Film Studies GCSE aims to build on the students’ enthusiasm and interest in film and develop a wide range of skills (the ability to “read” and analyse film, creative writing, practical film-making, etc…). It covers a wide variety of cinematic experiences, focusing on films that have been important at different points during the development of film and film technology. 

Students will develop their knowledge and understanding of key film genres, of how films are structured and organised (narrative structure) and how genre and narrative together can be used to communicate ideas and discuss issues.

Students will study how the key elements of film form (cinematography/camera work, mise-en-scène, sound and editing) are used to create meaning for audiences. They will also produce a coursework production, requiring each student to apply their knowledge and understanding of genre, narrative and film form in the creation of either a screenplay extract or a filmed extract.

Intent:

The Eduqas GCSE Film Studies curriculum is ambitious and designed to give all learners, particularly the most disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or high needs, the knowledge and cultural capital they need to succeed in life. The films studied cover a wide range of topics and issues that will give learners opportunities to discuss issues such as: race and racism; social class and social values as well representations of women and teenagers. Each year we receive a diverse cohort of students who are avid fans of this art form. 

At the start of Year 10, learners will embark on a journey through the varied world of film tracing this art form back to its earliest conceptions leading through until the present day.  The Film Studies curriculum is coherently planned and sequenced towards cumulatively sufficient knowledge and skills for future learning and employment. Skills of analysis, strong levels of literacy  and use of specialist vocabulary are basic requirements of the course. 

All students who undertake Film Studies at the start of Year 10 will be given the same academic, technical and/or vocational opportunities. The curriculum is ambitious and there are high expectations for all learners. The manner in which students are assessed allows for those who are more likely to pursue a vocational avenue in the film industry to showcase their talents through script writing and the production of storyboards, shooting scripts and screenplays.  For students with high levels of SEND, the curriculum allows for the exploration of themes and issues that have a real world relevance and through scaffolding and modelling, all students are able to approach the examination at the end of the course. 

Specialist texts will be covered in Film Studies and these are as follows:

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)

E.T. The Extraterrestrial

Attack the Block

District 9

The Wave

Whiplash 

In addition to this, ‘classic’ texts, blockbusters, global film and independent features will be used to teach the core concepts of: mise en scene, cinematography,  editing and sound. These core concepts will underpin every aspect of the curriculum and provide a theoretical framework for discussion and for the writing of extended responses. 

Implementation 

All members of the Film Studies department have experience with teaching the subject and have either studied the subject at university level or are carrying out relevant cpd to support and develop their own subject knowledge. 

Utilizing the ’10 Xaverian Principles of Teaching and Learning’ , all lessons present subject matter clearly and knowledge and understanding is checked via verbal discussion and written responses. Misconceptions are  addressed and due to our ‘no opt out’ policy, any gaps in knowledge that a student may have will always be challenged. 

To help ensure that knowledge and understanding increases incrementally, texts will be revisited and the core concepts of film constantly referred to to create a deep knowledge of the subject and to enhance long term memory. Low stakes quizzes, assessments and class work will aid the students in remembering what they have been taught as well as helping them to integrate new knowledge into larger concepts. 

During their GCSE study, students of film will be assessed in a variety of ways that will allow for recall, recap and formative assessment. The students will be made aware of how the assessments connect to the final examinations.

Students will study the core films in school with their subject teacher and the curriculum is sequenced in a way to allow students to draw upon their previous knowledge. For example, District 9 and Attack the Block are studied after Invasion of the Body Snatchers and ET The Extra Terrestrial so that knowledge of the sci-fi genre is already embedded in the long term memory. 

Reading is developed in Film Studies via publications such as Empire magazine, used  as a method of promoting reading around the subject and to foster a love of reading itself. Students will be required to read film reviews by critics such as Mark Kermode and Tom Beasley to improve their own linguistic and analytical skills. Knowledge organisers and book wrap-arounds will be read over multiple times to assist with using ‘language of the expert’. In addition to this, The Wave is a global text that is studied and requires learners to read subtitles to understand the plot and ideologies contained within the film.

Impact:

External guests involved in the film and media industry have been invited to speak with students at key stage 4 and 5. Ranging from make-up artists to actors, this will allow students to see the real world implications of where their study of film can lead them. For those students who go on to pursue other careers or interests, they will have had the opportunity to explore and consider the impact that film has had on the modern era and add to their cultural experience whether it be embodied capital, technical capital or institutionalised capital. Film Studies in an ever-evolving course that captures the imagination of all who choose to study it. 

Mr K. Mansfield (Head of Film Studies and Key Stage 3 Coordinator of English)

Mr P. Evans (Deputy Headteacher and Teacher of Film Studies)

Miss E. McCrory (Teacher of Film Studies and Teacher of English)

Key Stage 4 – Eduqas/WJEC GCSE Film Studies

Key Stage 5 – Eduqas/WJEC A Level Film Studies

https://www.eduqas.co.uk/qualifications/film-studies-as-a-level/#tab_overview

https://www.bbc.com/bitesize/guides/z9hrwxs/revision/1

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCacUrPwcGSkXvfVy_a4MZDQ

https://www.hartismere.com/GCSE/Film-Studies

https://www.youtube.com/c/MrGardnersFilmStudiesChannel/videos