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We have designed our curriculum using the KS3 National Curriculum and it is delivered under the framework of the IB Middle Years programme. We have also referenced the KS2 Programmes of Study in our initial planning.

The Drama Department students within Mascalls Academy will have a confident understanding of themselves and how they can adapt to social, cultural and economic situations within the wider world explored through the medium of Drama, therefore, developing their own understanding of where they fit in an ever changing world. Drama studies will allow them to experiment and develop their varied forms of communication; non-verbal and verbal, dissect characters from different global contexts and experiment with their creative thinking, so that they can take these transferable skills with them beyond the classroom walls making them well-rounded characters that will contribute positively to society. Alongside this we aim to inspire and enthuse students to consider the varied career opportunities within the arts.

KS4 media studies

Introduction to media language, representation, advertising industry, Quality Street context, Quality Street media language analysis, Quality Street representation analysis, This Girl Can context, This Girl Can media language analysis, This Girl Can representation analysis, comparative writing technique and exam approach, comparing representations of women in adverts.

Film poster conventions, Bond/spy action genre conventions, The Man With The Golden Gun context, The Man With The Golden Gun media language analysis, The Man With The Golden Gun representation analysis, approaching the context question, Bond narratives, Bond intertextuality, comparing representations of men in film posters, introduction to Spectre industry, film industry production process, film ownership and control, film regulation, Spectre marketing, 007 website analysis, approaching the industry questions.

Research task into the radio industry, The Archers background context, Ownership and Regulation (OFCOM), industry context and the Radio 4 brand, production context,  convergence and technology, active audiences, audience appeals and targeting, narrative structure, episode analysis, audience responses and identity.

Planning of ideas in relation to research and brief, writing the statement of aims, practical tutorials, production lessons.

Research task into the radio industry, The Archers background context, Ownership and Regulation (OFCOM), industry context and the Radio 4 brand, production context,  convergence and technology, active audiences, audience appeals and targeting, narrative structure, episode analysis, audience responses and identity.

Intro to crime drama, crime drama conventions analysis, stock characters, audience appeals, analysing moving image –  camerawork/editing/soundtrack, narratives. Analysis of media language in Luther, analysis of representations in Luther, comparing contexts in Luther and The Sweeney, analysis of media language and representations in The Sweeney. Introduction to the TV industry, channel ethos – BBC and ITV,  funding, synergy, convergence, regulation, Crime Drama Audience appeals and responses.

Introduction to newspapers – overview of codes and conventions, notions of representing reality, tabloid/ broadsheets, political leanings. Introduction to news values, notions of representing reality, analysis of Guardian front cover – newspaper context and codes and conventions. Explore Guardian cover in detail – rep of issue/event, age, ethnicity. Uses and grats, Hall – representation, mediation and selection of headline, image etc. Links to political bias. Explore the context of Brexit – accusations from 2 sides, final vote and fallout from this analysis of Sun front cover – newspaper context and codes and conventions. Explore Sun cover in detail – rep of issue/event, age, ethnicity. Uses and grats, Hall – representation, mediation and selection. Links to political bias. Comparison – How does each represent the issue? Compare how different newspapers represent the same issue, event, reps of ethnicity, young people etc – preparation for unseen analysis write up. Write-up practice analytical task for analysis of unseen (Comp1 of exam). Introduction to the industry – The Sun. Ownership, funding, advertising and readership (with data). Regulation issue (IPSO) re: news industry and Sun. Phone hacking/Leveson report. Explore impact of technology and evolving online media The Sun website and Twitter feed. Target audience: categorisation, circulation, readership figures. Audience responses to particular issue/ day/website.

Online media – active/interactive audience? Theoretical perspectives – reception theory + uses & grats. 

Research task into the music industry, intro to music videos – industry and targeting audiences, intro to how artists use websites and social media, music video conventions. Contemporary contexts (social and cultural) – Katy Perry and Bruno Mars, textual analysis of context, ML and Reps for Katy Perry ‘Roar’ video. Textual analysis of  context, ML and Reps for Bruno Mars ‘Uptown Funk’ video. Historical context of Michael Jackson ‘Black or White’, textual analysis of context,  ML and Reps for Michael Jackson ‘Black or White’, textual analysis of context, ML and Reps for Katy Perry website and social media, textual analysis of context,  ML and Reps for Bruno Mars website and social media, audience targeting and appeals of websites and social media – revisit and assess.

Video game regulation, VSC/PEGI ratings, gaming, audiences + Bartle’s types, Uses and Gratifications theory, active and passive Audiences.

Introduction to the magazine industry, Pride context, analysis of media language in Pride, analysis of representation in Pride, GQ Context, analysis of media language in GQ, analysis of representation in GQ, comparing representation of women in magazines.

KS5 media studies

Introduction to media language and reps, introduction to advertising, contexts of Tide, textual analysis of Tide for ML and Reps, comparing Tide with a similar product, audiences for Tide.

Context of KOTV (1960s), media lang analysis of KOTV, reps analysis of KOTV, comparing KOTV with a similar product, conventions of charity advertising, context for WA,  media language analysis of WA, representation analysis of WA, comparing WA with a similar product, Audiences for WA.

Introduction to mainstream cinema, context of the film and release in relation to audience, Disney + Marvel industry context, vertical and horizontal integration, in depth marketing study, film regulation, approaching the industry questions.

Continuation of the media language and representation analysis that has been done with previous products. ‘Unseen’ newspaper analysis for comparison. Contextual information and applying this within analysis.

Introduction to context of blog/vlog process and Zoella, exploring products and analysing style and content in relation to audience, analysis of audience and creation of profile – introduction to wider range of categorisation. Analysis of representations created in products both self and other, application of reps theory through analysis, exploring audience targeting and applying audience theory, practice Qs [15], technological and industry context, application of industry theories, practice industry questions.

Analysis of BBC radio stations and the different target audiences. Programme content explored in relation to targeting a specific audience.

Research genres in relation to brief and carry out textual analysis of relevant products, analysis of images, layout, use of text, i.e. use of media language, research into target audience and industry context, planning of ideas in relation to research and brief.

Continued analysis of representation and media language, especially British culture through time, who makes the rules etc.

Planning of ideas in relation to research and brief, writing the statement of aims, practical tutorials, production lessons, refining products and considering the variety of production processes for each product whilst maintaining house style and cross-media approach to appeal to audience.

A combination of media language and representation analysis, as well as industry analysis, regulation etc.

TV crime drama explored and how it has developed over time, up to the creation of The Bridge. Different genres considered. Representations of gender, society etc. Research into the Swedish/Danish media organisations and audiences, as well as crime drama audiences. Appropriate theories introduced.

Continued analysis of representation and media language. Exploration of overlapping UK and US cultures and the effect of these upon representations and how they are understood.