Another Outstanding EPQ Year!

Of the 119 entrants for Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) this academic year, 52% were awarded the top grade (A*) and nearly 80% of all projects were awarded an A or A*.

This is a magnificent achievement on behalf of our pupils and rightly reflects their hard work, independence and intellectual curiosity. It is also a testament to the work of our Projects Department led by Ms Bellieu.

It is important to recognise that behind each of these numbers lies a fully-fledged and robust research project or artefact. Completion of an EPQ constitutes some of the best preparation for university study a Sixth Former can undertake. The Russell Group of elite universities, for example, describes the EPQ as a ‘valued qualification’ and ‘one which requires evidence of planning, preparation and independent learning’, whilst the University of Cambridge ‘welcome the EPQ and encourage applicants to take one.’

As is always the case at Forest, the range of project titles and topics this year is illustrative of the diversity of interests and talents amongst students in the Sixth Form. By way of illustration, please find some successful topics below:

•  To create a Tic Tac Toe Artificial Intelligence system using a reinforcement learning algorithm
•  An original composition inspired by traditional Vietnamese music to tell the story of ‘The Legendary Origins of the Viet People’, a cultural Myth from Vietnam, using improvisation of the Dan Moi
• An evaluation of which isolated instructional material best teaches practical subjects remotely, investigating written, aural, and visual materials
• Is the practice of saviour siblings morally justifiable?
• To what extent can it be argued that play with Lego has a positive impact on intelligence, and can I support this argument with an appropriate psychological investigation?
• Does the study or participation of the arts aid medical students to obtain skills beneficial to their careers as practioners?
• To what extent do the benefits provided by the International Space Station justify the associated risks and costs?
• To what extent will technological solutions including renewable energy, nuclear power and geoengineering mitigate the effects of climate change over the 21st century?

We are extremely proud of the entire 2022 EPQ Cohort and their work.