Media Studies

The media is everywhere. It shapes our perceptions of current affairs, the world around us and even our own identities. Young people need to develop a critical eye when appraising the media, and also need the requisite skills to be successful in a media dominated employment arena. A GCSE in Media Studies will enable students to: develop enquiry, 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; develop their appreciation and critical understanding of the media and its role in their daily lives; develop their practical skills through opportunities for personal engagement and creativity; and understand how to use the key media concepts to analyse media products and their various contexts.

If you enjoy examining the world around you and how it is affected by the things we see, hear and read on our computers, radios, TV screens, newspapers and other media texts.  If you want to analyse the way we communicate with one another and learn to create your own piece of Media then this course is for you.

Two written exams:

Paper 1 – Exploring the Media (40%).  This paper is 1 hour 30 minutes.

Study of newspapers, magazines and adverts.

Paper 2 – Understanding Media Products and Forms (30%) This paper is 1 hour 30 minutes.

Study of television, radio, video games and film industry.

One coursework project (30%):

Apply your academic knowledge to a media production.  Evaluate what theories you have applied in your production.

A GCSE in Media Studies is a great way to prepare for courses that involve:

• Analysing texts.
• Communicating findings.
• Being imaginative and creative.
• Applying theoretical concepts to the real world.

‘In the modern world, media literacy will become as important a skill as Mathematics or Science.’ - Tessa Jowell, Former Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.

A GCSE in Media Studies will support careers that involve communication or creativity.   Media and Marketing careers are extremely competitive and a GCSE in Media will give you a good head start in this industry.

Half Term 1 - Paper 1 Section A; Magazines - Pride and GQ; Assessment on set products

Why we sequence the scheme of work this way

Students will develop their knowledge and understanding (from Year 9)  by analysing media language (codes and conventions), representations and meanings on the magazine covers: Pride and GQ.

Students will analyse how the magazine covers (Pride and GQ) reflect the society and culture in which they were made through it's representations, themes, values, messages and viewpoints.

Students will also explore the concept of representation and relevant representations of gender, ethnicity, age, issues and events on the magazine covers.

Half Term 2 - Paper 1 Section A and Section B; The News - The Sun 12/6/2018 & The Guardian 12/9/2018

Students compare two newspaper front covers using and applying the theoretical framework; Assessment on set products

Why we sequence the scheme of work this way

Students will study the codes and conventions, media language and representations on newspaper front covers. The study of the news and newspaper front covers follows advertising, as advertising directly impacts newspapers for section B of Paper 1 so the two will have a common theme.

Furthermore, students will analyse and compare how the newspaper front covers construct and communicate meanings and generate intended interpretations and audience responses.

Students will further develop their knowledge of how media products reflect, and are influenced by, the social, cultural, historical and political contexts in which they are produced.

Half Term 3 - Paper 1 Section A: Advertising and Marketing

Exploring a range of advertisements focusing on the Media theoretical framework - media language, representations and media contexts; (Quality Street & This Girl Can); Assessment on set products.

Why we sequence the scheme of work this way

Students will develop their knowledge and understanding by analysing the advertisements: Quality Street and This Girl Can.

Students will explore the ways in which media organisations target audiences through marketing. The scheme of learning will explore the factors affecting audience interpretations of representations, including their own experiences and beliefs.

Students will analyse media language, considering how the selection and combination of elements of media language influence and communicate meanings in print and moving image advertisements.

Students will also explore the concept of representation and relevant representations of gender, ethnicity, age, issues and events in advertisements.

Half Term 4 - Paper 1: Section A and Section B: Film (marketing) - James Bond: The Man with the Golden Gun and No time to Die

Assessment of set products

Why we sequence the scheme of work this way

Students will develop their knowledge and understanding by analysing film poster - The Man with the Golden Gun and No Time to Die.

Students will also critically explore film posters.

Students will analyse how elements of media language influences meaning in the film posters, the theoretical perspectives on genre; theories of narrative, including those derived from Propp.

Students will develop knowledge and understanding of key aspects of media

Industries, including ownership, funding, regulation, production, distribution and technology when studying the film industry and James Bond - No Time To Die.

Half Term 5 - Video Games: Fortnite

Why we sequence the scheme of work this way

Students will develop their knowledge of key aspects of Media Industries when studying the video game - Fortnite. 

