In a media-saturated world, in which the way we communicate is constantly changing, Media Studies allows students to both explore and create a wide range of media texts. Media students develop investigative, critical thinking and decision-making skills through consideration of issues that are important, real and relevant to them and to the world in which they live. If they choose to take Media Studies at key stage 4 and/or at key stage 5, they will develop their appreciation and critical understanding of the media and its role in their daily lives. Using practical and creative skills, they will produce their own media texts as a significant component of their controlled assessment and use key media concepts such as genre, narrative and representation to analyse their media productions in various contexts.
At GCSE level, students will study at least 3 topics within different media forms, for example: animated film, television news and advertising. Each topic will be explored through the three study areas of the GCSE Media Studies framework (media texts; media organisations; media audiences and users) and reflect the convergent nature of contemporary media. The topics will be assessed through external examination and controlled assessment tasks.
At AS/A level students will study a much wider range of media, including the rapidly developing digital media. Here, there will be an emphasis on the key role that representation plays in the media, as well as a focus on the way audiences/users are positioned by the media but may still respond or interact in diverse ways. They will have opportunities to explore media issues in a creative context as well as to develop appropriate production skills. As an integral part of their controlled assessment work, they will research topics in the media which form the basis for production work, enabling them to develop independent research and production skills. Finally, in preparation for the external examinations, they will explore the relationship between media texts, their audiences and the organisations which produce and distribute them.