Curriculum – Media Studies

Curriculum – Media Studies

Media Studies

The Curriculum

Curriculum Intent

As educators, our ambition is to prepare young people for a 21st century where it is more important than ever that they are skilled analysts and creators of media. In an era of 24 hour global communication, fake news and limitless choice students need to be able to choose, question, critique and produce the media that have such an impact on our attitudes, lifestyles and beliefs.  ​

To this end, the Media Studies curriculum at SHSG aims to provide our students with these skills whilst expanding their cultural competency. Working within and beyond the parameters of the examination specification, we encourage our students to be critical consumers of the media by equipping them with the specific media terminology and skills to effectively analyse chosen examples of the media. ​

As their skills develop, academic rigour is reinforced by the exploration and application of media theory. The combination of these skills provides students with an enriched appreciation of how the media industry and producers operate. ​

Within each unit, opportunities are provided to enable students to combine their theoretical understanding with practical activities that develop and embed their understanding of codes and conventions. With access to Apple Mac computers and industry standard software such as Photoshop, students can produce practical work of the highest quality. Practical work is shared and celebrated, and the students can reach their potential in an enjoyable and stimulating manner. ​

The fact that the vast majority of A level students go on to study media/marketing or journalism type degrees is testament to the enthusiasm and passion they have for the subject.

It is our ambition to support Media students to develop coherent lines of original thought, to question the role of global institutions and audiences. To enable them to innovate, create and present their ideas in high quality products across convergent media platforms.

What does it feel like to be a student in the Media Studies Department?

Never before has Media literacy been more important. You have chosen a subject that is arguably one of the most relevant studies of the century. An industry that is constantly evolving and that has global reach needs to be studied.

The ideal Media student is curious, creative, self motivated, excited by innovation, enlightened in attitude and ready to embrace all the opportunities the Media department offers.

The BBC School News report has informed students career choices, alumni offer advice and in some cases work experience. Our students consistently win national competitions for their production work.

We will give you every opportunity to exceed your ambitions in academic and creative realms, do you accept the challenge?

Journey

Media Studies Curriculum

At Southend High School for Girls we teach a curriculum that is ambitious and takes students on a learning journey that expands their horizons and ambitions.

Indeed we are the only grammar school in the area to offer GCSE and A level Media Studies.

We have chosen to offer the Eduqas specification at GCSE as we believe it offers a clear but challenging combination of texts that will be stimulating to our students. Unusually perhaps we deliver the OCR specification at A level. OCR encourages students to study the media in an academic context and to develop critical thinking skills as they study the media in both global and historical contexts. Again, this approach is suitable to stretch and challenge our students and gives them a taste of undergraduate level analysis.

Beyond the remit of the specifications we aim to plan and deliver the content using the intellectual framework of the classical education model, the Trivium:

  • Grammar (Knowledge and skills) knowledge, learning by heart, subject terminology, cultural capital
  • Dialectic (Enquiry and exploration) debate, question, challenge, analyse, evaluate
  • Rhetoric (Communication) essays, speeches, performances, presentations

Pre-requisite or helpful knowledge from Year 9 English ready to study in Year 10 if applicable

  • Non-fiction and the concept of representation is taught via multi modal texts in Year 9. These aspects will enhance students’ introduction to the key concepts in Media Studies.

The topics and concepts have been carefully sequenced in this order to build a student’s learning journey to achieve the aims of our Media Studies intent.

Some of the units are delivered by different teachers and the class splits have been carefully sequenced to ensure the skills and units taught are complementary.

Much of the delivery of concepts, skills and analysis are delivered in a spiral, constantly re visiting, developing and consolidating skills and understanding.

Year 10

Term 1

C1 Exploring the Media 

Introduction to media 

  • The key concepts. ‘LIAR’. Analysis-denotation and connotation. 
  • Main theorists. 

Practical skills 

  • Photography and photoshop.  

Section B: Language and Representation

  • Print adverts.
  • Quality Street & This Girl Can.

Assessment 

  • Representation of ‘me’ photoshop collage. 
  • Research & presentation of theory-test on theory-booklet. 
  • Creating an advert.
  • Textual analysis of print adverts 15 marks.

 

Unit 2
C1 Sections A & B

The Film Industry

  • Focus on the concept of James Bond with attention to No Time to Die
  • Prep for exam style questions.

Section B: Language and Representation

  • Analysis of film print posters, The Man with the Golden Gun & No Time to die.

Assessment

  • Creating a Bond film advert (representation).
  • Film Industry 17 mark question.
  • Analysis of Language and Representation 15 marks.

Term 2

Unit 3

C2 Understanding Forms and Products

Section B The Music Industry.

