At Brookhaven, the Creative Media curriculum is ambitious, inclusive and carefully sequenced to develop students as creative, confident and digitally literate young people.
Through practical and engaging learning experiences, students develop the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to communicate ideas, solve problems, create digital products and participate successfully in an increasingly digital world. The curriculum is designed to build independence, resilience, creativity and confidence while preparing students for future education, employment and adult life.
Key Stage 3: exploring media
At Key Stage 3, students explore a broad range of media disciplines including digital graphics, branding, animation, comics, interactive media and video editing.
Learning is deliberately sequenced so that students first develop an understanding of media products, audiences and communication before progressing to planning, designing, creating and evaluating their own work. Students are taught how media products are created for different purposes and audiences and begin to develop the technical skills required to create increasingly sophisticated digital outcomes.
Research, plan, create, review
Throughout Key Stage 3, students repeatedly engage with the creative process of researching, planning, creating and reviewing. This mirrors professional industry practice and provides a strong foundation for future study. Students learn to respond to client briefs, consider audience needs, apply visual design principles, use industry-standard digital tools and evaluate the effectiveness of their work.
The curriculum also develops understanding of online safety, copyright, intellectual property, digital citizenship and responsible use of technology. By the end of Key Stage 3, students will have developed a secure foundation in media theory and practical digital skills.
Key Stage 4: Creative iMedia
At Key Stage 4, students have the option to build upon this foundation through the OCR Cambridge National in Creative iMedia.
The course combines theoretical understanding with practical application and enables students to develop industry-relevant knowledge and skills.
What students study
Students study media sectors, job roles, audience requirements, media codes and conventions, pre-production planning, legal and ethical considerations, file formats and distribution methods.
Creative projects
Alongside this, they complete substantial creative projects that require them to interpret client briefs, plan solutions, create digital products and review their effectiveness.
Specialist areas
The OCR Creative iMedia qualification provides opportunities for students to develop skills in visual identity and digital graphics while also accessing specialist areas such as animation, interactive media, visual imaging, digital games or characters and comics.
Students learn to manage projects, organise assets, apply creative thinking and use digital technologies with increasing sophistication. The qualification supports progression into further education, apprenticeships and careers within the creative, digital and media industries.
Our vision
Across Key Stages 3 and 4, our intent is that students become digitally confident, creative and independent learners who can communicate ideas effectively through media. We want students to know more, remember more and do more over time, developing both technical expertise and transferable skills such as problem solving, planning, evaluation, communication and collaboration.
Ultimately, our vision is that every student leaves Brookhaven with the confidence to engage with digital technologies responsibly, the creativity to express ideas in meaningful ways and the knowledge and skills needed to access further learning, employment and opportunities within an increasingly digital society.
Want to know more?
Our Media team are always happy to talk about the curriculum and how it supports your child.
