Millfield Sixth Formers achieve exceptional EPQ grades

Upper Sixth Millfield students are celebrating receiving exceptional EPQ (Extended Project Qualification) results.

77% of Millfield students who submitted an EPQ received either an A* or an A grade, with 100% receiving A*-C. The Millfield cohort were praised by the exam board for the exceptional variety and originality of their projects.

Project titles ranged from ‘To what extent was Napoleon’s defeat at the Campaign of Waterloo a failure of his own, or an Allied success?’ to ‘How is global citizenship education equipping students to respond to the challenges of an ever-changing World?’ One project even utilised musical performance to examine ‘the role of authenticity and its importance when performing Baroque Violin Music’.

An EPQ allows students to lead their own projects. Students get to plan and carry out research on a topic that they've chosen and isn't covered by their other qualifications. They can take inspiration from something touched on in class or something personal and unrelated to their studies. This qualification enables students to gain a range of independent research and organisational skills. The EPQ requires around 120 hours of independent work and students can either produce an artifact or a written research report as their final outcome. EPQs allow students to develop invaluable independent learning and research skills as they prepare to progress to university studies.

Upper Sixth Millfield student, Senyo Ankude, who is the current Millfield Captain of School, conducted classroom research for his project ‘To What Extent Does Greenery in the Classroom Affect Students Cognitive Function.’ Reflecting on his project, he said “It was extremely interesting to examine whether increasing greenery in the classroom would improve students’ performance. I had to buy several plants and place them in and around my classes to complete the tests, and my teachers were incredibly supportive in helping me not only buy the plants but also in carrying out my research during lessons. I have a passion for biology, as the impact that biological studies can have on human life is incredibly profound; this project has helped me explore that passion further.”