Media Studies
Our Media Studies department enables students to develop a critical understanding of the media that shapes our daily lives. Students explore a wide range of media forms, examining how meaning is created and how audiences respond to media products.
Curriculum Intent
At Poole High School, our Media Studies curriculum empowers students to become critical, reflective and creative users of media in an increasingly digital world. Through the study of a wide range of media forms, students develop an understanding of how media products are created, distributed and consumed, and how they shape our views of the world.
Students explore contemporary and historical media texts, analysing how media organisations construct meaning, influence audiences and represent individuals, groups and events. By engaging with key concepts such as representation, audience, language, industry and ideology, students develop the ability to question and evaluate the messages they encounter in everyday life.
Our curriculum fosters independent thinking, cultural awareness and digital literacy, enabling students to engage critically with the rapidly changing media landscape. Students learn to challenge assumptions, evaluate evidence and communicate ideas effectively, preparing them for higher education, employment and active participation in modern society.
Key Stage 4
Studying the GCSE Media Studies course at Poole High School will introduce students to a variety of different media and lay the foundations for further study at A Level and degree level.
Media Studies is both a theoretical look at the media and a hands-on approach. Students look at how the media works, so written analysis and the ability to communicate, using media terminology, is essential. There are also a number of practical projects to choose from, so students can use their creative side too.
Topics include:
Newspapers – who owns them, and who decides what makes the news?
Magazines – how do they represent people and ideas within them?
Radio drama – how can radio dramas still be successful?
Video Games – who plays them, and how do they make money when they are free?
Film marketing – how does film marketing attract the right audience, and how do film studios continue to make their millions?
Advertising – how do advertisers use media language to persuade you to buy their products?
TV and Sitcoms – how does the TV in the modern age work, and how do sitcoms tell their stories?
Music Videos – how do the stars represent themselves and how does each video tell a story?
Practical coursework – can you apply everything you have learned to your own media production?
