FPQ Fosters Curiosity and Critical Thinking

The Fryer Project Qualification (FPQ) is the culmination of the two-year ‘Approaches to Learning’ programme, a hallmark feature of teaching and learning at Leighton Park. The programme aims to foster a spirit of enquiry, and to develop critical thinking and practical skills that will be useful to students as lifelong learners, in line with the Leighton Park Learner Profile.

Head of Teaching and Learning, Jenny Powlesland remarked: “We have been impressed with the curiosity and originality displayed by the students as they have chosen their titles and questions, and the tenacity and maturity with which they have tackled their independent research. For every student in Year 8 to tackle an original research question by writing a dissertation of 1,000 words (fully referenced) or creating a unique artefact is a substantial achievement, and we would like to congratulate this year’s FPQ cohort on the success of their endeavours.”

The titles chosen by this year’s students resound with character and individuality; they also reflect the values and concerns that form the basis of the school’s learning. All are a reflection of personal curiosity, passions and interests. AI crops up this year; many titles are political or explore sociological questions; some are concerned with sustainability and building a better future, whilst others still are purely theoretical, challenging existing preconceptions and the status quo. Project titles included:  Can a hamster theoretically program a light show?; Should we fix our planet before exploring space?; Has COVID-19 benefitted the gaming industry?; and ‘Are there more windows than doors in the world?’

Emmy (Year 8) who chose the topic ‘What makes people more prone to develop narcissism?’ commented, “The presentation was quite stressful but everyone seemed fine and everyone was smiling. I did get more questions than everyone else but I’m not complaining! The research was quite intriguing because I could find many sources but I had to double check that they were all solid enough for my research. I did use a two podcasts and two videos but I verified the creators so I knew those were legitimate.”

Poppy (Year 8) talked about ‘Is it ethical to assassinate a dictator?’ and found her research the hardest part: “Things around dictators are really opinionated and a lot of dictators are from really male-dominated societies. It would have been interesting to look at a dictator from a more female-dominated society; it would have been interesting to see how they had grown up. I couldn’t find any female dictators. The presentation was a bit scarier than I thought it would be but I didn’t stutter as much as I did in practice! I am glad it’s over!”