Our Aim

• To teach students sector specific knowledge and skills in a practical learning environment, through the pre-production, production and post-production of media products (specifically websites and magazines)
• To teach students ‘soft’ skills which will be valuable in media but also in the wider workplace, such as responding to briefs, planning and generating ideas, personal management and communication
• To prepare students for further study at KS5 or progression to employment

Our Delivery

• There is an emphasis on providing a practical, entertaining and project based programme – learning software skills (Adobe Creative Suite) and responding to briefs. Approximately 50% of time is spent on practical activities and 50% on traditional classroom-based learning.
• Skills are delivered cumulatively, leading to larger projects utilising prior learning (e.g. learning how to make a logo, recreating an existing magazine, making banners in Photoshop, interpreting a brief etc. before creating a magazine in response to a brief).
• Delivery leads to the completion of coursework. Coursework preparation documents, referred to as CWP1, CWP2 etc. provided scaffolded preparation for dealing with the requirements of the coursework assessment.
• Classroom teaching follows wherever possible the methodology of metacognition as per TPET strategy, with 7 stages:

• Activating prior knowledge (often through ‘Do It Now’ activities)
• Explicit strategy instruction (Teacher Demo)
• Modelling of learned strategy (often using video tuition)
• Memorisation of strategy
• Guided practice (including recording evidence of their work)
• Independent practice
• Structured reflection (emphasis on written reflection and justification)

• There is a focus on literacy, particularly through the analysis of briefs and explaining and justifying design decisions. Tier 2 language and keywords are explicitly taught and the expectation is that they are used accurately in written work. We make use of speed reading to help breakdown of complex briefs as per Logic CPD.
• One portfolio piece per half term is focused on knowledge/literacy, one is focused on practical skills
• Frequent low stakes testing, including use of bullet questioning, 3 and out plenaries, Kahoot and Google Forms.

• All CWP pieces and classwork mimic coursework assignments and can be used for reference when writing your final assignments.