Media & Film Curriculum Overview
Curriculum Aim & Intent
Aim
Media and Film are an integral part of everyday life; we are constantly surrounded by and engaging with both forms, which continue to evolve at a rapid and exciting pace. At Southmoor, our vision is to harness students’ enthusiasm and passion for Media and Film by exploring a diverse range of texts in a variety of cultural and historical contexts.
Through the study of Media and Film at Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5, students will develop a critical and analytical toolkit, enhance their creativity, and cultivate original ideas within an inclusive and supportive environment.
Media and Film Studies are academically rigorous disciplines. Students will engage with specialist terminology, a wide range of theoretical perspectives, and a variety of production techniques. Success in this subject requires commitment, ambition, and resilience. High expectations and a strong work ethic are essential for students to thrive, achieve, and excel in this dynamic and thought-provoking area of study
Intent
The Media Studies and Film Studies curriculum at Southmoor Academy is designed to develop students’ confidence in critically engaging with a diverse range of media texts. Through the study of television, radio, music, video games, advertising, film, print, and online/social participatory media, students will cultivate both analytical skills and creative expression.
Our curriculum fosters a deep understanding of the media’s role in society and encourages students to reflect on their personal experiences with media consumption and production. Close Study Products (CSPs) are central to this approach, offering rich opportunities for students to explore meaning, context, and audience impact.
We place a strong emphasis on developing students’ use of technical and theoretical terminology. This is supported through dedicated knowledge organisers and regular opportunities to apply new vocabulary and conceptual understanding in both written and practical work.
Throughout Year 10, students build familiarity with the analytical and evaluative demands of the GCSE specification. Frequent exam-style questions and structured termly reviews are embedded to build exam readiness. In Year 11, students undertake a Non-Exam Assessment (NEA), where they independently design and produce a media product in response to an WJEC-set brief. This coursework offers a creative outlet and consolidates their understanding of media theory in practice.
Cross-curricular links enrich our curriculum, particularly with English Language, History, Politics, Psychology, and Sociology. Theoretical frameworks are explored to help students understand how media texts can shape, challenge, and manipulate audience perceptions.
In addition, our curriculum promotes a clear link to careers and the wider world of work. Students develop key transferable skills that are highly valued by employers, including:
- Resilience – aiming high, staying positive, learning from mistakes
- Collaboration – teamwork, leadership, and effective communication
- Creativity – originality, problem-solving, and independent thought
Finally, the Media Studies curriculum reflects and reinforces the British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect for those of different faiths and beliefs—both in content and in the ethos of classroom discussion and collaboration.
Brief Overview of Curriculum Content for Each Term
Autumn term Spring Term Summer Term Yr 10 Introduction to Film Studies: - What is Film Studies?
- Why do we study film?
- US Film (Hollywood)
US Film (Independent) - How Hollywood and independent films are produced, distributed, and exhibited.
- Film Audiences: How audiences are targeted and respond to US films.
UK Film (Completion & Consolidation) - Analysis of the UK film, including industries and audiences.
Consolidation of Component 1:
- Review of all three set films (Hollywood, US Independent, UK).
Yr 11 - Introduction to Component 3: Production (Pre-Production)
- Component 2: Global Film – World Cinema
- Component 3: Production (Production & Post-Production)
- Component 2: Global Film – Documentary
- Completion of Component 3: Production
- Exam Preparation & Revision (Components 1 & 2)
Intensive Revision & Exam Practice: - Dedicated time for revisiting all key concepts, theories, and set films.
- Focus on exam-style questions for both Component 1 (Section A & B) and Component 2.
How Our Curriculum Caters For SEND Students
How does our Curriculum cater for students with SEND?
The WJEC GCSE and A Level Film Studies plan, particularly the focus on exam-style questions and the overall structure, can be adapted to cater for students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in several ways:
- Structured and Sequential Learning: The plan’s breakdown into terms and components provides a clear, predictable structure. This can greatly benefit SEND students who thrive with routine and knowing what to expect, helping them to manage cognitive load and track their progress.
- Repetition and Consolidation: The explicit inclusion of “Consolidation of Component 1” and “Intensive Revision & Exam Practice” ensures that content is revisited multiple times. This spaced repetition is crucial for memory retention and deeper understanding for many SEND learners.
