Extended Project Qualification (EPQ

The Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) is a research qualification for which students undertake research into a topic of their choice and then develop a product with their findings. This product can be a 5,000-word written report or an ‘artefact’, such as a film, play script, lecture, exhibition or piece of art. Throughout the project, students set their own deadlines under the guidance of a supervising teacher, with whom they meet on a weekly basis. The project concludes with a verbal presentation, to a small audience, during which students honestly review their EPQ journey. At the end of the project, students should have learned how to manage their time, complete research effectively, reference sources accurately and present to an audience with confidence. Due to the independent nature of the EPQ, this qualification acts as a useful bridge between A Level and university-style study. It is looked upon very favourably by most universities, including Russell Group establishments. The qualification carries up to 70 UCAS points. Students at Sutton Valence tend to begin their EPQ in the Lent Term of their Lower Sixth year, aiming to complete by the Lent Term of the Upper Sixth. To ensure that a student is suited to the independent-study aspect of an EPQ, they are asked to achieve a high average class-effort and prep-effort grade in their first full School report; the exact details of this requirement will be explained to students when they begin their Sixth Form study.