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Preparing Pupils for University and their Future Careers
The Extended Project Qualification is an A-level standard, standalone qualification designed to extend and develop pupils' abilities beyond the A-level syllabus and prepare pupils for university and future careers.
Recently we held our EPQ marketplace where six of our year 13 pupils presented their fantastic projects which contained an array of topics ranging from biology, virology and psychology to economics and international relations. The marketplace gave our pupils the opportunity to showcase their projects to their teachers, other pupils and parents whilst at the same time gaining recognition and acknowledgement for the hard work that they have all put into the project.
Work on these projects is carried out for over one year, and the presentations were the pinnacle of their independent research journey. Mr Dentico and his team delivered 30 hours of taught skills to them last year on topics such as referencing, source analysis and time management. For the remaining 90 hours, pupils spent time researching, logging, and writing independently. This September Mrs Milovanovic, the new EPQ coordinator and Ms Zhang, the newly appointed supervisor were pleased to take over this fantastic Y13 cohort to finalise and prepare for final grading.
Through those projects, our pupils have shown that they truly embrace the Wellington ‘5 Is’ - Inspired, Intellectual, Independent, Individual, and Inclusive. The final piece of writing (5000 words) will be assessed externally, and we will receive the results in January.
The benefits of studying the EPQ alongside other A Level subjects are that the skills learnt can enhance and extend a pupil's understanding – pupils may choose to conduct an EPQ in an area related to their A Levels, extending their learning far beyond the curriculum. The skills learnt for the assessment objectives are cross-curricular and beneficial for achieving highly not only in their A Levels but also in their undergraduate studies.
During their amazing EPQ journey, the pupils have learned new skills that they are going to take to university and beyond.
The University of Cambridge states
"We welcome the introduction of the Extended Project and would encourage you to undertake one as it will help you develop independent study and research skills and ease the transition from school / college to higher education."
We do not doubt that the lessons learnt from undertaking the EPQ have provided a firm foundation for their successful futures. Congratulations to all the pupils for their enthusiasm and hard work, determination, and passion. We wish our pupils all the best and we are looking forward to seeing the final project’s grades in January 2023.
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