Media
For every Waldegrave Media Studies student the central aim is the same: to become an independent, critical thinker who is able to navigate their way through the increasingly complex and social world of the contemporary media landscape.
Our students are digital natives; the media is so ubiquitous in their lives that they often do not pause to comprehend, to question, and to reflect on what they are consuming. Within our curriculum students have the opportunity to explore a wide range of media texts, both modern and historic, which allows them to deepen their knowledge alongside a wider context. The key texts provide students with a diverse and inclusive experience, covering aspects of race, sexuality, gender identity, and class across different forms including video games, radio, magazines, and online media.
We foster a love of thinking creatively about our media texts through a number of practical assignments, including an extended coursework task. Our students enjoy working collaboratively and take ownership of all stages of production. They are encouraged to experiment with different media forms to produce podcasts, music videos and film posters, amongst others. We believe that this approach allows students to understand and gain practical experience with a range of industry-specific software, whilst also recognising that media texts are part of a synergistic whole.
Crucially, we teach our students to not just accept media texts at face value but to develop the skills to interrogate the motive, meaning and message behind them, skills that are essential to life beyond the classroom walls. This is particularly developed in Year 13, once we have worked through the underlying principles of the subject in Year 12. Media Studies students are equipped with the necessary tools to succeed in a variety of disciplines, including journalism, marketing, and both practical and theoretical film and media courses.
