Media Curriculum philosophy and intent statement
Media industries employ huge numbers of people worldwide and operate as commercial industries on a global scale. It is likely that our students will witness a continued growth in the use and importance of different types of media as technology changes and develops. Media Studies offers young people opportunities to engage with contemporary and relevant texts that help them to define their place within the world.
As teachers we aim to be experts in our subject. We need to ensure that our own developed knowledge of media enables students to secure their understanding of key issues. Our focus must be on the effective communication of knowledge, whilst offering opportunities for students to debate important questions about the media through the use of a theoretical framework. In this way, students are able to apply and test their understanding.
We aim to recognise the fundamental relationship between theoretical understanding and practical work, providing learners with exciting opportunities to develop media production skills. Students apply and develop their knowledge and understanding of language and representation in relation to media forms and products, and become creators of meaning themselves. Furthermore, they are offered a choice of briefs and forms within which to work, enabling them to explore and pursue their own media interests.
The study of a range of rich and stimulating media products is central to this specification, working from the product outwards to develop appreciation and understanding of the media and its context. Students draw on their existing experience, but they also extend their appreciation and critical understanding through the study of products with which they may be less familiar.
We focus predominantly on contemporary media, although this is contextualised and enhanced through the exploration of significant products from different historical periods. Through studying both established and evolving media forms, learners gain a true awareness of the role of the media in society and culture.
At the heart of our subject we aim to equip students with knowledge and skills that develop through the GCSE course and inform study at A Level. These skills include independent enquiry, critical thinking, decision-making and analysis. Although these skills are integral to media they offer a skill set that is transferable to other academic disciplines and future employment opportunities. We teach this subject in order to nurture an appreciation and critical understanding of the role of the media in society, culture and politics.