  • History of the Music industry.
  • Music video, Rio-Duran Duran, *The Man-Taylor Swift, *Superheros-Stormzy
  • Music Websites
  • Bruno Mars, Taylor Swift.
  • Prep for exam style questions.

Section B: Language and Representation

  • Analysis of print continued, GQ & *Vogue cross over with web analysis.

Assessment

  • Gender in Rio 10 marks.
  • Representation in Music video
  • Comparison of online/videos.
  • Analysis of Language and Representation 15 marks continued.
  • Develop unseen examples for 25 marks.

Unit 4
C3: Introduction to NEA

  • (briefs released in March)
  • Assessment
  • Statement of Aims for NEA

C1 Section B Industry and Audience

  • The Sun & The Guardian.

C1 Section A Language and Representation

  • The Sun & The Guardian

Assessment

  • Statement of Aims for NEA
  • The Sun and The Guardian 12 and 15 mark questions.

Term 3

Unit 5

  • Exam prep skills revisiting all topics covered so far for PPE1 in May.
  • NEA research and Planning after exams.

Unit 6
C2 Understanding forms and conventions.
Section A TV.

  • Sitcoms-Friends, Man Like Mobeen
  • History & theory.

C3 NEA

  • Ensure draft storyboards, flatplans, shot lists etc in place for summer shooting
  • Ensure Section B Language and Representation skills are secure in light of exam results.

Assessment

  • Presentation of Sitcom codes & conventions (with theory).
  • Analysis of Friends
  • Statement of aims for NEA

Year 11

Term 4

Unit 7
C2 Understanding forms and conventions. Section A TV.
Sitcoms

  • Man Like Mobeen
  • Prep and revision for internal exams

C1 Section A Language and Representation.

  • The 25 mark unseen question

Assessment

  • Exam style questions.
  • Peer assessment
  • Focus on the Assessment Objectives.

Unit 8
C3 NEA

  • Review footage from the summer.
  • Complete production including statement of aims by Christmas.

Assessment

  • Peer review of content
  • Self assessment of brief/statement of aims.

C1 Section A & B Industry and Audience.

  • The Sun & The Guardian.
  • Pride and GQ

Assessment

  • The Sun and The Guardian 12 and 15 mark questions.
  • Pride and GQ *Vogue for Year 10

Term 5

Complete News Industry then Unit 9
C1 Section B Industry and Audience.

  • Video Games: Fortnite

Assessment

  • The video game industry 12 marks.
  • Audience engagement with video games 12 marks

Unit 10
C1 Section B Industry and Audience.

  • Radio:The Archers

Assessment

  • The radio industry 12 marks
  • Audience engagement with radio. 12 marks
  • Revision
  • Complete The Archers

Term 6

Unit 11
Revision programme for C1 and C2.

This will reflect strengths and weaknesses of the cohort.

Recommended reading in Media Studies for GCSE

Text Book ‘WJEC/Eduqas GCSE Media Studies by Hayley Sheard is provided.
Eduqas fact sheets for the set texts (provided).
Glossary of terminology (provided and added to).
The Media Magazine (in school library)

Useful websites

Seneca- an excellent tool that covers the Eduqas specficiation.
BBC Bitesize https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/ztnygk7
Mrs Fisher’s You Tube videos https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Mrs.+Fisher+Media+YouTube&FORM=VDMHRS
Media Know all https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYGZgPuIyGw

At Southend High School for Girls we teach a curriculum that is ambitious, academic and takes students on a learning journey that expands their horizons and ambitions.

Indeed we are the only grammar school in the area to offer GCSE and A level Media Studies.

We have chosen to offer the OCR specification at A level as we believe it offers a clear but challenging combination of texts that will be stimulating to our students. OCR encourages students to study the media in an academic context and to develop critical thinking skills as they study the media in both global and historical contexts. Again, this approach is suitable to stretch and challenge our students and gives them a taste of undergraduate level analysis.

Beyond the remit of the specifications we aim to plan and deliver the content using the intellectual framework of the classical education model, the Trivium:

  • Grammar(Knowledge and skills) knowledge, learning by heart, subject terminology, cultural capital
  • Dialectic (Enquiry and exploration) debate, question, challenge, analyse, evaluate
  • Rhetoric (Communication) essays, speeches, performances, presentations

A Level

  • It is not a prerequisite to have studied GCSE in order to embark on an A level in the subject. We begin the course with a fast track ‘Introduction to Media’ unit designed to equip new comers with the key skills whilst consolidating the knowledge and understanding of those with previous experience.

The topics and concepts have been carefully sequenced in this order to build a student’s learning journey to achieve the aims of our Media Studies intent.

Some of the units are delivered by different teachers and the class splits have been carefully considered and sequenced to ensure the skills and units taught are complementary.

Much of the delivery of concepts, theories and knowledge are delivered in a spiral, constantly re visiting, developing and consolidating skills and understanding.

