The AQA Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) is an integral part of the Lower Sixth curriculum for choosing the A Level route. It involves completing a project over a one year period and is highly valued by Higher Education institutions. One of the benefits of the EPQ is that it encourages students to extend and develop their interests beyond the material covered in the A Level syllabus and to explore their passion for a topic. Some may choose to research into a subject discipline that they are not studying at school; for many the project informs and confirms their university course choice, becoming the basis of their personal statement. The EPQ typically involves a 5000-word essay, based on the student’s own research. Alternatively, students may choose to produce an artefact of their choice, eg. a piece of artwork, a musical composition or a piece of creative writing, accompanied by a 2000-word analysis and explanation. All students complete a log, which documents their research journey, and deliver a presentation in the Autumn Term of the Upper Sixth. The projects are student led, but they are guided and supported by a non-specialist supervisor. Throughout the year the girls attend a series of taught skills sessions which include guidance on time-management, academic research, referencing, and plagiarism. These are delivered by a dedicated EPQ team. The knowledge and skills gained are in turn very useful in preparing students for the transition to university, and the project is a great developer of students’ intellectual curiosity. Many students have said the EPQ is an extremely rewarding element of their Sixth Form study.
For popular courses such as Economics, English Literature, History, Medicine, or Psychology, all of the competitive universities require at least grade AAA at A Level or, usually, a score of 37-39 IB points; the most competitive require A*AA (or even occasionally A*A*A) or 7 points in one or more HL subject. Universities such as Bath, Bristol, Durham, Imperial, Manchester, UCL and Warwick may also require A*AA or 7 points in an HL subject for courses in Sciences, Engineering or Mathematics; a few of these courses will require IB students to have 7 points in a specific HL Science or Mathematics and A Level students to have A* in a specific Science or Mathematics. Cambridge currently requires a minimum of A Level grades of A*AA for all Arts courses and Psychological and Behavioural Sciences, and A*A*A for all Science courses, Computer Science and Economics. Irrespective of course, the standard IB requirement is 40-42 points, including 776 in the three Higher Level subjects. In practice, however, higher (or lower) offers are sometimes made to both A Level and IB students; these are decided on an individual basis. Oxford currently requires A Level grades of AAA for all Arts courses and for Human Sciences, A*AA for most Science courses, Economics and Management, Geography, and Psychology, Philosophy & Linguistics, and A*A*A for Chemistry, Engineering and Mathematics courses. Irrespective of course, the standard IB requirement is 38-40 points with 666-776 in the three Higher Level subjects. Unlike at Cambridge, these entry requirements are standardised across the university and are rarely raised or lowered.
About Education Provider
| Region | London |
| Local Authority | Hammersmith and Fulham |
| Ofsted Rating | |
| Gender Type | Girls |
| ISI Report | View Report |
| Boarding Fee | Unknown |
| Sixth Form Fee | £26,831 |
| Address | Iffley Road, Hammersmith, London, W6 0PG |
The AQA Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) is an integral part of the Lower Sixth curriculum for choosing the A Level route. It involves completing a project over a one year period and is highly valued by Higher Education institutions. One of the benefits of the EPQ is that it encourages students to extend and develop their interests beyond the material covered in the A Level syllabus and to explore their passion for a topic. Some may choose to research into a subject discipline that they are not studying at school; for many the project informs and confirms their university course choice, becoming the basis of their personal statement. The EPQ typically involves a 5000-word essay, based on the student’s own research. Alternatively, students may choose to produce an artefact of their choice, eg. a piece of artwork, a musical composition or a piece of creative writing, accompanied by a 2000-word analysis and explanation. All students complete a log, which documents their research journey, and deliver a presentation in the Autumn Term of the Upper Sixth. The projects are student led, but they are guided and supported by a non-specialist supervisor. Throughout the year the girls attend a series of taught skills sessions which include guidance on time-management, academic research, referencing, and plagiarism. These are delivered by a dedicated EPQ team. The knowledge and skills gained are in turn very useful in preparing students for the transition to university, and the project is a great developer of students’ intellectual curiosity. Many students have said the EPQ is an extremely rewarding element of their Sixth Form study.
For popular courses such as Economics, English Literature, History, Medicine, or Psychology, all of the competitive universities require at least grade AAA at A Level or, usually, a score of 37-39 IB points; the most competitive require A*AA (or even occasionally A*A*A) or 7 points in one or more HL subject. Universities such as Bath, Bristol, Durham, Imperial, Manchester, UCL and Warwick may also require A*AA or 7 points in an HL subject for courses in Sciences, Engineering or Mathematics; a few of these courses will require IB students to have 7 points in a specific HL Science or Mathematics and A Level students to have A* in a specific Science or Mathematics. Cambridge currently requires a minimum of A Level grades of A*AA for all Arts courses and Psychological and Behavioural Sciences, and A*A*A for all Science courses, Computer Science and Economics. Irrespective of course, the standard IB requirement is 40-42 points, including 776 in the three Higher Level subjects. In practice, however, higher (or lower) offers are sometimes made to both A Level and IB students; these are decided on an individual basis. Oxford currently requires A Level grades of AAA for all Arts courses and for Human Sciences, A*AA for most Science courses, Economics and Management, Geography, and Psychology, Philosophy & Linguistics, and A*A*A for Chemistry, Engineering and Mathematics courses. Irrespective of course, the standard IB requirement is 38-40 points with 666-776 in the three Higher Level subjects. Unlike at Cambridge, these entry requirements are standardised across the university and are rarely raised or lowered.
