Head of Department: Mrs Wrycraft

Digital Media Communication is arguably the most important skill taught in a modern educational context. Media graduates are the one of the most likely to gain highly paid employment in the growing fields of: IT design; Cloud Computing; Marketing; Online Profile Management and Advertising. In short, it is a subject that looks forward and prepares young people for a future filled with technology and images. Every institution from Disney to Tesco has a digital marketing department, running social media feeds and websites to promote their product – Media Studies prepares students for that world of work.

The course runs over two years, and works to develop creative skills as well as deeper theoretical and critical understanding. Set texts are wide ranging and include Music videos, Newspapers, Magazines, Radio, Gaming, Social Media, Film and TV. We also explore the representations of various groups within society, one of the first things we do is to critique the way that representation has changed that view over time.

Media Studies is a much more demanding A level than many think. We study the theory behind the practical work and look at ideas developed from 19th,20th and 21st century Art and Literature as well as the influence it has on Politics and Philosophy. Media pairs well with creative subjects like Art, Drama or Music; academic disciplines such as English, Government and Politics, Philosophy and Ethics and History; it supports more vocational-facing qualifications such as Business and Economics, Psychology or Sociology and technical subjects like Computing or DT. It really is a bridging subject between academic and real world application, and many of our students go onto successful study of Media Marketing, Law, Journalism and Business at university as well as the more traditional courses on Film Making and Game Development.

BGS Media Studies Curriculum Map

I am very proud of the way we deliver Media here at BGS, our students are an active part of school life, learning to run state of the art complex stage equipment and making promotional materials for the school, as well as developing their own passion for media. With the rise of online, social and participatory media as a primary marketing tool, the use of generative AI as a creation tool and social media accounts being part of every marketing strategy it really is a subject that is on the ascent. I aim to have BGS students ready to take their place in this exciting industry. It is one of the few areas of Law where there is a deficit of skilled professionals. 

Media suits students with a wide range of interests and practical skills but there is no expectation for prior learning. The subject shares a lot of theoretical links with Sociology, Psychology, Drama, Politics, Business and Economics, Computing and English.

Mrs Tracy Wrycraft

Head of Media Studies