Course Content

The Level 3 Extended Project offers you a free project choice so you can explore in depth an aspect of a subject you are studying or a topic in which you have a personal interest. It is worth up to 28 UCAS points.

The EPQ will help you develop and improve your critical, reflective and independent learning and to apply your decision-making and problem solving skills. You will need to utilise and extend your skills in planning, research, analysis, synthesis, evaluation and presentation. You will need to apply all these skills creatively and demonstrate initiative and enterprise. 

You will be assigned to a staff mentor/supervisor who will deliver the taught element of the project to include project management skills, research and presentation techniques, and methods of evaluation and analysis. These sessions may be teacher-led or include group discussion and feedback between peers. 

There are four assessment objectives: Manage; Use Resources; Develop and Realise; and Review. 

The Project can take a variety of forms i.e. dissertation, investigation, artefact, performance or design. The final outcome needs to be accompanied by a written component and presentation. The Project will be internally assessed and externally moderated on the skills demonstrated throughout the whole process. 

The Extended Project Qualification will be a valuable addition to your studies if you are considering making an Oxbridge/Medicine application, considering applying for a highly competitive undergraduate degree course or if you have a particular area of interest that you would like to develop further. 

What our students say about the course:

 “Doing an EPQ was one of the best decisions I made, as I was able to gain UCAS points a year early, which would help me when choosing Universities.” 

 “I’m really glad I chose to take EPQ during year 12, as I found it really enjoyable and it even helped me to get into university. I chose to base my project on the work of the fashion designer Gianni Versace, where I made a dress inspired by his designs. Over the course of the year I learnt lots of great research and independent working skills as well as improving my practical dressmaking skills. The lessons were fun and interactive, and I liked how much freedom we had to choose a topic that interested us. Since I finished my project, I was able to get into university at a lower entry requirement than some other students because of the grade I achieved in my EPQ.”

 “It  helped  me develop vital skills needed for further education and even helped me get into the University of my choice. It was a very enjoyable course - it was great to hear about the other students' projects, develop my presentation skills, learn how to reference and choose my sources carefully and write a dissertation. I know my EPQ will be so helpful in the future, and I would recommend it very highly, the course is only short but invaluable. “

Doing the EPQ helped me increase in confidence both when in charge of primary research, and presenting my EPQ project. It also helped me improve my critical thinking and decision making as well as being able to evaluate secondary research fairly, to create a balanced argument. I really enjoyed creating my EPQ and although it was hard work I created a project I was proud of and learnt lots from.

 I found it very beneficial in helping me to adapt to the independent learning that is needed in sixth form. 

EPQ. I have developed personal skills such as independence, time management, self motivation, I.T. skills and interest. Unintentionally, my EPQ involved all my A-level subjects which revealed a deeper acknowledgement to my future plan.