Study Skills

Course summary

What do a solar-powered model car, a clothes collection inspired by the planet Mars, above, and a podcast that examines Van Gogh’s Starry Night through the lens of Platonic philosophy have in common? The answer is that all three projects were undertaken this year by Harrodian Sixth Formers as Extended Project Qualifications – EPQs, for short – as standalone submissions alongside their A Levels. Launched in 2006, the EPQ is a voluntary option at Harrodian which is notionally worth 28 UCAS points – half that of an A Level. Generally, universities don’t accept EPQ for points – but some universities will lower their offers. One way or another, the reputation of EPQ as a prestigious ‘added value’ qualification continues to grow and it’s not hard to understand why. For one thing, the project-based format encourages adventure and free thinking. Alongside submissions of extended essays, almost any media output is permitted for the project. This year's crop of textiles, vehicles and digital broadcasts is typical of a Harrodian EPQ output which has also included play performances and novels.