CHRIST COLLEGE – EXTENDED PROJECT PRESENTATIONS
03 Mar 2014
ON 28TH NOVEMBER CHRIST COLLEGE PUPILS WHO ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE EXTENDED PROJECT DELIVERED PRESENTATIONS ON THEIR AREA OF STUDY.
An appreciative audience heard presentation from five candidates about their areas of study:
- Elgan Jones – Is there a link between video games and aggression?
- Kyle Wang – How will we cope with the energy crisis?
- Laetitia Tanqueray – The application of French + English Law relating to children.
- Adeola Odunsi – The development of television.
- Nan Thomas – Does sport make you happy?
Unfortunately Sophie Rudge (How to put on a successful concert) and Fiona Horridge (Da Vinci and the Renaissance) were unavailable on the night but will be giving their presentations at a later date.
Parents will no doubt be aware of the plethora of options now available at 16+, including the IB, Welsh Bac and Cambridge Pre-U qualifications. At Christ College we remain convinced that the best qualifications for our pupils continue to be A levels, but we are conscious that universities are anxious to see good independent research skills as well. To this end, Christ College also offers the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), which runs alongside A level study.
The Russell Group of universities has already validated this qualification as a demonstration of pupils’ suitability for more demanding university courses. The EPQ is an initiative which completely changes the mindset of traditional post-16 studies. It frees the pupil from the classical teacher led A-level classroom studies, and instead puts the onus on the pupil to pursue an idea or interest of their own and follow it through from conception to completion. En route the pupil will need to plan and research, learn to evaluate and re-evaluate their work, develop new skills, begin analysis and critical thinking, and finally be able to stand up and give a presentation in front of their peers and be questioned upon it.
Each student will be assigned their own individual assessor to guide them on their way. During the course of the Project the student is beginning to develop those necessary key skills required for life at university and beyond. It is no surprise therefore that the EPQ is keenly welcomed by the Russell Group of universities, and it will clearly be beneficial on both the UCAS personal statement and at university interview.
The Project itself can be taken from any area of study and can take the form of either:-
- Dissertation – Research question –eg Humanities subject.
- Investigation/field study – Research question/hypothesis – eg scientific laboratory work, geography field studies, mathematical theorem.
- Performance – Drama/Sport/Music.
- Design an Artefact – DT/ IT website/Photography or Art.
The EPQ is an extra stand-alone qualification graded A*-E and worth up to 70 UCAS points (akin to an AS level.) As such it requires an equivalent length and depth of study over the course of a whole year. It is envisaged that it entails 120 hrs of student time, only one third of which will be teacher contact and with the remaining 80 hours made up of independent student research/work.
Each Project will involve a very extensive piece of work. It is not be for the faint-hearted, but for those students with the drive and commitment to see it through to the end, it will represent a real sense of purpose and achievement.