Year 12

Term 1

Unit 1  

Teacher 1.   

Introduction to media. The key concepts. ‘LIAR’. CARLING, Analysis-denotation and connotation. 

main theorists. 

Practical skills. 

Photography and photoshop. 

 

C1 Media Messages.  

Section B: Advertising and Marketing 

Dove-Too Many Cooks 

River Island 

Shelter 

 

Teacher 2 

C1 Media Messages.  

Section A: News in print and online. 

The Guardian and The Daily Mail. 

Language and representation.  

Bias and ideology 

 

Assessment 

Representation of ‘me’ photoshop collage.  

Research & presentation of exam topic.  

Creating an advert.  

Annotations of all adverts.   

10 mark responses for all adverts.   

 

Unit 2  

Teacher 1  

C1 Media Messages 

Sections B 

Magazines 

The Big Issue 

 

Teacher 2 

C1 Media Messages 

Section A: News in print and online. 

Comparison of print and online.   

 

Assessment 

Textual analysis of Big Issue front covers.  

10 mark single analysis  

15 mark comparison responses.   

 

10 mark comparison of print and online representation.   

 

 

Terminology tests.  

Textual analysis of news 10 marks  

Term 2

Unit 3  

Teacher 1  

C1 Media Messages 

Section B Music Videos 

History of the Music industry/videos. 

Lil Nas X: Sun Goes Down. Radiohead: Burn the Witch 

Prep for exam style questions.  

Storyboarding 

 

Teacher 2 

C1 Media Messages.  

Section A: News in print and online. 

Set product analysis across all platforms and ‘CARLING’ aspects.  

 

Assessment 

Storyboard analysis of videos.   

10 mark questions on individual videos.   

15 mark comparison questions.   

 

Textual analysis of set news products  

Topic 4  

Teacher 1  

C2: Evolving Media 

Radio.   

The Radio 1 Breakfast show 

 

C3: Making Media 

Introduction to NEA (briefs released in March).  

Assessment  

Statement of intent for NEA  

 

 

Introduction to theory 

Apply to all set texts- stretch and challenge.  

 

Teacher 2 

C1 Media Messages.  

Section A: News in print and online. 

Introduction to the application of theory in the news questions.  

 

Assessment 

Statement of Intent for NEA  

Analysis of set extract.   

15 mark questions on the Radio 1 breakfast show (industry, audience and context).  

Test on the key differences between theorists.   

Application of two theorists to set texts.   

Term 3

Unit 5   

Exam technique skills. 

Teachers 1 & 2 

Exam prep skills revisiting all topics covered so far for PPE1 in May. 

NEA research and Planning after exams.  

Unit  6 

Teacher 1 

C3 NEA 

Ensure research and planning, draft storyboards, flatplans, shot lists etc in place for summer shooting 

 

Teacher 2  

Ensure Section A Media Messages skills and knowledge are secure in light of exam results.  

 

Assessment 

Statement of intent for NEA.  

Consolidation of knowledge and understanding in light of PPE1s (weaknesses identified and addressed).

Year 13

Term 4

Unit 7 

Teacher 1 

C2 Evolving Media 

LFTVD 

Stranger Things and Deutschland 83 

 

C3 Making Media NEA footage 

Brief review of summer progress. 

 

Teacher 2  

C2 Evolving Media 

Video Games: Minecraft *Animal Crossing- next year 

 

Evolving Media 

Radio.   

The Radio 1 Breakfast show 

 

Assessment 

Presentations on Video games history, context, distribution, industry and audience.   

Video Game 15 mark question  

 

 

Unit 8 

C3 Making Media 

NEA 

Complete production by Christmas. 

Assessment 

Peer review of content  

Self assessment of brief/statement of aims

Term 5

Unit 9 

Teacher 1 

C2 Evolving Media 

LFTVD 

Stranger Things and Deutschland 83 

Focus on application of theory to texts.  

 

Teacher 2 

C1 Media Messages.  

Section A: News in print and online. 

2nd case study example 

 

Unit 10 Film 

 

The Jungle Book (1967) and The Jungle Book (2016) 

* Snow White (1937), BBFC U and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021), BBFC 12

Term 6

Unit 11

Revision programme for C1 and C2. 

This will reflect strengths and weaknesses of the cohort as identified by previous assessments. 

Recommended reading in Media Studies for GCSE

OCR My revision notes text book  (provided).

OCR fact sheets for the set texts (provided).

Glossary of theorists (provided and added to).

Essential Theory Mark Dixon (recommended purchase).

The Media Magazine (in school library)

Key texts from prominent theorists in Media Studio to borrow.

SHSG Media Studies from GCSE to A level (shsggcsetoalevel.blogspot.com) (click here)

Applications for Sixth Form (September 2024 intake)Information here