Project & Research

Introduction

Project & Research is an academic English programme built around project work, independent research and academic communication.

Students learn how to develop an idea into a structured project, plan and manage their work, conduct research, evaluate sources, write a substantial report and present their findings.

The course develops progressively from foundational project skills to more independent research and extended project work.

The Textbooks

The course uses two OxfordAQA textbooks as its academic foundation:

1) OxfordAQA International GCSE Global Skills Projects (9697): Student Book

This provides the foundation for individual and group project work, including project planning and management, research, report writing, presentation and reflection. It also includes a Group Sustainability Action Project, through which students apply project skills to a collaborative sustainability project. [official link]

2) OxfordAQA International Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) (9695): Student Book

This develops the skills required for more independent and extended project work, including choosing and refining a topic, developing a project proposal, planning the project, conducting and recording research, making decisions, solving problems, writing a substantial report, presenting the project and evaluating the process and outcome. [official link]

Together, the two books provide a progression from project skills and practical application to independent research and extended project work.

The course uses the textbooks as a foundation for classroom work. Topics, activities and projects are selected and developed according to the students' age, experience and interests.

A Project Skills Pathway from 14 to 18

The course develops project and research skills progressively as students move from early project work towards more independent academic study.

Ages 14–16: Global Skills Projects

Students develop the foundations of successful project work.

They learn how to:

• choose and develop a project topic

• formulate a project proposal

• create a realistic project plan

• manage time and progress

• identify and use different types of research

• evaluate sources and resources

• develop research strategies

• structure and write a report

• avoid plagiarism and reference sources

• prepare and deliver a presentation

• reflect on their work and evaluate the outcome

Students can also develop collaborative project skills through sustainability-focused group work, including planning, research, teamwork, action and individual reflection.

Ages 16–18: Extended Project

Students build on these foundations through more independent and academically demanding project work.

They learn how to:

• refine a topic into a focused project

• develop a research question

• prepare a project proposal

• create and manage a detailed project plan

• select appropriate research methods

• record research and take effective notes

• make decisions based on evidence

• solve problems during the project

• develop a substantial written report

• produce and review a project outcome

• present their work and respond to questions

• evaluate their process, decisions and final outcome

The two stages are connected. Skills introduced through project work at 14–16 are developed further through independent research and extended project work at 16–18.

The Project Process

Students work through a clear process from an initial idea to a completed project:

• Idea 

• Question

• Proposal

• Plan

• Research

• Development

• Report

• Presentation

• Reflection

Each stage introduces skills that students can apply directly to their own work.

A project may begin with an area of personal interest, develop into a focused question and lead to a research process, practical outcome or extended written project.

As students progress, they take greater responsibility for decisions about their topic, research, planning and final outcome.

How We Study Project and Research Skills

The course is practical and project-based.

Students discuss ideas, examine examples, plan their own work, conduct research and make decisions about how their projects should develop.

A lesson might focus on evaluating sources before students apply the skill to their own research. A session on report structure might lead directly into planning a section of a project. Presentation work can be developed around the students' own findings and conclusions.

Students therefore learn skills in the context of actual project work.

From Research to Student Work

The central focus of the course is the student's own project.

Depending on the stage and type of project, students may produce:

• a project proposal

• a project plan

• research notes

• a research log

• a written report

• a practical or creative project outcome

• a sustainability action project

• a presentation

• an individual reflection

• a project evaluation

Students learn to move from information gathering to decisions, analysis and production.

English is the working language of the project. 

Students develop the language required to:

• formulate research questions

• explain ideas and project aims

• describe methods and processes

• evaluate sources

• compare and interpret information

• make evidence-based claims

• explain decisions

• structure academic writing

• reference sources

• present findings

• answer questions

• reflect on their work

Students develop English through reading, research, discussion, writing, presentation and sustained work on their own projects. The focus is on clear, precise communication and on the language required to handle increasingly complex academic work.

What Students Develop

Project Planning: Students learn to turn ideas into workable projects, establish goals, organise tasks and manage their time and progress.

Research: Students learn to find relevant information, evaluate sources, record research and use evidence appropriately.

Problem-Solving and Decision-Making: Students learn to respond to problems, assess alternatives and make informed decisions as their projects develop.

Academic Writing: Students develop the ability to structure reports, develop ideas, use evidence, reference sources and revise their writing.

Presentation and Communication: Students learn to communicate their projects clearly in spoken and visual form and respond to questions about their work.

Reflection and Evaluation: Students examine their decisions, processes and outcomes and identify what they have learned from the project.

Independent Learning: Students gradually take greater responsibility for defining their projects, managing their work, conducting research and making decisions about their final outcomes.

Who This Course Suits

Project & Research Skills is designed for students aged 14–18 who want to become more confident and independent in project work, research and academic communication.

It may be particularly relevant to students who are:

• beginning project-based study at secondary-school level

• preparing for more independent academic work

• interested in research and extended projects

• developing their academic English

• preparing for future university study

• interested in learning how to manage a substantial piece of independent work

Students do not need to arrive with a fully developed project idea. The course provides the skills and structure needed to develop an idea into a workable project.

The Course in Practice

The textbooks provide the academic foundation and a structured progression of project and research skills. Classroom work gives students opportunities to apply those skills to their own ideas and projects.

At 14–16, students build confidence with planning, research, writing, presentation and collaborative project work.

At 16–18, they develop greater independence through focused research, extended writing, project development and evaluation.

Across both stages, students learn by doing: they develop an idea, make decisions, research, produce work, communicate their findings and reflect on the process.