candidates who successfully complete an EPQ. It is a worthwhile endeavour which we endorse and we hope to continue seeing an increase in the numbers of students undertaking a full EPQ.
