Top EPQ grades at St Benedict's

Published on isbi School News dated Friday 1st of February 2013

St Benedict's School recently celebrated yet more academic success as two Sixth Form students secured top A grades for the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ). Jarrod Joshua and Harry McAdam, who are both part of the school's Academic Scholars programme, achieved excellent results for their independent studies on nuclear fusion and the Chinese economy respectively. These results add to those already secured by students from the school since the EPQ was first offered in 2010, none of which has been below an A grade. Given that the students complete the EPQ A level as an additional qualification on top of their normal school timetable, this is testament to the hard work of the students, to the support that they are given from their supervsiors and to the seriousness with which scholarship is taken by the school.
Speaking of his success Harry said that he has relished the challenge of studying in depth a topic unconnected to the curriculum and of being stretched intellectually and analytically by the skills required by the EPQ. Jarrod echoed these sentiments: 'It gave me an excellent command of my topic and improved my powers of analysis and expression, both through writing the 5000 word dissertation and giving the presentation. I feel much more prepared for the rigours of undergraduate life as a result.'
Mrs Greenhough, the EPQ Centre Coordinator, commented that these results were testament yet again to the emphasis that St Benedict's places on achieving the highest academic success through its philosophy of fulfilling every pupil's individual potential. 'I am immensely proud of our record of achievement in the EPQ', she said.
As more students work towards completion of the qualification and as the selection process for the third cohort gets under way, the school looks forward to the EPQ going from strength to strength.