Guidance

GCSE subject-level conditions and requirements for media studies (2022)

Published 11 November 2021

Applies to England

Introduction

About this document

This document is part of a suite of documents which sets out the regulatory requirements for awarding organisations offering GCSE qualifications (graded from 9 to 1) in 2022.

We have developed these requirements with the intention that GCSE qualifications (graded from 9 to 1) should provide:

• evidence of students’ achievements against demanding and fulfilling content
• a strong foundation for further academic and vocational study and for employment
• a basis for schools and colleges to be held accountable for the performance of all of their students, if required

Requirements set out in this document

This document sets out the GCSE Subject Level Conditions for Media Studies (2022). These conditions will come into effect at 09:30 on 12 November 2021 for all GCSE qualifications (graded from 9 to 1) in Media Studies for Learners completing the qualification in 2022, except where the General Qualifications Alternative Awarding Framework applies.

It also sets out our requirements in relation to:

• interpretation of the content document - an awarding organisation must comply with these requirements under Condition GCSE (Media Studies)1.1(c)
• assessment objectives - awarding organisations must comply with these requirements under Condition GCSE (Media Studies)1.2
• assessment - awarding organisations must comply with these requirements under Condition GCSE (Media Studies) 2.3

With respect to GCSE qualifications (graded from 9 to 1) in Media Studies in 2022, awarding organisations must also comply with:

• our General Conditions of Recognition, which apply to all awarding organisations and qualifications
• our GCSE Qualification Level Conditions
• all relevant Regulatory Documents

With respect to GCSE qualifications in Media Studies taken by Learners completing the qualification in 2023 and after, an awarding organisation must continue to comply with the GCSE Subject Level Conditions and Requirements for Media Studies.

Subject level conditions

GCSE Subject Level Conditions for Media Studies

Condition GCSE (Media Studies) 1: Compliance with content requirements

GCSE (Media Studies)1.1

In respect of each GCSE Qualification in Media Studies which it makes available, or proposes to make available, an awarding organisation must -

1. (a) comply with the requirements relating to that qualification set out in the document published by the Secretary of State entitled ‘Media studies GCSE subject content’, document reference DFE-00032-2016,
2. (b) have regard to any recommendations or guidelines relating to that qualification set out in that document, and
3. (c) interpret that document in accordance with any requirements, and having regard to any guidance, which may be published by Ofqual and revised from time to time.

GCSE (Media Studies)1.2

In respect of each GCSE Qualification in Media Studies which it makes available, or proposes to make available, an awarding organisation must comply with any requirements, and have regard to any guidance, relating to the objectives to be met by any assessment for that qualification which may be published by Ofqual and revised from time to time.

Condition GCSE (Media Studies) 2: Assessment

GCSE (Media Studies)2.1

Condition GCSE4.1 does not apply to any GCSE Qualification in Media Studies which an awarding organisation makes available or proposes to make available.

GCSE (Media Studies)2.2

In respect of the total marks available for a GCSE Qualification in Media Studies which it makes available, an awarding organisation must ensure that -

1. (a) 70 per cent of those marks are made available through Assessments by Examination, and
2. (b) 30 per cent of those marks are made available through assessments set by the awarding organisation that are not Assessments by Examination.

GCSE (Media Studies)2.3

An awarding organisation must ensure that in respect of each assessment for a GCSE Qualification in Media Studies which it makes available it complies with any requirements, and has regard to any guidance, which may be published by Ofqual and revised from time to time.

Subject content requirements

Requirements in relation to subject content for GCSE Qualifications in Media Studies

The subject content for GCSE Qualifications (graded 9 to 1) in Media Studies is set out in the Department for Education’s Media Studies GCSE subject content, document reference DFE-00032-2016 (the ‘Content Document’).

Condition GCSE (Media Studies) 1.1(c) requires awarding organisations to interpret the Content Document in line with any requirements, and having regard to any guidance, published by Ofqual.

We set out our requirements for the purposes of Condition GCSE (Media Studies)1.1(c) below.

Media products

An awarding organisation must interpret paragraphs 11 and 18 of the Content Document as if the requirement for Learners to complete one individual media production can be met through the submission by the Learner of a mock-up or prototype rather than a finished product.

Assessment objectives

Assessment objectives - GCSE Qualifications in Media Studies

Condition GCSE (Media Studies)1.2 allows us to specify requirements relating to the objectives to be met by any assessment for GCSE Qualifications in Media Studies.

The assessment objectives set out below constitute requirements for the purposes of Condition GCSE (Media Studies)1.2. Awarding organisations must comply with these requirements in relation to all GCSE Qualifications in Media Studies they make available.

Assessment objective	Description	Weighting
AO1	Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of: • the theoretical framework of media • contexts of media and their influence on media products and processes	30%
AO2	Analyse media products using the theoretical framework of media, including in relation to their contexts, to make judgements and draw conclusions.	40%
AO3	Create media products for an intended audience, by applying knowledge and understanding of the theoretical framework of media to communicate meaning.	30%

Assessment requirements

Assessment requirements - GCSE Qualifications in Media Studies

Condition GCSE (Media Studies) 2.3 allows us to specify requirements in relation to assessments for GCSE Qualifications in Media Studies.

We set out below our requirements for the purposes of Condition GCSE (Media Studies)2.3. Awarding organisations must comply with these requirements in relation to all GCSE Qualifications in Media Studies they make available.

Non-examination Assessment

Condition GCSE (Media Studies) 2.2(b) states that an awarding organisation must ensure that, of the total marks available for a GCSE Qualification in Media Studies, 30 per cent of those marks are made available through assessments that are not Assessments by Examination.

An awarding organisation must ensure that all of that 30 per cent of marks are made available in respect of assessment objective AO3 (i.e. assessing AO3 in its entirety).

In respect of the assessments that are not Assessments by Examination, an awarding organisation must ensure that each Learner is required to complete a single task which -

1. (a) requires that Learner to complete one individual media production, or a mock- up or prototype of such a production with supporting evidence as necessary, in response to a brief set by the awarding organisation, and
2. (b) must be taken under conditions specified by the awarding organisations, including, in particular, conditions which ensure that the evidence generated by each Learner can be Authenticated.

Where a mock-up or prototype is provided, the supporting evidence provided may include -

1. (a) original and non-original photographs, images, drawings or sketches with annotations to illustrate intentions,
2. (b) storyboards,
3. (c) a television screenplay,
4. (d) a shooting script, or
5. (e) a radio script and directions

An awarding organisation may set more than one brief, although the evidence generated by each Learner, as described above, must respond only to a single brief.

Marking of assessments

Evidence generated by a Learner in an assessment for a GCSE Qualification in Media Studies which is not an Assessment by Examination may be marked -

1. (a) by the awarding organisation or a person connected to the awarding organisation,
2. (b) by a Centre, or
3. (c) through a combination of (a) and (b).

In any event, the awarding organisation must demonstrate to Ofqual’s satisfaction in its assessment strategy that -

1. (a) it has taken all reasonable steps to identify the risk of any Adverse Effect which may result from its approach to marking the assessments (and to Moderation where appropriate), and
2. (b) where such a risk is identified, it has taken all reasonable steps to prevent that Adverse Effect or, where it cannot be prevented, to mitigate that Adverse Effect.