“The most valuable result of all education is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do, when it ought to be done.”
– Maria Mitchell, the first woman to be elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a strong advocate for women’s education and gender equality in science in the 19th century.
It is exactly these important skills for academic life that the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) aims to develop and hone and why the qualification is welcomed and encouraged by universities, because it 'helps ease the transition from school/college to higher education'. Research has shown that students completing an EPQ perform better at university, with a large number of institutions making alternative grade offers for applicants with an EPQ.
At College, all students following the A Level route will undertake the Skills for Academic Learning course in the Autumn Term of SFC1, a series of workshops covering vital skills such as effective study skills; academic research; critical evaluation of sources; academic honesty; referencing; using AI intelligently and academic speaking. At the end of this course they will be given the opportunity to complete an EPQ, resulting in an external qualification equivalent to half an A Level. Typically, one third of A Level students choose to pursue an EPQ.
Under the guidance of a supervisor, students identify, design and deliver an individual project in the shape of either a formal, structured piece of writing of 5,000 words, or the creation of an 'artefact' combined with a 1,000 word report. The opportunities for an 'artefact' based project are endless and could include creating a website, making a model, producing a film, composing a piece of music or designing a scientific experiment.
An important part of this qualification is the completion of a reflective journal. Following completion of the project itself, all students present their findings to an audience and complete a thorough evaluation of their experiences and the skills they have acquired.
The qualification is a valuable and unique opportunity for self-motivated students to illustrate their passion for a particular subject area and prepare themselves for the rigours of academic study at a higher level.
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