6th form - EPQs

[MEgirl]

Does anyone have a child who did an extended project in the 6th form and was it worth the time and effort?

DSs are considering this but the head of 6th form suggested that Engineering departments in universities don't really take them in to consideration.

Performance related EPQ.? Interesting proposition....I shall watch this space, not sure how what's been mentioned so far isn't the same as A2 performance in extended form though ?

Dd1 did EPQ. She enjoyed it. She thinks it was worthwhile as it sort of started her into her niche history path. It conveyed no direct benefit for uni application . DS didn't do it in the end. No negative effect either.

DD2 may be expected to do one. Or if she takes 4 subjects to A2 maybe they'll drop it? General studies and critical thinking have gone already.

If you do an EPQ I suggest you work smart in an area of interest/ knowledge you already have and that will also contribute to background A level knowledge. Eg ive suggested dd might do a take on Tudor church music - she doesn't realise but she has a wide repertoire knowledge anyway and it's got politics/ history running though it all. The other possibility was to do something on pre ww1 Russia to complement the Russia post 1917 history.

On the whole I would rather she didn't bother thoughM

I teach / co ordinate the EPQ and it would be perfectly possible to do a performance for AQA. The performance would be the artefact with the 1,000 word report.

Typically, she could research a composer say, and study their style and then to produce / compose her own piece of music in that style.

To ensure that it is not too close to her A level music, she could not do it on anything that is covered in her music A level.

I do see it a bit differently- but only from the point of view of watching dd and her friends a one expertise at all really.

I can't really see the benefit in doing an EPQ in a subject you know a lot about already. It seems to me that the whole point is taking something new (obviously something your're interested in) and researching and thinking about and producing something on that. Yes, choosing something where you're already got a lot of knowledge will allow you to tick the EPQ box, but you won't really have learned any new skills.....seems a bit of a waste of time, really. It's only worth doing if it will benefit you personally and teach you something new. Otherwise, use the time for something else-IMHO

And (sorry) producing a piece of music in the style of somebody else sounds soul destroying!

Hakluyt that what they do all the time! Just like " write your own ending to Romeo and Juliet in the style of Shakespeare " sort of tasks in English.

I'm actually not sure I see the benefit of EPQ at all in the new climate hence " let's make it minimum effort for max reward" strategy.

Looks like she'll be expected to do 4 full mostly Linear A levels which is a heck of a lot of work and presumably will set her " above" the 3 A levels and EPQ kids ? Trouble is we just don't know. It will help some kids eg heading for medicine - research how chemotherapy really affects people by actually talking to them then compare with what the literature says- ace footing for an interview. Think you will want to study a niche area that you school doesn't do - EPQ will help you decide.

For most kids there is a package of source analysis / extended essay built into at least one of their courses. What does EPQ add?

Maybe I'm just old and cynical!

My dd and her friends all had to choose something completely uncollected to any of their subjects- and they had to run it past the Head first. Certainly not minimum effort for maximum reward!

Do they have to do 5000 words in any of the A levels?

Hak - I agree with you (about the point being doing something different). The problem is - as I see it - that Dd1 doesn't have 'the time'. Her 'the time' is spent doing music which, unlike for her musical friends, isn't a hobby or a pastime interchangeable with take your pick. However it's me that is concerned, not her and not the school, so I'm probably underestimating her and worrying about nothing.

Hak - I don't agree with you about producing music in the style of being necessarily soul destroying though - Axis of Awesome seem to do alright! she wouldn't do that though. She might do an EPQ inspired by AofA but that would be more likely to take the central premise of one of their songs as a starting point for some comparative crit, not writing a 4 chord song.

Theas - there is some anecdotal evidence that it's a useful thing for medics to have. I cannot see how it's a useful thing for musicians to have. But then to be fair neither is geography A level so...DD1 is not worried about this at all, I must stress. It's me. And I should prob just leave her to it. After all she has found 'the time' to become an expert on zombies in addition to her already honed exoert areas so I guess if she smashes the zombies on the head (yes. I write that) she'll have 'the time'. And the rest of us might sleep better.

Rabbit I think you are me! DD isn't worried about this. I am. She is heavily committed re her music, in a "it is rather more than a hobby/pastime" (but not her career choice either- argh!) .If school said dop and EPQ she would but it would probably displace sleep time!