Part Two - Yeovil College

Opportunitiesfor Gifted & Talented StudentsIf you have been identified as a Gifted & Talented student by your school or college, we aim toextend your area of expertise and excellence through challenge, individual support and monitoring.You will work with your Personal Tutor to set challenging targets for yourself. Lecturers will providesupport to ensure you have sufficient stretch and challenge. The Gifted & Talented Co-ordinatorwill monitor your progress.Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)The EPQ is offered as a stand-alone qualification to thoseon an A Level programme. This extra qualification accruesup to 70 UCAS points. The EPQ gives A Level studentsthe opportunity to extend and develop further specialistknowledge in an individually chosen area. During thisexciting and challenging process you will:• Select an area of special interest• Do lots of reading and research in this area, collectingboth primary and secondary source material• Work with your supervisor to plan and carry outyour research• Attend a number of taught sessions coveringresearch methods, Harvard referencing and the dangersof plagiarising• Meet regularly with your supervisor as you work onyour research and the production of your written report• Meet with your supervisor to plan your presentation,which you will give to an invited audience of studentsand staff towards the end of the process• Complete a progress log of all the work you havedone alongside the final written report(approximately 5000 words)Some of the diverse EPQ topics chosen by ourstudents include:• The Declining Bee Population• Chairman Mao• The Importance of Helium• Virtual Reality• Crime and Social Class• Constructivism and the Study of Mathematics• Homophobic Language• The Plight of the Giant PandaA Level Further MathsYou will be encouraged to take this subject if you are anable mathematician. It is seen as a huge advantage inthe study of Science and Maths subjects at university.See page 97 for more details. Students will also have theopportunity to prepare for the Advanced Extension paperin Maths and the UK Maths Challenge.University OpportunitiesMany of our students have successfully gainedplaces at universities across the country, includingOxford, Cambridge, Cardiff, Bristol, Edinburgh,Leeds, Nottingham, Newcastle, Liverpool, Sheffield,Southampton, Warwick, University College London andother top Russell Group universities.You will be given lots of support and advice as youmake your university choices and complete your UCASapplication. Your Personal Tutor, as well as subjectspecialists, will be available to help you with yourapplication and personal statement. You will have theopportunity to visit universities, including Oxford andCambridge, during open days, take part in universityinformation sessions at college and the Higher Educationday in the summer term.You will be encouraged to apply for Sutton Trust SummerSchools and participate in subject-specific courses, suchas Medlink (for potential medical students) and otheruniversity-run taster courses. You will be given plenty ofsupport and practice interviews if you choose to apply toOxford, Cambridge or other competitive universities.If your chosen course has an aptitude test (such as theLNAT for Law), you will be given lots of guidance andpractice opportunities.“The EPQ students will already have a genuine tasteof what studying for a degree is actually like. All round,they are better prepared for university – in terms of theiracademic skills, data handling and presentation. But theyare also ahead of the game when it comes to many otherthings, including getting the most out of the universitylibrary – thanks to their research skills.”Charlotte Christie, AQA102For further information call 01935 423921 or visit www.yeovil.ac.uk. Information correct at time of print.