In the Sixth Form, we offer all pupils the opportunity to complete the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), a research-based project on any topic of their choice which carries UCAS points and enables them to work independently and extend their academic studies further. We spoke to some of our EPQ pupils about their topics last term; here's what Laura in Upper Sixth had to say.

What is your EPQ about?

The topic I have chosen to talk about is mental health within agriculture and what more needs to be done to raise awareness. I am mainly writing about the importance of talking about it, what action is being taken to raise awareness of the problem, and how detrimental the problem is to the community. I’m also researching Doug Avery who has written a book about how he fell into a hole of depression, and then how he found his way out. I’m trying to find a way that we can get the farming community talking about how we feel and raise more awareness.

Why are you interested in this subject? 

With Covid being such a huge topic that has hit the farming community, more farmers and farm workers have been isolated and seeing less and less of friends and family. It is a very current subject and a very real problem within the farming community and I believe it is something that needs to be questioned and explored more for the sake of future farming and the future of food. By educating yourself on a sensitive topic it allows you to talk confidently about it and point out where the myths and untrue facts are being projected.

How have you found the more independent nature of the EPQ? 

Sometimes I really struggled to find certain information that I wanted to know on the topic, as mental health is such a hidden talking point to start with, let alone within a community that already struggles to talk about their feelings. But it was interesting going down all the avenues that involved mental health within agriculture and finding out about different people’s experiences. Being able to talk about what I want to
talk about and explore what I want to learn about has been great!

Does the EPQ link to your next steps after Shebbear, if so, how? 

I have no intention of going to university at the moment so I didn’t take part in the EPQ for this reason. However, if I choose to go into agriculture, then my research on mental health within the industry will definitely be relevant as I have the background knowledge that I have gained through the project. My organisational skills have improved (slightly!) as well as my drive to carry out research myself into a topic that is so often overlooked and avoided.