The Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) provides an opportunity for students to extend their abilities beyond the standard A-level syllabus and prepare for university and their future career by providing them with transferable skills which can be applied to any area of study or expertise.

The EPQ is a Level 3 qualification, and can be completed in areas of study which are related to their other chosen subjects, going beyond their curriculum, or can be completed on a completely stand-alone area of interest or activity. The project title will be chosen and developed by the student, and appropriated by the centre. The course does require a significant amount of commitment, and can earn students up to seventy additional UCAS points.

Course Content

Year 12

Delivery of the EPQ takes place in Year 12, and will begin with taught sessions in order to provide students with the necessary skills required in order to be successful in their project. These sessions include how to conduct academic research, how to manage your time and how to reference accurately to ensure you avoid plagiarism. It will also involve extended autonomous work by the learner, requiring 120 guided learning hours in total.

Learners are required to:

• Choose an area of interest and select a relevant mentor to support them through the process
• Draft a title and aims for their project for formal approval by the centre
• Plan, research and complete the project, which will take the form of either a Dissertation,  Investigation, Performance or Artefact
• Deliver an evaluative presentation to a specified audience
• Provide evidence of all stages of project development and production for assessment.

Examinations

Exam Board: Edexcel

There is no examination for EPQ. Students are assessed on how they progress throughout the project, focussing on their ability to plan, manage and evaluate their work, as well as the final outcome of their project.

The areas of assessment are as follows:

• Managing the project
• Using independent research
• Developing and realising their project
• Reviewing and evaluating their project

This is internally assessed, and sent to the exam board for moderation.

Head of subject: Miss K Harrison

Entry Requirements

Average of 6s across GCSE subjects

Are you interested in: Improving your transferable skills in organisation and communication, learning how to research effectively, going above and beyond the curriculum to show dedication to your subject?

Leading to a career in: any industry related to the topic of your choosing!

This subject goes well with: anything and everything!