Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)

The Extended Project Qualification provides an excellent opportunity for our A Level students to develop their study skills and to research a topic that interests them.

The course comprises an introduction into important skills such as research and referencing, followed by the opportunity to undertake an independent research project based on a topic of the student’s choice.

All students are assigned a supervisor with whom they meet regularly for academic support and guidance.

The project itself may take one of two formats:

• A 5000-word essay.
• The production of an artefact accompanied by a 1500-word statement.

All students will chart their progress in a Logbook which encourages personal reflection, and therefore a key benefit of the qualification is that students emerge with a better understanding of their own learning style.

The EPQ is undertaken in its entirety in Year 12 and is worth the equivalent of half an A Level in terms of its UCAS tariff points. It is very highly respected by Russell group universities, many of which provide students with ‘staggered’ offers, for example AAA OR AAB with an A at EPQ.

The EPQ is popular with universities because it shows genuine interest in learning, researching and working independently; all key indicators that a student is likely to make a success of university life! It also provides students with excellent material for the UCAS personal statement.