- Differentiated Exam Practice: When “focusing on exam-style questions for both Component 1 (Section A & B) and Component 2,” teachers can implement various differentiation strategies:
- Scaffolding: Providing sentence starters, writing frames, or structured prompts to help students organize their thoughts and responses.
- Breaking Down Questions: Deconstructing complex questions into smaller, more manageable parts.
- Visual Aids: Using visual organizers, mind maps, or key image analysis to help students process information and formulate answers.
- Alternative Response Formats (for practice): Allowing students to verbally rehearse answers, use bullet points, or create visual responses before attempting full written essays.
- Time Management Support: Providing clear time allocations for each section and offering strategies for pacing.
- Practical Component (Component 3): The production element offers a hands-on, creative outlet that can be highly engaging and accessible for students who may struggle with traditional written assessments. It allows them to demonstrate their understanding of film language and concepts through practical application.
- Varied Teaching Methodologies: While the Canvas outlines the content, the delivery can be varied to suit different learning styles, including visual, auditory, and kinesthetic approaches. This flexibility in teaching methods supports a diverse range of learning needs.
- Teacher Flexibility: The “Key Considerations for Implementation” section explicitly states that the plan is a “rough guide” and encourages adaptation based on “students’ needs.” This empowers educators to tailor the curriculum, resources, and assessment approaches to individual SEND requirements, ensuring appropriate support and challenge.
How Our Curriculum Caters For Disadvantaged Students
How does our curriculum cater for disadvantaged students and those from minority groups?
The WJEC GCSE and A Level Film and Media Studies curriculum, offers several inherent strengths that can particularly benefit disadvantaged students and those from minority groups:
Relevance and Engagement through Diverse Content:
- Component 1 (US Film – Hollywood & Independent, UK Film): By studying a range of films, including independent and UK productions, the curriculum allows for the exploration of diverse narratives and representations that may resonate more directly with students from various cultural backgrounds than solely mainstream Hollywood offerings.
- Component 2 (Global Film – World Cinema & Documentary): This component is particularly vital. Studying World Cinema (non-English language films) and Documentaries explicitly introduces students to different cultural contexts, perspectives, and storytelling traditions from around the globe. This can be incredibly empowering for students from minority groups, as it validates and explores experiences beyond the dominant Western narrative. It also broadens the horizons of all students, fostering empathy and understanding.
- Representation Analysis: The curriculum’s focus on “representation” across all components provides a critical lens through which students can analyse how different social groups, ethnicities, and experiences are portrayed in film. This can be a powerful tool for disadvantaged students and those from minority groups to critically engage with media, challenge stereotypes, and see themselves reflected (or misrepresented) in the content they consume.
Developing Critical Thinking and Media Literacy:
- Film Studies encourages students to deconstruct media messages, understand how meaning is constructed, and recognize the ideological underpinnings of film. These critical media literacy skills are invaluable for all students, but especially for disadvantaged students who may be more susceptible to uncritical consumption of media or who need to navigate complex media landscapes to understand their world.
Practical Application (Component 3: Production):
- The practical production component offers a hands-on, creative outlet that can be highly engaging for students who may struggle with purely academic, written tasks. It provides an alternative way to demonstrate understanding and creativity, potentially boosting confidence and engagement for students who might feel less confident in traditional subjects. It also allows students to tell their own stories and explore their own identities, which can be particularly empowering for those from minority backgrounds.
Accessibility of Resources:
- Films are a highly accessible medium. While access to specific films might require school resources, the fundamental act of watching and discussing films is often more immediately engaging than reading lengthy texts for some students, including those with literacy challenges or those from homes with fewer academic resources.
“Flexibility” in Implementation:
- As noted in the “Key Considerations for Implementation” section of the Canvas, the plan emphasizes flexibility and adaptation “based on your students’ needs, resources, and the specific set texts chosen.” This allows educators to:
- Select films that are culturally relevant and inclusive, ensuring diverse representation in the curriculum.
- Tailor teaching strategies to address varying learning styles and prior experiences, which can be particularly beneficial for disadvantaged students who may have had less exposure to formal academic language or concepts.
- Provide additional support for vocabulary, contextual knowledge, and analytical writing, bridging potential gaps in prior learning.
By integrating diverse film texts, fostering critical analysis of representation, offering practical creative opportunities, and allowing for flexible, responsive teaching, the WJEC GCSE Film Studies curriculum can effectively cater to the needs and experiences of disadvantaged students and those from minority groups.
