Media Studies

Curriculum Information about Media Studies at King James I Academy

Teaching Staff

• L Davies (Director of Learning)

Curriculum Intent

The Media Department at King James focuses on a curriculum that is designed to ensure that students develop a deep understanding of the theory behind media production and the techniques involved in the creation of a wide variety of media products.  In addition to this the intent is to ensure students develop a wide range of professional, practical skills which will enable them to pursue a successful career in the sector. The curriculum will:

• Develop students’ ability to deconstruct and analyse media products, and understand how meaning is created and communicated to audiences.
• Allow students to develop an understanding of different audiences and the representation of age, gender, sexuality, disability and ethnicity.
• Enable students to debate how representation in the media affects and influences behaviour in society, and help them to develop an appreciation of the power of the media industry and how today’s consumers rely on media products and technology.
• Enable students to become fluent in the use of Adobe industry software for graphic design, photo manipulation and film editing through a varied range of practical production tasks which become more sophisticated as students progress.
• Develop student’s ability to communicate with confidence, both verbally and in writing, using media related vocabulary and subject specific terminology, to help them work towards a successful career in the industry. 
• Allow students to apply their knowledge to plan, develop, manage and produce a variety of media products from concept to completion, overseeing crew when applicable and seeking solutions to issues as they arise.
• Promote enthusiasm and a passion for the subject and raise awareness of the diverse range of careers that students can pursue with a media qualification.

Department Information

Thanks to rapidly developing technology, our demand for media products is increasing and the Media industry is booming. From watching TV to streaming movies, reading newspapers to playing computer games, listening to music to social networking, we all access a variety of media products every day and this presents an exciting variety of career opportunities for young people.

The Media Studies Department offers practical courses at both Key Stage 4 and 5 designed to give students a broad overview of the different sectors in the Media industry including Publishing, Moving Image, Audio, Interactive and Gaming. Coursework assignments are carefully designed to allow students to develop specialist knowledge and technical skills through practical tasks which allow them to develop a product from concept to completion.

Students work with industry standard software, Adobe Creative Suite, and develop skills in film-making, editing, graphic design, journalism, photography, photo-manipulation and marketing. Opportunities for developing project management and team working skills are also integrated into the course.

Key Stage 4

Pearson BTEC Level 1 and 2 Tech Award in Creative Media Production

Component 1: Exploring Media Products                                                            30% of final grade

Component 2: Developing Digital Media Production Skills                  30% of final grade

Component 3: Create a Media Product in Response to a Brief             40% of final grade

Components 1 and 2 are internally assessed and externally moderated

Component 3 is an externally assessed exam.

Educational trips

Activities include a trip to Beamish Museum to explore how sets, props and costume are used effectively to create a specific time period, and a subsidised cinema trip as part of the annual Into Film Festival. Students also have the option to take part in a Saturday trip to Whitby Goth Festival to see the many examples of steampunk and gothic costumes alongside those from classic horror and fantasy films.

Year 10

Learners will begin studying Component 1: Exploring Media Products in September of Year 10 and will complete a controlled assessment for this component from January to May. The assessment brief will be set by Pearson, marked by the course teacher and externally moderated. They will study different audiences and how they use and respond to different products, and look at how different products are made to create audience appeal.

In May, preparation for component 2 begins. This involves students building a wide range of practical planning and production skills which will lead to the creation of a specific product. This component will continue into Year 11. They will develop production skills using both hand and digital methods and build skills in ideas development, visual presentation methods, photography, photo manipulation, text editing and page layout. This will include creative workshops in Adobe Indesign and Photoshop.

Year 11

Students will refresh and build upon their knowledge and skills for Component 2 in September before the controlled assessment brief is released by Pearson in October for December submission. Students will apply their skills to rework an existing product to make it appeal to teenagers instead of adults and will present a portfolio of work to demonstrate the skills they have learned. Again, work is marked by the course teacher and externally moderated by Pearson.

In January/February, students will begin the final exam Component 3. They will develop ideas in response to a brief provided by the board and use original photography and text to create a product. Students plan their response over a 12 week period and complete three tasks under exam conditions.

Curriculum Learning Journey