Intent
The intent of the Media Studies curriculum is to equip all students with critical thinking skills. The Academy aims to ensure that students gain a deep understanding of how culture is influenced by media and the ideologies it represents, as well as understanding media as a form of cultural expression in itself.
Furthermore, in studying a broad range of media, the Academy aims to develop in students an appreciation of media as a product of its historical, social, cultural and political context, including a critical understanding of the role that media industries play in these contexts. Moreover, the Media Studies curriculum is designed to ensure that students are critical thinkers before they become media creators, who engage in the processes and technology used in creative industries.
Implementation
Impact
Media Studies builds skills that are highly sought after in the workplace: carefully constructed communication, collaboration skills and critical thinking characterise Media Studies students, giving them a valuable, transferable skill set. The practical elements of the Media Studies course also ensure that students have relevant experiences for pursuing Media BTEC courses and apprenticeships.
The challenging, multi-disciplinary and diverse nature of the course, which is a synergy of English Language, Psychology, Sociology and History, means that the Media Studies GCSE is effective preparation for many A Level courses. In particular, the critical thinking skills developed in Media Studies support students in a wide range of essay based academic study.
Ultimately, the impact of Media Studies GCSE is that students become discerning citizens; critical thinking skills enable students to make substantiated judgements and draw conclusions about the world they live in, independently.