Key Stage 4	GCSE Media Studies (EDUQAS) 5 hours per fortnight
Key Stage 5	A Level GCSE (EDUQAS) 9 hours per fortnight in Year 12 and 8 hours per fortnight in Year 13

Subject Information

Media Studies is an exciting, ever developing subject and the media literacy of young people is currently a focus of the Government.

Media Literacy can be described as the ability to critically and confidently identify types of media and the messages they are sending to their users. In the age of social media and online media the ease with which anybody can be a media author it is increasingly important that young people can identify what is real and what is false so that they can have informed and clear views on the world.

Our media curriculum allows for students to develop the following skills:

• Critical Analysis -. Do the messages make sense? Why was certain information included? What wasn’t included? What are the key ideas?
• Become a smart consumer of products and information.  We help students with the skills to help them determine the “persuasive intent” of advertising and resist the techniques marketers use to sell products.
• Recognize point of view. Being able to identify an author’s point of view helping to appreciate different perspectives. It also helps put information in the context of what they already know
• Create media responsibly: Be able to create texts that reflect the morals and values of our society.
• Identify the role of media in our culture.  Being able to identify when media is telling us something and shaping how we view the world and even making us act in particular ways.
• Understand the author’s goal. What is the purpose of the text? What do they want you to think about what they are writing?

Staff

Mrs Wilson (JCW)                   Curriculum Area Leader for Media Studies and teacher of English

Mrs Makda (NM)                    Teacher of English and Media Studies

Mrs Plumbley (JP)                   Teacher of English and Media Studies and Head of Year 10

Mrs Derbyshire (LMD)            Teacher of Drama and Media Studies

Additional Information

• There are regular opportunities for students to experience media in the real world through trips which have included: Universities, BBC Media City, Salford; Harry Potter Studios, London; BBC London; Comic Con Liverpool.
• Media Studies Students have also previously benefitted from visits from BBC Bitesize to give careers talks to students along with visiting professionals from the world of on set photographers and digital gaming graphic designers. 

Subject Content