1.0 Introduction

What is the Level 1 Foundation Projects Qualification

The Level 1 Foundation Projects Qualification is the perfect way to encourage your students to extend and develop beyond the material being covered in class and explore their passion for a subject. It can help them to discover the joys of independent learning, take responsibility for their own study and develop new life and study skills.

The Foundation Project can be offered alongside other qualifications (including vocational qualifications) as a standalone qualification. You can use the Foundation Project to:

  • extend and develop your students’ learning
  • develop your students' skills in independent research and project management
  • introduce students to project qualifications in preparation for taking the EPQ as part of their post 16 curriculum
  • give students a focused structure in which to deepen their knowledge in a particular field.

How it works

The Foundation Project Qualification requires students to carry out research on a topic that they've chosen that isn't covered by their other qualifications. They then use this research to produce a written report and, in the case of practical projects, an artefact or a production.

A student can take inspiration from something studied in class or something completely unrelated to their studies.

Projects are overseen by project supervisors who guides their student through the process.

1.1 What's different about our Projects Qualifications?

Guided learning hours

We recommend 30 guided learning hours for the taught skills element, maximising time for independent learning. This is approximately a quarter of the overall time for the EPQ and half the time for the HPQ and FPQ when students need more support.

Assessment

Each of the project qualifications has only one comprehensive mark scheme that can be applied to any type of project. This ensures comparability and gives teachers the confidence to mark each project fairly.

The Production log

Our Production log is the most supportive framework for your students to complete their projects.

It has a clear structure that supports students to meet university expectations for creative projects, scientific investigations and practical projects.

Production log administration is minimal - we've stripped out the unnecessary administration but maintained the supportive framework that you told us is vital to the success of your students.

Resources

We have a wide range of exemplar materials and commentaries. These are available on Centre Services to help you feel confident in your assessment of project work. We also have a comprehensive set of guides which explain the project process. They've been created to make sure you feel supported every step of the way.

Teacher support

We offer free face to face standardisation meetings to new centres and a range of CPD courses, both face to face and online, to support you to deliver these unique qualifications.

Projects community

Many universities and higher education institutions work directly with schools and colleges to support students and provide expertise in the taught skills and project development process. Find out more by visiting the page for each university using these community links.