The EPQ, or Extended Project Qualification, offers students the opportunity to produce a project on a topic of their choice and provides the equivalent of half an A Level. Each student will embark on a largely self-directed and self-motivated project taking responsibility for choosing a topic, planning, researching and developing their ideas into a finished product.
The EPQ encourages creativity and curiosity with a finished product taking the form of either a:
- research based written report
- production* (eg charity event, fashion show or sports event etc)
- an artefact* (eg piece of art, a computer game or realised design).
*A written report must accompany these options.
Students must also record their project process in their Production Log. The process of recording and completing a project is as important as the finished product. Both the Production Log and Product will be assessed.
During the EPQ, students will learn to:
- manage – identify, design, plan, and complete a project (or task within a group project), applying organisational skills and strategies to meet their stated objectives
- use resources/research – obtain and select information from a range of sources, analyse data, apply it relevantly, and demonstrate understanding of any appropriate connections and complexities of their topic
- develop and realise – use a range of skills, including using new technologies, to solve problems, to take decisions critically, creatively and flexibly, and to achieve their aims
- review – evaluate the outcome, including their learning and performance.