On Tuesday 17th June,  over 40 students from Year 12 presented their Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) research to a supportive audience of peers, staff, and parents. The evening offered a fascinating insight into the intellectual curiosity, independence and academic rigour that characterise Sixth Form life at NHEHS.

The EPQ is a challenging independent qualification designed to stretch students beyond the curriculum. Candidates undertake extensive research on a topic of their choice, culminating in a 5,000-word essay or the creation of a product, supported by a detailed written report and a 30-minute presentation to an EPQ supervisor.

This year’s presentations reflected an extraordinary diversity of interests and disciplines. Topics ranged from political theory and ethical dilemmas to science, technology, literature and the arts. Among the thought-provoking titles were:

• What form of propaganda in the early 1930s was most effective in helping the Nazis gain public support?

• How have adaptations of Romeo and Juliet’s balcony scene evolved to reflect cultural shifts?

• Is lying ever ethically justifiable in politics?

• How does a woman’s ethnicity impact the inequalities she faces during maternity?

• To what extent should Saudi Arabia’s interpretation of religion be implemented in its judiciary system when addressing women’s rights?

• How can CRISPR-Cas9 be used to target and modify oncogenes in osteosarcoma cells?

• To what extent does language used in video games influence players’ attitudes toward violence?

• How effective was European and American visual art as an agent for social and political change in the 20th century?

Congratulations to all the EPQ candidates for their hard work, passion and intellectual ambition. We are incredibly proud of the breadth and depth of your research, and the confident, thoughtful way in which you presented your findings.