Subjects

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GCSE Media Studies is studied in year 10 and 11 as a GCSE option follows the Eduqas GCSE Specification. Through this curriculum our intent is simple: we offer young people opportunities to engage with contemporary and relevant texts that help them to question, define and distinguish their place within the world. Inside the classroom we foster the knowledge, determination and love required for students to become lifelong learners. We provide students with a wealth of opportunities to build their knowledge with cross-curricular links to many other subjects so that they are ready to take any path they wish to pursue once leaving school and throughout their lives. Our curriculum is academically ambitious, broad and creative. Students journey through a study of diverse media texts, representations, media audiences, media industries and contexts. Eduqas offer Media Studies as a course offers challenging, varied and exciting texts that ensures that students can prepare for life after GCSEs. Before embarking on this course, students have a solid foundation of the master skills in KS3 Media Studies and which provides a strong base of core knowledge with the demands of GCSE Media. The KS3 Media Lessons are (where possible) are linked to the KS3 English Curriculum, which allow students to really delve into the chosen texts through another lens.  At GCSE students will also benefit from enhancing their essay writing skills and their ability to craft their written communication for different purposes which is underpinned by the GCSE English Language course.

Students will prepare for their GCSE Media Studies exam and non-exam assessed piece (NEA).  Students will analyse how media products like TV programmes and music videos use images, sounds, language, and representations to create meaning and question the effectiveness of each campaign. Students will learn about media industries and how industry affects how media products are made. Students will investigate media audiences: exploring who are the people who watch, read and consume the products. Students will consider how different people might be affected in different ways by media products and why. The core values of the school (knowledge, determination and love) underpin every scheme of work by ensuring fundamental knowledge is obtained and developed. Students are presented with challenging and engaging lessons that require determination and develop passion. In Media Studies we have unapologetic high expectations to ensure students reach their full potential. Students will recognise that the media is a very powerful and influential institution and be able to empower themselves with understanding. During the study every student will prepare for a summative assessment for each particular topic studied and therefore the importance of effective revision and modelling exam practice will be a clear focus. The curriculum is designed to build in a spiral curriculum where the key areas of study (representation, media language, media audiences, media industries and contexts) are developed, reinforced and revisited. In the latter stages of the course, developing exam technique further will become a significant focus, particularly in Year 11.

Pupils are assessed every half term and the purple sheet supports them in this process.  These assessments mirror GCSE style questions to reflect accurate data. Regular moderation of work within the department (and other departments) ensures that grading is accurate. In line with the high aspirations of CHS the majority of pupils will be on or within 1-2 grades of their target grade, this should ensure that our results are within the limits of FFT5.    The resulting data is then analysed with the three I's in mind and student outcomes.  Schemes of work are reflected upon regularly and individual pupils are then targeted for intervention.  After this year’s cohort of first pupils the schemes will be revised depending on need.

Careers – Making pupils aware of career opportunities is viewed as an essential part of education.  This responsibility is carried out in a range of ways through career links in lessons and competitions that link to the real world.  Media industries employ huge numbers of people worldwide and operate as commercial industries on a global scale. It is likely that our students will witness a continued growth in the use and importance of different types of media as technology changes and develops and this links directly to a huge array of potential career opportunities in a forward-thinking modern world.  

Media industries employ huge numbers of people worldwide and operate as commercial industries on a global scale. It is likely that our students will witness a continued growth in the use and importance of different types of media as technology changes and develops. Media Studies offers young people opportunities to engage with contemporary and relevant texts that help them to define and distinguish their place within the world.

The media plays a central role in contemporary society and culture. It shapes our perceptions of the world through the representations, viewpoints and messages it communicates. The media provides us with ways to interact with one another, it facilitates forms of cultural expression and it promotes participation in many aspects of society. The average adult spends 8 hours a day consuming the media, this can influence not only their day to day activities but in fact people’s whole lives.

As a GCSE Media Studies student, you will analyse how media products like TV programmes and music videos use images, sounds, language, and representations to create meaning. You will learn about the media industry and how the industry affects how media products are made. You will investigate media audiences, exploring who are the people who watch, read and consume the products, and considering how different people might be affected by media products differently, and why. After all, the media is a very powerful and influential institution - empower yourself with knowledge and understanding!

In Years 10-11 students follow the WJEC/Eduqas syllabus:

Assessment for GCSE Media is based on final examinations with a huge emphasis placed upon exam skills throughout Year 10 and 11. There is a practical element to the course and students will be offered opportunities to produce their own practical pieces.

Media Studies exams are May/June of Year 11 and as such are taught across the two year period. This allows students a greater flexibility in their study of the Media course.

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The courses are split as follows:

Component 1:
Exploring the Media - External Assessment (40%)

Component 2:
Understanding Media Forms and Products - External Assessment (30%)

Component 3:
Creating Media Products - Internal Assessment  (30%)
The GCSE will be graded 9-1.

Non-examined assessment: you will be given a production brief which you will research and explore in order to produce a product such as pages from a magazine, music videos and advertising. It is worth 30 % of your final grade and is conducted under supervision by your teacher.

Two exams in the summer of year 11:

• Paper 1 is 90 minutes long and is worth 40% of your final grade
• Paper 2, also 90 minutes long, involves watching a moving image clip, among other tasks. This paper is worth 30% of your final grade.

Over one hundred universities offer courses in Media, Communications and Cultural Studies in the UK. An A Level qualification in Media Studies, informed by study at GCSE level, helps you to move towards these courses, as well as to those in a range of other areas.

Whether you are planning to go to university or not, there is a huge array of career opportunities in the media, and it’s an industry that is growing very quickly. There are careers in TV and film production, advertising, journalism, interactive media, and digital marketing, technical production, special effects, web design and post-production.

Additionally, Media Studies will even help you to develop skills that you’ll be able use in your other subjects such as critical thinking, analysis, research, planning, practical skills, time management, essay writing skills and more.

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Year 10 VocabularyYear 11 Vocabulary

Media Studies - Key Words for Topics

As a child I wanted to be an Actor, although swiftly realised I was rubbish and much better behind the camera!

Following GCSE’s I studied Theatre and Media Studies at Strodes College and alongside another Student we started ‘Dog Face Films’, which this year celebrated 25 years in business.

We are both trained in Camera Operations, Sound engineering, Editing, Directing and Producing.

My career is varied, very varied. I can be working on Corporate Meetings one day, being a substitute stuntman the next day and then a few days later filming the Queens State Funeral (That was just last week alone!).

So far my career highlights have been working on ‘Lost’ (I’m a bit of a geek!), Editing Disney contents for the Disney Stores TV screens, Filming the 2012 Olympics and the Princes Trust Award ceremonies, but nothing quiet beats Writing, Producing and Editing our own Feature Film, seeing it on the big screen and Amazon prime.

Every day is different and certainly not 9-5 Monday to Friday. I can be away from home weeks on end, or up at 3am to travel anywhere in the World. You get to meet all types of people, from all different backgrounds.

It’s a career you have to love, you have to accept it takes over your life, but its so worth it for all the experiences it offers.

Take every opportunity offered to you, this industry really is about ‘who’ you know and building a good reputation for yourself, keeping up to date with the latest technology, being flexible and patient.

The industry has a saying “Hurry up and Wait” and that sums it up perfectly!