Compulsory EPQs

[silverysea]

She chose to do an essay but they also had to make an oral presentation. Everyone else bar one had a PowerPoint to illustrate, but she hadn't been told so she felt humiliated. They split them into little classrooms, and there were a couple of prizes, but none in our room. It was the most boring and frustrating set of presentations I have ever heard in my life, about clueless 12 to 14 year old's learning (or not, in most cases) how to manage a big amorphous topic with no direction or idea where to begin or end. She lost interest after that in the subject she chose. DH and I both had tried our best to help her but she is very independent and stubborn. She is not spoon fed, she is in a large chaotic school and keeps her head down and makes her own way, usually with surprisingly good results in the end. I think this was a project taken on by a particular teacher who immediately after left for a higher job in independent sector.

I think it sounds like a great idea, and I would have loved it myself at that age, but for us the risk came true of putting such young students off and damaging their confidence. It doesn't go on her permanent record but it has left its mark.

[tense]

Thank you all for your replies, wide-ranging views out there!

I was particularly sorry to hear of your dd's experience Silverysea, it sounds really badly handled by her school.

If my DS opts to do FM I think I will strongly resist him doing an EPQ too. Although my DD did 4 A levels and an EPQ, it was water off a duck's back to her if the lower level EPQ was anything to go by though, it won't be the same second time round! (Perhaps I am doing my son a disservice - he has grown up quite a bit in the last year ). Usually avoid posting grades but as my dc both got A* - as did practically everyone in their groups who did one - wondered whether the bar wasn't particularly high, which had made me question their use. So good to hear that some unis are interested in these - wasn't the case with my DD last year but things move very quickly in the education world ....

[Guest55]

Remember many of the A level specs have changed to linear (not maths yet) since your DD did them. It is a completely different scenario.

[JaneEyre]

Remember many of the A level specs have changed to linear (not maths yet) since your DD did them. It is a completely different scenario.

What is planned for maths? Will it stay modular? Also I am surprised as I have heard of two different things concerning FM as it used to be:
- in a school, some years ago, the pupils were starting some units of FM in year 12 besides their normal AS level. The pupil I know then decided to stop studying FM in year 13 and just carried on with her A level maths.
- in another school, pupils were doing all the A level in one year (so AS and A2 in year 12) and then all the FM in year 13. Is this common?

[Guest55]

Maths is changing from September 2017 - it was delayed by a year so students have the 'benefit' of the new GCSE behind them before they start the new A level.

Both of the scenarios you describe happen with Maths/further Maths - it is sometimes to do with timetabling.

[JaneEyre]

Thanks, Guest 55. I remember now that the implementation of the A level maths has been posptoned to 'wait ' for the cohort of students having done the new GCSE... We shall see how all that goes down...

[JaneEyre]

Both of the scenarios you describe happen with Maths/further Maths - it is sometimes to do with timetabling.

Sorry, my question does not concern EPQs but I do not feel the necessity to start a new thread on the new A level maths
Guest55, if the maths A level will become linear, does that mean that all schools will have to have a mixture of maths and further maths during year 12 and 13 (starting 2017)?
Do you know if further maths will also become linear? Or will some students be able to do an AS and then drop it?
Do all the usual boards offer further maths? It there a big difference between the boards in further maths?

[Guest55]

We have not even seen a syllabus - first teaching from September 2017 - so I can't answer your questions yet. There was a recent questionnaire we were sent about exam papers ie how many and what length.

[JaneEyre]

Thanks Guest55! I hope maths teachers will 'jump again up and down' (as you said before ) and will be supported by the boards so that the reform produced is coherent and properly thought through.

[Minesatea]

DS has just been given an university offer involving his EPQ.
A*AA without it or AAA with an A in his EPQ, so some universities are certainly interested in it.