We are delighted to share the news of record success for our Upper Sixth EPQ students who received their results last week.
100% of the grades awarded were A* or A with 62% of students achieving the highest grade.
After months of research, writing, creating and, finally, presenting their projects, 34 of our Upper Sixth students came together in Benedict Hall to share in their success.
In 2024-25, students covered a wide range of topics and questions, such as:
- To what extent does traumatic brain injury cause sleep disorders in humans?
- To what extent can the Olympic Games ever become a “net positive” event?
- To what extent do filmmakers have a duty to accurately portray public figures in biopics?
- To what extent does psychopathy impact interactions in the working world?
Anna (U6B) said, “I wrote my dissertation on cults and their impact on society today, which is something that I’ve never been able to learn about in my lessons and so was incredibly interesting, especially as it was self-led research”.
“I did my EPQ on what extent ultra-processed foods are detrimental to our health which I found really fascinating, and it was a topic that is relevant in everyday life. I learned lots of new knowledge and I have gained lots of skills for university. Although it was tough at times, but I 100% recommend doing an EPQ”, said Amelie (U6F).
There are many benefits to studying an EPQ, for example, its impact on university offers. Abbie Pringle, Assistant Head – Academic Enrichment and Extracurricular Activities, said:
“We are thrilled to be celebrating another impressive set of EPQ results. Completing an EPQ gives students the independent research and study skills that are essential for undergraduate study, and this is reflected in the offer-making behaviours of many universities. This year, 22 of our students have already received more lenient offers from universities, including Bath, Exeter, York, Manchester and Leeds, in recognition of their successful completion of an Extended Project Qualification.”
The OCR moderator commented, “The centre is to be commended for encouraging candidates to pursue topics of their own choosing and for putting in place a comprehensive and effective taught skills programme that facilitated candidates’ learning”.
The Extended Project Qualification is a popular and much-valued element of our Sixth Form curriculum. It provides an excellent opportunity for students to satisfy their intellectual curiosity and challenge themselves through academic research in diverse areas of personal interest which may complement or contrast their A level studies.
It’s a superb enabler of independent learning, which sees the development of research skills, and an understanding of academic supervision that is an outstanding preparation for Higher Education.
It provides Oxbridge applicants with a body of research to discuss during the application/ interview process. In addition, the EPQ carries UCAS tariff points and is valued by a number of competitive universities who can use it as part of a more generous conditional offer to applicants.
Find out more about studying EPQ at St Helen’s Sixth Form:
