Can you explain EPQ- is it good to have it or leave it?

[MollynAlly]

Our school offers EPQ, I was wondering if it is worth having it or instead of spending time on another project, focusing on her subjects would be better? DD picked biology, chemistry and psychology as her subjects! What are your thoughts on EPQ- has anyone's DC have any experience?

My DD did an EPQ and really enjoyed it.

In her school it run from February of Lower Sixth, with presentations early in UVI. The idea was that the bulk of the research and writing up should take place in the Easter and Summer holidays.

She did her EPQ on Food banks so could easily spin this, along with being charities prefect, into her personal statement for Economics.

In your dds situation I'd prioritise core maths over the EPQ if it is a choice between the two.

Doing both would probably be too much on top of 3 A Levels.

Are EPQs only essay-based? Or can you do a project like a computer program or something practical? My son is choosing A levels and degree on the basis of never having to write an essay ever again, and his sixth form makes them do an EPQ I think.

EPQs are either essays or can be an artefact. In the past, I have known students who designed and built something, produced or stage-managed a school production and those who have created books or albums. Practical tasks are great as long as your DC can demonstrate the requisite amount of research.

They do have to complete a lot of paperwork, all of which counts towards the qualification. For WJEC, the outcome is only worth 40% of the total. You could write an award-winning album or the most convincing essay but if your paperwork is shit, so is your grade.

Theoretically you can do a group project but the roles of each member need to be clearly defined. We strongly advise ours to work individually in case there are issues.

This is obviously anecdotal but when I used to do university admissions interviews I used to love it when students had done an EPQ as that experience of researching and writing a longer project really made them so much more able to have an advanced discussion where they could show how they would handle university level study. As far as I remember we didn't include the EPQ in the offered grades but I do think it still put the students at an advantage - it also tended to help their personal statement a lot, especially if it was connected to the subject they were applying for.

@NotDonna which exam board? Have a look at the specification. The WJEC one is written in reasonably friendly language and there is a student guide. Bath and Southamptons Universities both offer a pre-EPQ course. It might be worthwhile for your DD to work through one of these after her GCSEs. They cover the key elements like planning, referencing etc. I work on completing paperwork (but anyone with a brain could work it out for themselves!) and our library manager does a session on academic research and referencing. We have initial, mid-project and final interviews which the students have to write up.

You are welcome to PM me if you need any help, but I am quite new to this!

It does depend on what courses they are considering for uni, even if it could be several completely different courses still look at the requirements.

Ds is applying for Computer Science and it says this

"Extended Project Qualification - Whilst we recognise the value, effort and enthusiasm applicants make in the Extended Project, we do not currently include this as part of our offer making. We do however encourage you to provide further information on your project in your personal statement and if invited, at interview."

Ds is doing 4 A levels so didn't do the EPQ.

Haven't RTFT so apologies if I am repeating anything.
Depends on how you view it and what the alternative is. At our school its compulsory unless you are taking 4 A levels , so not doing it doesn't gain any extra time to focus on A levels here. So I would check that before making any decisions.
If you look at it as a University entry requirement then no, it probably isn't worth it. But as an educational activity in its own right it certainly can be. Both my elder children have done EPQs and found them very useful. My son, in particular has used all his A level subjects (maths, physics and computer science) in his and got a lot of real life engineering experience from his EPQ which is proving very useful when it comes to deciding on his future plans.
Incidentally there doesn't have to be a lot of writing. My DD presented most her project as a performing arts piece and my DS has designed and built something so a lot of his presentation is photos, video, engineering drawings etc.

@MrsAvocet don’t they still have to write up the reflective account, which is actually where the marks are gained?
Thank you @Malbecfan school haven’t said which exam board and it’s not on their website. DD thinks it’s AQA. However there’s also a core maths option I’ve stumbled upon today. So that’s another thing to look into. The 6th form isn’t great at promoting what it offers.

Yes there's some writing that's essential but its not a huge amount. Both of mine had trouble keeping within the word limit in fact. I can't remember the exact amount and they're both asleep now so I can't ask sorry but it definitely wasn't a very long thing.

I did EPQ and I found it very good preparation for university.

I went for the artefact option and made a small book that was an illustrated history of a European city. It was good way of doing something that my other A-Level subjects couldn’t offer.

I think they help if your DC is going for a particularly competitive course. Everyone from my school who went to Oxbridge did EPQ, obviously not everyone at oxbridge does it but an interesting observation.

Thank you this has all been very informative.

I’m a uni lecturer and as part of my role screen UCAS applications. We don’t take the EPQ into account from a qualifications point of view when scoring applications.

However it may increase the application score if it’s given them something interesting to mention in their personal statement.

My course is one where everyone has to interview and again the EPQ May give them something interesting to discuss at interview, thus increasing their interview score.

Also Dd did an EPQ which she enjoyed. She applied for uni courses where she had to interview and said she discussed her EPQ at most of her interviews and she got offers from every uni she applied for. Maybe it helped, maybe it didn’t. She felt it did, said the interviewers were interested. She did her EPQ on a topic relevant to the course she applied for.

DD2 is doing an EPQ, but hers ties in with two of her A-levels and with the course she wants to study at Uni (Marine Conservation), so for her it's very worthwhile. I think you need to look at it on a case by case basis.

I've heard of a couple instances of lower grade offers on the back of an excellent EPQ. It's worth half an A level for UCAS points.

Just to update the thread, I currently have 3 year 13s sitting on university offers which state that if they get A or A* in their EPQ, they can drop a grade in their A levels. These are decent courses at reputable institutions. It should be noted that the students with the offers are Oxbridge applicants but obviously none of them has yet received offers from those 2 institutions.

@Malbecfan did those 3 students do the EPQ? How difficult is it? Our school say it’s an incredible amount of work and if that same effort was put into the A levels then they’d get the grades and wouldn't need the EPQ grade up. That makes no sense but I think you’ll understand what I mean.

@NotDonna, yes all 3 are close to finishing. One has researched, designed and produced an artefact that has nothing to do with what she wants to study but they have offered her AAA dropped to AAB if she gets A or A in EPQ. Another is applying for History and has done a dissertation on a historical topic that has nothing to do with her A level work. I can't remember what the 3rd one wants to study but hers is also History related.

How difficult is it is tricky to answer. This group did quite a lot during the lockdown. In the first term, we get them to complete the Bath or Southampton course online then look at choosing topics, planning, research skills and how to complete the paperwork. They should have a question by the end of this term - I signed some off this week. Then they spend most of next term on their research, hoping to produce the first draft over Easter. The summer term gets messy with school exams but ideally they complete the vast majority of it during the autumn term of year 13. One History student is presenting to me next week, hopefully the artefact one in the final week of term. The deadline is the end of the Spring term of year 13 for us. I see y12 three times per fortnight, year 13 just once. Y13 are brilliant at emailing for guidance.

Agh that’s the issue!! At DDs school the timing is a lot tighter as it has to be finished prior to summer holidays. They present after Easter holidays and prior to summer exams. I think that’s what makes it so hard. If they could work on it over summer that’d probably help. Very few do the EPQ at her school and if anything the teachers have massively put them off it. They’ve stressed that the workload is onerous and better spent on working towards A levels. I’m a bit disappointed as think it’ll be a great learning experience but not if it’s rushed through as they seem to do.

You see them 3x per fortnight - that would probably be similar to DD as they do a 2 week timetable and the EPQ is offered instead of trying out a 4th A level / core maths/ AS further maths. So the time table slots would probably be 3X a week. I think my DD is veering towards the core maths option.