They will build on their understanding of media industry issues from previous units like Film and Newspaper. In this unit they will explore the world of video games: how they attract specific audiences, market products effectively and are affected by issues such as ownership, regulation and video gaming on a global scale.

Half Term 6 - NEA: Coursework on chosen set brief: (Research/ Practical)

Why we sequence the scheme of work this way

This scheme of learning provides students with an opportunity to apply their knowledge of media texts and the theoretical framework by researching and planning, then producing a media text.

Students will continue to apply their knowledge of media texts and the theoretical framework by producing a media text in accordance with the chosen set brief.

Half Term 1 - Paper 2 Section A Television: Crime Dramas (Luther/The Sweeney)

Assessment on Section A - Crime Dramas

Interleave Paper 1 Section A set texts: Film (James Bond - The Man with the Golden Gun and Spectre)

Complete NEA

Why we sequence the scheme of work this way

Students will study crime drama and the set products, Luther and The Sweeney, and will analyse the genre conventions, codes, media language and representations featured in the texts.

How are intended interpretations constructed and communicated?

How does the crime drama reflect the society and culture of the time in which they were made: the representations of gender, ethnicity and age?

Students will also study the key aspects of the broadcasting industry and key audience issues and theories.

Revision lessons will be interleaved to, firstly, help students recall their knowledge of the set products - the James Bond film posters and secondly to further critically apply their developing knowledge of the theoretical framework - media language and representations.

Half Term 2 - Paper 2 Section B; Music Videos: (Bruno Mars/Katy Perry/TLC)

Interleave with Online Media (Bruno Mars/Katy Perry websites)

Assessment of set music videos and Online Media

Why we sequence the scheme of work this way

Students will study music videos and gain a deeper knowledge and understanding of media language and representation, as well as extending their appreciation of these areas through the study of media industries and audiences in relation to music videos, artists and their online websites and social media.

Students will also develop knowledge and understanding of how relevant social cultural, political and historical contexts of media influence media products. 

These music artists and videos, and their online media texts are interleaved because the online media promotes the music videos of the same artists; developing their understanding of the music industry.

Half Term 3 - Paper 1 Section B: Radio Assessment on set products

Interleave Paper 1 Section A and B set texts: The News: The Sun - 12 June 2018 and The Guardian - 12 September 2018

Complete NEA

Why we sequence the scheme of work this way

Paper 1 Section B:  students will explore media industries and audiences in relation to radio.

Students will further consolidate their knowledge and understanding of key aspects of the media industry, which they learnt in Year 10 and in Half Term 2 of Year 11.

Alongside the study of radio and The Archers, The News set products are interleaved, as both will be studied from the industry area of the theoretical framework in preparation for Paper 1 Section B. Therefore, students will study and apply similar subject-specific terms and industry and audience issues and theories.

Half Term 4 - Revision of Paper 1 Section B: Video Games: Fortnite and Section B: Film (marketing)

Interleave Paper 1 Section A set texts: Magazines (Pride and GQ)

Advertising and Marketing: (Quality Street and This Girl Can)

Why we sequence the scheme of work this way

Paper 1 Section B: students will explore media industries and audiences in relation to video games.

Students will develop knowledge and understanding of key aspects of Media Industries from Year 10 when studying the video game - Fortnite.

Exploration and analysis of:

Audience perspective

Theoretical perspectives

Media: ownership, funding, regulation, production, distribution and technology - focusing on James Bond - No Time to Die.

Revise the set products for magazines and advertising. The revision will be interleaved to help students recall their knowledge of the set products from the language and representation areas of the theoretical framework.

Half Term 5 - Revision and exam practice

Why we sequence the scheme of work this way

Students will practise applying their knowledge of the set products and texts to exam style questions now that they have studied all aspects of the specification.

Through the scheme of learning, they will be able to construct and develop a sustained line of reasoning which is coherent, relevant and logically structured in an extended response.

Half Term 6 - Revision and GCSE Exams

Half Term 1

Teacher 1 - Introduction to Media: Theory Codes; Conventions; Concepts; 1 Assessment

Teacher 2 - Introduction to Media: Practical Filming; Editing; Technology; 1 Assessment

Why we sequence the scheme of work this way

Introducing key theory and practical elements will allow teachers to assess prior knowledge and check students’ progress with transition tasks.

