Media Studies

Media Studies is first taught within English lessons in Years 7, 8 and 9, where students are encouraged to develop their understanding not just of written literary texts but of media texts of all sorts – newspapers, magazines, comics, films, advertisement, cartoons, radio and television shows as well as the world wide web and other forms of digital media.

You will develop your knowledge and understanding of print, broadcast and e-media products as well as the areas of marketing, advertising and promotion including the institutions that create, produce and monitor media texts. The course will build on some of the media work you will have already done in English at Key Stage 3. You will produce drafts, plans and fully realised pieces in print, moving image and e‐media, analysing and evaluating your
work. Media Studies students use Apple Mac computers to create and edit products using Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign, IMovie and Publisher. All students can borrow film and still image cameras to complete their NEA (Non-Exam Assessment).

Three units of compulsory assessment:

Paper 1— Written exam 1 hour 30 minutes worth 84 marks and 35% of the GCSE

Questions will focus on areas of theoretical framework: industries, audience and representation.

Paper 2—Written exam 1 hour 30 minutes worth 84 marks and 35% of the GCSE

Questions will focus on Media Language and contexts of media.

NEA (Non-Exam Assessment) — internally assessed worth 72 marks and 30% the GCSE

Students will be given a choice of topics related to an over-arching theme that changes annually. They will be able to apply knowledge and understanding of the theoretical framework and show off practical skills relating to the media format that they choose to create.

Three units of compulsory assessment:

Paper 1 Written Exam (2hrs) – 35% (externally assessed)

Section A will focus on Media Language and Media Representations. Questions in this section will test the following forms:

• advertising and marketing
• music video

Section B will focus on Media Industries and Media Audiences. Questions in this section can test any two of the following forms:

• radio
• newspapers
• film (industries only)

Paper 2 Written Exam (2hrs) – 35% (externally assessed)

Questions will focus on the in-depth media forms of television, magazines and online, social and participatory media/video games.

Non-exam assessment: Creating a cross-media production – 35% (internally assessed)

Students choose one brief of six set by AQA and produce a cross-media production made for an intended audience as well as a statement of intent. Students are assessed by their understanding and knowledge of the theoretical framework and their ability to create media content.