The Higher Project Qualification is an ideal course for students who are curious and are keen to investigate a theme of their choosing. It is a nationally recognised qualification that develops students’ independence and enquiry skills.
Students decide on a research question or hypothesis that they will investigate; there is a free choice as to what this might be. They design and follow through their enquiry, keeping a research diary (production log) that tracks their progress. The project gives students an opportunity to develop “skills for life”. It is academically rigorous and is looked upon favourably by admissions tutors from 6th form providers and universities. Completing the project will challenge students and make them think; as a result it is personally rewarding as well as being an additional national qualification.
The HPQ presents an academic challenge. We advise that students opting to follow the course in year 10 should have pathways of 6 or above. Students opting to follow the course in year 9 should have pathways of 7 or above.
All students choosing the course should complete the Twilight Curriculum Application form. Your application will not be considered complete if the form does not meet the minimum word count for each section. The application form asks you to outline your initial idea(s) for your project, please include why you want to pursue this topic. You can include more than one idea if you wish.
Any student who does not meet the minimum pathway requirement and is very keen to follow the course should contact Ms Simmons to arrange a meeting to discuss their possible application before taking any further steps.
All students will complete:
A detailed production log that charts their progress and decision making throughout the research process.
A written report of approximately 2000 words.
A presentation, delivered to fellow students, staff and invite family members.
Students can also choose to create an artefact - if they choose this option, the length of their written report will be reduced.
Students are assessed on the detail in their production log, as well as the other aspects of the project. A significant proportion of the final marks are based on their reflection of how they have gone about the project and what they have learnt about the enquiry process. Successful students are awarded an A*-C grade in line with the exam board’s assessment procedure.
Who will deliver the course?
Ms Simmons and a small team of teachers deliver the taught part of the course. Students will also be allocated a supervisor. This will be a member of staff who the students will meet with on a regular basis. These meetings are for students to review their progress and gain support in deciding on their next steps.
When?
Taught sessions will take place on a Tuesday after school from September to April, 3.15pm - 4.15pm. It is a course requirement that students attend all of these sessions. In addition, students will need to arrange a regular time to meet with their supervisor. Students are expected to meet with their supervisor a minimum of 5 times during the course; some might meet more regularly by mutual arrangement.
What will you need?
A determined, resilient approach! The HPQ is very rewarding. It is also very challenging. Students need to be ready to work through the challenges their enquiry presents. The exam board recommends 60 hours to complete the course; approximately 15 of these hours are taught sessions. This means that students are required to work with a high level of independence in their own time in order to complete the course successfully.
Where?
Taught sessions will take place in room I1. Student/supervisor meetings will take place as arranged by the supervisor.
Can I study this with other additional qualifications?
Students have successfully completed this course alongside their year 9 and year 10 studies. It is advisable that students do not opt to study the HPQ in tandem with other twilight courses due to the amount of time that needs to be dedicated to the course.