Half Term 2

Teacher 1 - Media Language and Representation Theory; Music videos (Beyonce - Formation/Sam Fender - Seventeen Going Under)

Teacher 2 - Industry Theory; Film (Black Panther/I, Daniel Blake)

Why we sequence the scheme of work this way

Carrying over from HT1, application of Media Language is an important skill that will follow through to each topic on the course. Introducing our first set products with Media Language as a focus will allow the terminology to be applied.

Building on an understanding of media industries established in HT1, content taught by Teacher 2 will enable students to explore the production process, ownership styles and regulation issues within the Film Industry specifically.

Half Term 3

Teacher 1 - Media Language and Representation Theory; Adverts (Tide and Kiss of the Vampire)

Teacher 2 - Audience and Industry Theory; Radio (Have You Heard George’s Podcast?)

Why we sequence the scheme of work this way

Media Language continues to be a focus when looking at more set products on the course, whilst also introducing other important theories (representation & industry) and demonstrating how these are interlinked with one another.

Radio offers students an insight into another form of media industry whilst also focusing on the audience. Students will explore the factors that affect how audiences engage with radio programmes, the choices made by producers to target specific audiences and evaluating audience theory in relation to the radio set product.

Half Term 4

Teacher 1 - Media Language, Representation, Industry and Audience Theory; Newspapers

Teacher 2 -  Audience and Industry Theory; Video Games (Assassin’s Creed) 

Why we sequence the scheme of work this way

The newspaper unit covers all elements of the framework, so is covered later in Year 12 to ensure students have a good foundational understanding of the media framework. This unit combines the skills and knowledge they have gained so far and applies them to the set products and newspaper industry.

Teacher 2 will continue to focus on audience and theory: this time exploring the video game set product.

Half Term 5

Teacher 1 - Paper 1 Section A Revision; Interleaved with Media Language, Representation, Industry and Audience Theory; Newspapers

Teacher 2 - Revision of Paper 1 Section B

Why we sequence the scheme of work this way

Teacher 1 will begin to prepare students for their final PPEs in Year 12 by revising content that they have covered so far. Newspapers, being the largest unit of this year, will continue to be taught over this half term.

Teacher 2 will also move on to revision of Paper 1 Section B: focusing on Audience and Industry. This will enable students to consolidate what they have learnt this year. This will also be beneficial for their research planning for NEA, which will commence in the next term.

Half Term 6

Teacher 1 - Coursework (Research and Statement of Aims)

Teacher 2 - Coursework (Practical Tasks); Continued from last term

Why we sequence the scheme of work this way

Final theorists may be introduced in the form of revising set products from the year so far. All theories may then be applied in the planning process of the NEA coursework brief.

The final HT allows students time to work on their coursework element, designing and redrafting with the help of their developed knowledge of Media theorists. Progress is checked in each lesson and after-school sessions are offered to those who require more time / feedback.

Half Term 1 

Teacher 1 - Recap Video Games Industry; Audience; Continue NEA

Teacher 2 - Paper 2 Section A; Television (Life on Mars)

Why we sequence the scheme of work this way

It is important to check student’s retention of knowledge from Year 12 and so there will be opportunities for recapping content with a focus on Video Games (disrupted by remote learning). Television is introduced alongside this, allowing a new opportunity to apply skills and knowledge from the previous year.

Half Term 2 

Teacher 1 - Paper 2 Section B; Magazines (Vogue – July 1965)

Teacher 2 - Paper 2 Section A; Television (The Bridge)

Why we sequence the scheme of work this way

Set products for television are continued, alongside magazines. These are the final set products to be introduced, again offering an opportunity to practice and develop skills learnt across the course such as essay writing and embedding theory into writing.

Half Term 3 

Teacher 1 - Paper 1 Revision (for parts taught)

Teacher 2 - Paper 1 Revision (for parts taught)

Why we sequence the scheme of work this way

By using the resources created over the course and creating new resources, students will be able to focus on Paper 1 revision to ensure they are prepared for exams.

Half Term 4 

Teacher 1 - Paper 2 Revision (for parts taught)

Teacher 2 - Paper 2 Revision (for parts taught)

Why we sequence the scheme of work this way

By using the resources created over the course and creating new resources, students will be able to focus on Paper 2 revision to ensure they are prepared for exams.

Half Term 5 

Teacher 1 - Revision of the 19 theorists and exam skills practice

Teacher 2 - Revision of the 19 theorists and exam skills practice

Why we sequence the scheme of work this way

Using the resources created over the course, students will be able to prioritise areas for revision to ensure they are prepared for exams.

Half Term 6 - Exams