EPQ
“The potential benefits are enormous… I would strongly encourage students to do an extended project, whichever university they want to go to.”
—Geoff Parks, Director of Admissions at Cambridge University
The Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) is offered to students in the Sixth Form. EPQ offers the opportunity to produce a significant piece of academic research for assessment and to demonstrate independent learning as students devise their own project.
Students following an EPQ can choose from four types of project: a dissertation, an investigation, a performance or an artefact. The majority of the marks are awarded for the process rather than the outcome so the way in which the student approaches their topic is very important.
Many choose to undertake research in a subject area that they are studying at A level or thinking about pursuing as a degree course. Others choose entirely different topics to follow a particular interest or be able to demonstrate a particular range of skills.
At Concord, EPQ students are timetabled 3-4 lessons per week with their assigned EPQ tutor or, for those working in the Concord Research Laboratory, time is scheduled for an extended session one evening per week. The EPQ is approximately the equivalent of an AS level, but an A* grade can be achieved.
84% A*/A
Results in 2023
Universities often look favourably on candidates with a relevant EPQ, taking it as an indicator of a deep interest in the subject. Although EPQs do not form part of university offers, an A* or A at EPQ can mean that the offer they make is lower.
