Study Skills

Course summary

The EPQ allows students to embark on a largely self-directed and self-motivated project. Students can choose to work on any topic that is academically challenging and present their work in any appropriate format. Many choose to do a research-based written report, such as an essay or scientific journal article, but others produce documentaries, theatre and film scripts, pieces of furniture and fashion and so forth. The students are only limited by their own imagination. The students are encouraged to recruit an expert to guide them in their chosen field and St Paul’s has been lucky enough to be supported by local midwives, doctors and photographers as well as a famous FBI agent, a journalist from Al Jazeera, the Royal Curator and the radio 1 DJ Trevor Nelson. St Paul’s has built close links with the Open University which has helped our students to appreciate and produce work of a university standard. This appreciation of independent, academic rigor not only prepares students for university and the world of work but allows a majority of the students on the course to produce work of an A or A* standard. Two students recently received offers to publish their work in scientific journals. Success in the EPQ is highly regarded by universities who, in our experience, give students reduced offers and it allows students to ‘stand out from the crowd’ during interviews for the top universities. Alongside a taught academic skills component students are expected to manage their own work, come to their own evidence-based conclusions, and reflect both upon the quality of their work and the journey they have taken. This reflective approach allows students to truly appreciate all that they have learned, and the skills they have developed and allows them to approach their university studies in a more mature and confident manner.