Media

Media Studies Department

The Media Department at Walthamstow Academy is fully committed to enriching the students understanding of the media around them. Students learn how to critically analyse and evaluate media texts and their place within political and social contexts, while building up an array of practical skills in print, audio visual and web based production using industry standard software and equipment. 

The progression to A Level from the Key Stage 4 provision is carefully planned so that students continue to build on thier learning at Key Stage 4 and expand on this to ensure they have a considered and anylytical view of the media and its importance and reflection of society. The curriculum is designed to allow students to build up their practical skills along side their analytical understanding and we aim to ensure students leave with a high level of technical and creative skills.

Key Stage 4: GCSE Media Studies

The aims of the Media GCSE are to encourage our students to be inspired, moved and challenged by following a broad, coherent, satisfying and worthwhile course of study whilst gaining an insight into a broad range of media. It also aims to prepare students to make informed decisions about further learning opportunities and career choices.

This Media GCSE will enable students to:

• Develop enquiry, critical thinking and decision-making skills through the study of media texts, audiences and institutions
• Develop their appreciation and critical understanding of the media and its role in their daily lives
• Develop their practical skills through opportunities for personal engagement and creativity
• Understand how to use media key concepts to analyse media texts and their contexts

Key Stage 4: BTEC Creative Media Production

The course will give students the chance to:

• Develop their verbal and written analytical skills
• Study a wide range of media texts
• Become involved in media production, creating new media products
• Develop their technical media skills using industry standard software and equipment
• Explore the impact of the media in society

The course incorporates both practice and theory. This means students will be involved in producing media texts as well as analysing them. Students will be expected to conduct individual research as well as participating in group based activities. This course will enable students to further develop their knowledge and understanding of contemporary media culture. This will further enhance their understanding of written, verbal and visual literacy. Lessons will focus on analytical theory, research and practical production skills. Students will have an opportunity to use state of the art equipment such as digital video cameras, editing software (Adobe Photoshop, Premier Pro and After Effects CS6) and audio equipment within the Academy including the Academy Television studio and Radio Room.

Key Stage 5: A Level Media Studies

Media Studies A Level is designed to allow students to draw on their existing media experiences and develop their ability to respond critically. We enable students to explore a wide variety of media, including digital media technologies, drawing on the fundamental concepts informing the study of the media: texts, industry and audiences. The course encourages creative work and personally develops production skills.

Students have the opportunity to explore a variety of social, political, ideological and contextual discourses guided by theoretical knowledge.  Students explore ideas such as “All media exist to invest our lives with artificial perceptions and arbitrary values.” Marshall McLuhan, Current & Seaton Power and Profit theory, Laura Mulvey’s Male Gaze theory, Van Zoonan’s feminist theory, Bell Hook’s representation theory and Stuart Hall’s theory of ‘The Other’ allowing them to gain a theoretical and critical understanding of the construction, reception and impact of the media today.

Intervention Clubs

Intervention is a catch up club which is held for all year groups studying Media.  Intervention is particularly helpful for students who would like to improve the quality and accuracy of coursework and classwork.

At strategic points during the course students struggling to make progress will be asked to attend targeted intervention in order to achieve their target grade.

Media Department Staff

Ms Amrita Bains – Head of Media Studies

Media Facilities

We are very proud of our purpose built state of the art media facilities, the entire media department is fully air conditioned to maintain the a safe environment for the 30 brand new PCs that are equipped with the entire Adobe range of programmes ready for the students to use for their production work.