EPQ-any one a know anything about these

[miggy]

DD is in first year gcse and been set on the pathway to do one of these, am assuming it will be presented etc next year but start working on it now.
I know nothing other than google has told me
Any tips/hints/advice?
Choosing topic I think will be hardest as from Google it seems that most people do these after they have chosen A level subjects and tie it in to future career. Obv DD is not that far down the line yet.
Her current GCSE choices are Mandarin,french,latin,greek, 3 science, maths.furthur maths,2 english, geography. I dont know what she will choose for A level but suspect maths, mandarin and possibly economics/science.
She hates arty subjects
Anyone have any blinding flashes of inspiration? once up and running I know she will be fairly self sufficient but the initial topic choice is going to involve a lot of "Mumeeeeeeeee what shall I do" type whining, I feel it coming on :)

[friday16]

Are you sure that someone isn't getting confused between an EPQ (worth half an A Level, often done in Y13) and a Higher Project (a similar research project, at a lower level, worth a GCSE, or possibly half a GCSE, I can't recall)?

[Cerisier]

It doesn't sound as if DD is doing the EPQ as it is marked at the A2 level, and done properly, is similar to a university project or essay. I have never heard of it being done by students below sixth form.

[miggy]

well the school are calling it an EPQ, will get her to check.
when I googled, it sounded like what they have been asked to do, ie a research project/dissertation and a presentation.
Would have ben helpful fr schol to give parents some info really.

[Cerisier]

The AQA EPQ at DD's school involves using proper referencing, using the CRAAP test to analyse sources, independent research, writing the essay (using turnitin to check it is original work) or doing the project, presenting it and answering searching questions. Reflections on the process are as important as the actual product so there is a huge set of forms to fill in. I know this as DD18 is completing hers now.

[friday16]

Ditto. At my elder's school, it's regarded as a pathway for strong A Level candidates, mostly predicted A and A*, to do in Y13. Weaker A Level candidates do General Studies or Critical Thinking through to A2.

It seems absurd to do it in Y10. OP, has the school got past experience to point to, or is this a new initiative? If the former, ask for results. If the latter, ask them why they're doing a Level 3 qualification, known to be challenging, in Y10, and what they expect the outcomes to be.

[Shente]

I run the epq in my school and would say it is not within the scope of moat gcse students. It is challenging for A level students and many find the process of completing university style research a steep learning curve. The Higher Project qualification is a much more apt thing for someone of her age and is essentially the same as the epq but with a shorter final project. More guidance and less rigorous assessment. I would be worried if my child was asked to do an epq at a youger age as if she under-achieves it will be something she has to "admit" to on her UCAS application and many universities see the epq as solid evidence of an ability to work independently. Please talk to the school about this and clarify whether they are talking about the actual epq (level 3 qualification) or just using that name but really talking about the higher project (level 2).

[miggy]

Thank you, has highlighted how little I know about this!

ok spoken to dd, as far as she knows its the AQA epq. Plan is to start now and hand in/present in first or second term of upper fifth. Only the academic scholars (of which she is one) do it early. They havent been doing it for long (I think a few years max) but the expectation is to gain an A or A* (that is what the ones who have previously done it early have achieved).
She may be wrong I will check with the school (but she usually isnt as uber organised, god knows where that comes from :) )
So either way, higher q or epq, topic suggestions?

[senua]

So either way, higher q or epq, topic suggestions?

So you still want her to go ahead with it? Why? Why dilute GCSE-effort in favour of a qualification that you aren't supposed to tackle until sixth form?

[miggy]

Sensua, yes I do because firstly its not an optional extra, it has been presented as " this is what we do" and she would hate the fact that her friends were doing it and she wasn't. Secondly I trust the school know what they are doing, they are fairly focused on results. It isn't taking up lesson time, fills the slot of what was a fairly useless scholars lecture. Obviously there is a lot of work to do at home but we can do most of that over the summer break.

[Asterisk]

My DD was offered the HPQ in Year 8 (I think) and it worked out really well. I would worry about EPQ in GCSE year though because it is a lot of work. You have to demonstrate progress and meet with supervisor often, etc. In terms of topics, I definitely recommend an 'investigation' rather than just choosing something she's interested in. My DD's topic was a survey on the weight of school bags which she mapped across the year groups. She showed that Y6s carry far too much weight for their heights and recommended, unsurprisingly, that they ditch text books in favour of being given an ipad! She got an A*. Something that is survey based and can deliver a recommendation, or involves designing and carrying out an experiment, will do better than an essay-type topic. It's a really good learning experience and it will definitely bolster a personal statement because it shows evidence of independent study.

[Shootingatpigeons]

If it is the level 3 EPQ then the school are missing a major development step in your DDs education in favour of their results. Completing an EPQ enables sixth formers to road test their interests as they decide what they want to specialise in at university and then to research a topic intensively, develop their opinions and argument much as they would in a piece of work at university and present it properly referenced and formatted. It also gives them something they can write about in their personal statement. It has helped my DD crystallise her thoughts on what she wants to do. What a shame if they are pushing GCSE pupils into this before they need to, and before they have had a chance to experience the study of their A level subjects at a higher level so they are making more informed choices about the areas they intend to specialise in. Given her possible choices of A level there would also be a question mark over whether she has the necessary levels of her skills / knowledge, since in those subjects it builds and A level is a big jump over GCSE. I really would query this with the school.

[SlowlorisIncognito]

I do think doing it a bit early could be minor problem for university admissions. If she does badly it will have to be declared (like all qualifications) but as it has been done early this is not such a big issue. The issue is more that if an EPQ has been completed, it would be expected to be something related to the degree she's applying for and normally students discuss their EPQ in their personal statements.

It's obviously not a major issue, just seems a little odd the school is doing this so early. However, it sounds like she is at a private school, so I imagine she will be well supported through her UCAS application, so it shouldn't hinder her too much.

[FatOwl]

My dd is in first year of uni and did the AQA EPQ in Y12, and Critical Thinking in Y13 (Compulsory in her school)

She was doing A-level English and did Tragedy in literature for the EPQ.
The Critical thinking was useless and the Unis were not remotely interested in it- complete waste of time.

She is now doing BA History and Contemporary Chinese Studies

[BettyBotter]

There are level 2 and level 3 EPQs. I know cos ds did level 2 with his GCSEs and is now embarking on a level 3 with his ASs.

[BettyBotter]

Incidently he was offered the choice of extending his (more or less completed) L2 EPQ into a level 3 by 'writing some more'. Instead he is doing a whole new one - probably a good idea as level 2 was about Nirvana. Not sure if there was much more to say about the rise of grunge in 90s Seattle!

[Shente]

Betty, some schools refer to the level 2 as epq but it's officially called a higher project, only the level 3 one is actually the extended one.