Writes Sabine Rochow, EPQ Co-ordinator
Last Monday, the Exam Hall played host to our first-ever EPQ Research Fair, an engaging event where Upper Sixth EPQ students met with the Fourth Form to chat about their independent research projects. It was a wonderful opportunity for pupils from across year-group divides to connect and talk about exciting academic matters in an atmosphere that felt truly uplifting for everyone involved.
The fair offered a fantastic snapshot of the incredible breadth of scholarship pursued by our Upper Sixth. Spanning disciplines far beyond the standard curriculum, project titles ranged from complex medical inquiries, such as evaluating whether artificial intelligence can improve patient outcomes following total hip and knee replacements, to rigorous economic and political analyses questioning whether planning laws act as a barrier to housing and economic development.
Other students ventured into cutting-edge technology and engineering, designing low-cost robotic arms as a proof of concept for assistive mobility, exploring historical and cultural questions like the shift from monarchism to classical republican ideas during the English Civil War, or investigating the extent to which accent bias affects social mobility.
Beyond the sheer diversity of research on display, the event was a powerful reminder of the value of cross-year collaboration. Younger pupils eagerly browsed the tables, posed probing questions to the Upper Sixth researchers, and gained an early preview of the independent learning that defines Sixth Form life, all while enjoying a well-deserved cookie.
Well done to all our Supper Sixrth researchers for making this inaugural event such a resounding success, and a huge well done to the Fourth Form for bringing such enthusiastic curiosity and sharp questions to the hall!
