GCSE Course Outline

At The Robert Smyth School we follow the AQA GCSE media studies single award (4812) specification. The final grade is based on 60% coursework and 40% terminal exam.

For the coursework, students create 3 projects based on real media products such as magazine pages for a teenage magazine, a DVD cover for a new film or music video storyboard for a singer or band. Students are encouraged to make the fullest use of their own original photography and their IT skills in constructing these pieces.  Students will also write two analytical essays and a main product evaluation.

At the end of Year 11, students sit a 3 hour exam in a topic chosen by the board. Recent and future subjects are (year of exam in brackets):