Project Qualifications

Project Qualifications are stand-alone qualifications designed to help pupils develop a broad range of study skills, including research, planning and presentation. They encourage independent learning and critical thinking while enabling pupils to explore an area of personal interest.

What topics can a Project Qualification be about?

Almost anything. A project can take the form of either a written report or the creation of an artefact. Recent examples include an investigation into financial inequality in the Premier League, the design and construction of a wind tunnel, research into gender bias in medicine, and the creation of a replica eighteenth-century ball gown.

Projects in Middle School

In Fourth Year, pupils are invited to apply for a place on the AQA Higher Project Qualification (HPQ). They attend taught sessions after school and undertake research into a topic of their choosing. Pupils produce either a 2,000-word report or an artefact accompanied by a report of at least 500 words. They then present their findings to staff and peers.

Projects in Sixth Form

The Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) is a Level 3 qualification that enables pupils to undertake an independent project linked to their academic studies or a personal area of interest. Pupils plan, research, complete and present their project, while providing evidence of the project’s development throughout the process.

The qualification develops key skills in research, critical thinking, problem-solving, organisation, evaluation and communication, preparing pupils for higher education and future careers. Taught sessions take place during Lower Sixth, with projects completed and submitted in Upper Sixth.