Highlight of the Week

Analytical skills on display

Extended Project Presentation Qualification (EPQ) is a chance for students to strengthen their university applications significantly.

They have to research and write a 5,000-word essay on a subject of their choice, showing the very highest levels of analytical skills. During this process they learn about effective research, time management, essay-writing and analysis. The results are highly valued by most universities. Not only are up to 28 extra UCAS points available: completing an EPQ demonstrates categorically students’ interests and indeed passion for their subject, as well as their ability to work independently. Not only does this improve their chances at the university application stage, research has shown that EPQ students are more likely to progress to the second year of their university course, and finally to achieve a first or 2,1.

The Cathedral School has an outstanding track record in the subject, its results have stayed consistently in the top 10% of schools in the UK. Part of this is down to students’ excellence at presenting. Nothing is left to chance! The students were coached expertly by Mrs Williams, who in addition to her expertise in teaching drama has previously coached businesses in the art of presentation.

This year 18 students gave presentations over four evenings. Brilliant preparation and a fair few nerves promised some really interesting, even exciting evenings with topics as diverse as the cancer-treating properties of naked-mole-rats through to space travel made possible by tardigrade-genes. There was also an extra special dimension: for the first time since Covid - the students could be supported by their parents, who listened carefully and posed astute questions enabling students to demonstrate often encyclopaedic knowledge of their chosen topics. All the Year 13’s were excellent, conveying their interest and passion for the significance of their topics. Well done!