EPQ

[Rollergirl11]

There was a thread on here yesterday about a posters DC’s EPQ that had some really useful information on it that I was going to tell my DD about. It’s disappeared now. Is anyone able to summarise the process in terms of how it is marked/moderated and by whom before being submitted to the examining board? Also on the other thread posters had highlighted what are the other areas other than the main body where significant marks are awarded; as in the research, sources, the presentation, etc.

At DD’s college (she is in Year 12) the EPQ is compulsory. They are supposed to be submitting a draft version this month but apparently nobody is in a position to do so because they haven’t had half of their supervisory lessons. DD says that she has completed the first part (the research review) and it has been marked by a teacher. Other than that she doesn’t really know what process they are following.

She needs to find the exam board she's doing and look at the specification. That will tell her what she needs to include.

In terms of the process:

1 teacher marks it
2 if there's more than one teacher doing it, it will be internally standardised. In a MAT, they may do that across schools
3 marks (not grades) given to students
4 opportunity for review of marking - according to school policy
5 marks go to the board
6 moderation
7 results

DD did the EPQ and know it was really beneficial to her development and she was asked questions about it in her Oxbridge interview (but it probably wasn't a deal breaker there). She wanted to do the EPQ. She had a passion for it. I do think the EPQ should be optional as if you don't want to do it it would be a struggle to demonstrate any passion which rather defeats the point of much of it, it will then end up being a drain on time rather than an engine of enthusiasm as it was for DD.

I am surprised any school that makes it compulsory.

DD really had to research the process herself, understand what was needed and push for the time with supervisor as all the teachers were really busy. If she had waited for the teachers to come to her it would never have happened so do think that is a skill in itself!

Im not sure they are all externally moderated. My daughter submitted hers last November and has just found out it has been sent out for moderation - like a spot check to make sure the school is correctly using the marking scheme. The boards don't have time to look at all the EPQs. For my daughter, I don't know if this is a good or bad thing - I don't know if hers was randomly picked or chosen specifically by the school.
Hers is a selective private school and while they were all strongly encouraged to do an EPQ, a number did not. What she did is only tangentially related to her future plans, but she was passionate about it! She learned a huge amount though - depends on what they end up doing.

All centres are moderated. That doesn't mean all students are.