The Extended Project

1. The Extended Project A brief introduction…

2. A single piece of work on a topic of your own choosing • An ongoing ‘project’ requiring evidence of planning, preparation, research, analysis and independent work • About half the size of an A level (assessed at A2 standard) • Worth up to 70 UCAS points What is it?

3. Choose a topic to study (this must not overlap with material already studied/assessed at A level) • Complete a log/ongoing ‘project diary’ to record what you do • Plan, research and carry out your project (this will take approximately 120 hours from July 2011-March 2012) • Have weekly meetings with a ‘supervisor’ and one ‘skills’ lesson per week • Prepare and deliver a presentation on what you have done What do I do?

4. A ‘traditional’ 5000 word essay • A dramatic or musical performance • A piece or collection of artwork or plus a Photography 1000 word • A CD, DVD, piece of software, commentary multimedia presentation What form does the ‘project’ take?

5. Anything! Here are some previous titles: • What techniques do photographers use, and what is their impact or purpose? • An analysis of the ways in which music can convey meaning • The design of a piece of choreography based on slavery • How has English affected the German language? • How does animal cruelty vary between different cultures? • How has forensic science developed in the last century and what has the impact been? • How do legal contracts and practices affect sport in the modern world today? • Compared to Western culture, what makes Japanese culture so unique? • Are there specific techniques that make a good short story and if so, how do these differ from longer forms of narrative? • How do independent record labels survive in the shadow of global brands? • A linguistic exploration into 17th century religious sonnets What could I do it on?

6. Develop new skills: planning, research, critical thinking, analysis, problem solving, evaluation and presentation skills – these will be useful across all your A level subjects • Prepare you for the way you will learn at university • Show initiative and learn independently • Discover more about a topic that interests you; perhaps something to prepare you for university • Develop confidence in presentation skills What’s the point?

7. At the moment, the EPQ is not being formally included in the offers universities make to students (this is because not all schools offer the EPQ at the moment) • However, universities are considering the EPQ when deciding whether or not to make offers • In addition, there is an increasing trend for universities to accept students who ‘miss’ their grades if they have a good EPQ result Will it help me get into university?

8. Cambridge University: ‘As a means of raising standards and of encouraging students to follow their aspirations, there is little to match it. The EPQ can play a transformational role in the curriculum’. • Sheffield University: ‘We do encourage students to complete an Extended Project, where possible, as we value the development of skills in independent study and research, which an Extended Project can offer’. • Newcastle University: ‘We value the skills and research that the EPQ is designed to develop’. • Glasgow University: ‘In highly selective areas the preference may be given to students entering from 2010 with A levels who also offer the EPQ’. What do the universities say?

9. Watch this space… What do the students say?