Examination Boards: AQA (GCSE 8572/A-level 7572); Pearson (BTEC 601/7467/5)
Our department’s focus is centred on developing the depth of students’ knowledge of the media in four key theoretical areas:
- Media language – analysing the creative choices that media producers make in the creation of media products and their impact on audiences
- Representations – exploring the different ways in which the media represent people, places and issues and how these reflect or challenge social stereotypes
- Audiences – developing understanding of how different audiences are targeted and debating the impact media may have on audience behaviours and attitudes
- Industries – investigating the companies and organisations that control the media and how they are structured
Students across Key Stages 4 and 5 will be exposed to a wide variety of media and taught to analyse and debate the effects and impact that they have. This will enable them to confidently discuss any media product, applying relevant media terminology and theory.
Students will also have the opportunity to develop a wide range of practical skills including video/audio editing, print design, website design and magazine/newspaper journalism.
Typically, over half of the year group opt to study this subject at GCSE and many will pursue it at Key Stage 5 and beyond. Our aim is to provide students with a wide range of transferable skills that will help them in any career, media-based or otherwise.
