Media and Film industries are some of the most swiftly expanding and with new and different technologies being developed all the time, this is an exciting and diverse subject area with many and varied career possibilities further down the line.

We take a very practical approach to teaching and learning in the Media and Film department and students benefit from having access to a wide range of facilities and equipment including mac suites, photography equipment, special effects, lighting and more.

Students learn a variety of practical production skills from enthusiastic teachers and technicians as well as skills of verbal and written analysis; our results are consistently strong because students find these areas and the products within them engaging and enjoy the challenges they undertake.

Independence is a trait which is valued, encouraged and nurtured within the department and students are given responsibility for their own work from an early stage. As a subject that students have to opt for, we expect them to be interested, engaged and motivated in the subject areas being explored and see our role as supporting and guiding them in their learning journey.

 

At Key Stage 4, students will study Media Studies GCSE courses. We currently follow the WJEC specifications for Media but this may change in 2018 with the new linear GCSEs. For Media Studies, students will study a broad range of media products, audience and industry issues. The course have examination and coursework elements, currently 60% coursework/40% exam and moving to 30% coursework/70% exam.

At Key Stage 5, A-Level Media Studies is an extremely popular subject with classes studying the OCR specifications. The course consists of 30% coursework, 70% examination. Students analyse, in depth, a variety of media products and consider a wide range of issues of ideology, politics, culture and society in relation to the product and its wider context. Wherever possible, we take a practical approach and use links with industry professionals to give students a realistic experience of media/film production and practices.

How can you support your child?

• Encourage your child to engage with a variety of media/film products (depending on the course being studied).
• Use the department’s subscription to Media Magazine online (logon details available from class teacher).