Media Studies

Media Studies offers a critical look at how media (TV, film, news, games, social media) shapes society, analyzing its language, representation, industries, and audiences, combining theory with practical production skills to understand and create media intelligently. Students explore media's role in culture and society, learning to deconstruct messages and develop creative projects using industry-standard tools. Key concepts include media language (codes/conventions), representation (stereotypes), industries (ownership/profit), and audiences (active interpretation).

Catholic Social Teaching (CST) applies to Media Studies by providing a moral and ethical framework to evaluate media production and consumption, focusing on human dignity, the common good, and solidarity.

Curriculum Overview by Year Group and Term

Term 1	Term 2	Term 3	Term 4	Term 5	Term 6
Introduction to key media terms	Component 1 – Exploring the media. Adverts	Component 1 – Exploring the media. Film posters.	Component 1 – Exploring the media. Magazines and newspapers.	Component 1 – Exploring media industries and audiences.	Component 3 – Creating Media products NEA

Term 1	Term 2	Term 3	Term 4	Term 5	Term 6
Component 3 – Creating Media products NEA	Component 1 – Exploring media industries and audiences.	Component 2 – understanding media forms - television	Component 2 – understanding media forms – music videos	Revision

Curriculum prepared June 2025

Exam Syllabus & RevisionInformation, support & resources
Intent
The purpose of the curriculum is to develop critical thinking, analytical, and creative skills by exploring how media (film, TV, news, digital) shapes society, teaching students to deconstruct media messages, understand industry contexts, and produce their own media, preparing them for careers in media, communications, and beyond.

By Year 10, they should have gained an introduction to the subject through studying the GCSE Media course, and looking at representation and semiotic analysis.

By year 11 they will have built on these skills and looked at industry and also gained practical skills such as how to use digital cameras and how to produce media texts on Affinity photo.

In year 12 and 13 we offer the Pearson BTEC in Digital Content Production, a practical based subject where students produce magazines, film posters, and other media texts to a high standard.
Implementation
The GCSE is delivered in adherence to the Eduqas syllabus, starting with a grounding in media theory and then moving through the three components one at a time – component 1 – exploring the media, component 3 – coursework NEA, and component 2 – understanding media forms. There is a high focus on modelling and using examples of real media texts to inspire and inform the work they produce.
Impact
At sixth form level, grades are very good, with a high proportion of distinction and merit grades. Additionally, many students go on to study media at university or seek out media based apprenticeships.

This is our first delivery of GCSE Media Studies but feedback from students is already good.

Media Studies

Media Studies

Curriculum Overview by Year Group and Term

Year 10

Year 11