Film Studies

 
 

The Film Studies curriculum enables students to learn about practical film production as well as analysing films from across the globe. It provides students with the knowledge and ability to form industry and purposeful links whilst also enhancing their cultural capital to give them access to a broader and more balanced curriculum.

Students can engage with Film Studies in a multitude of ways from the moment they join Highfields in Year 7 to when they leave in Sixth Form. This is achieved through the subject option but also a variety of extra-curricular activities and opportunities which we put on such as Film Club, HTV and The Young Wolf Film Festival.

From Year 9 students are able to choose Film Studies as an option. The course introduces students to the key terminology and concepts needed when analysing films, such as cinematography and mise-en-scene. The units have been created to prepare students for the skills they will need if they opt for the subject at GCSE, but we primarily ensure that the course is enriching, enjoyable and broadens their experience of film through the text choices and practical work.

At GCSE, Eduqas Film Studies is an option which explores a wide range of films and cultures from classic Hollywood films such as Rebel Without a Cause to UK contemporary classic, Attack the Block. The course is designed to allow students to scrutinise films which they may have already been exposed to, but also to introduce them to a range of texts and focuses which they may not have experienced before. The course looks to broaden the students’ perspective and appreciation of film whilst thoughtfully analysing the techniques and features of what makes these films so powerful. Alongside this, students are encouraged to produce their own short film outside of school for their coursework, using the workshops and skills which they enhance in the classroom. This gives students the freedom and independence to produce their own practical work which they can later exhibit in The Young Wolf Film Festival. 

Similarly, A-Level Eduqas Film Studies continues to push the boundaries with thought-provoking topics and texts whilst introducing more challenging concepts and forms such as silent films and documentary. Students produce their own short film for their coursework, using more sophisticated and challenging techniques.

 

Subject Curriculum Overview