• A-Level media studies provides students with a detailed understanding of how the media works and the impact it can have on our lives, including key sociological and psychological theories, and the connections between the media and business studies

• The subject fosters analytical skills based on the four key areas of the theoretical framework: media language, media representation, media industries and media audiences

• The BHSA curriculum combines theoretical knowledge with practical application. In addition to analysing a range of media texts, including the Close Study Products (CSPs) specified by AQA, students will also acquire the practical skills need to create cross-media media products of their own. In this they will apply the theoretical concepts that they learn to their own creative work, leading to their completion of the Non-Exam Assessment (NEA) in Year 13

ORACY

• All media studies lessons will include a significant amount of oracy, from discussions of media texts to the presentation of research tasks

• Whenever possible, teachers will develop oracy tasks into written activities. This approach will allow students to structure their ideas before putting them down on paper

CRITICAL WRITING

• Students who need it will be offered additional support in developing the critical writing skills required for higher levels of attainment in this subject

ASSESSMENT

• Students are assessed formatively throughout the course by way of verbal discussions and low-stakes written tasks

• Summative assessments are conducted in the form of extended writing tasks at the end of each unit

• In their Year 12 mock examinations, students complete a Media Studies Paper 1

• In their Year 13 mock examinations, students complete a Media Studies Paper 2

BEHAVIOUR FOR LEARNING (BfL)

• The BfL policies for media studies are the same as those practised by the English Department as a whole