Since the election it has become clear that the current Schools Minister Nick Gibb has chosen to take an acute and highly critical interest in the content of certain courses, which has resulted in both Media Studies and Film Studies being placed in a precarious position regarding their future at A level.
This intervention is unwelcome and appears to be based upon personal prejudice rather than empirical evidence or concern raised within educational circles. Both subjects are well established, demanding and hugely popular and apparent attempts by Mr Gibb to directly interfere with the curriculum may have the effect of denying thousands of students the opportunity to study these subjects in future.
It seems strange and unrepresentative of Mr Gibb to intervene in such a way. We would like to highlight the following:
* The importance of the creative industries to the UK. Between 1997 and 2013, employment in the Creative Economy has increased. The yearly increase is around four times greater than the increase in the number of jobs in the rest of the UK Economy
(Source DfCMS:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/creative-industries-economic-estimates-january-2015/creative-industries-economic-estimates-january-2015-key-findings).
* So much of our experience and understanding of the world is mediated and an active role in navigating this requires good media literacy particularly amongst young people.
* Film is firmly established as a recognised and hugely culturally significant art form.
The British Film Institute, the Media Education Association, OFQUAL, exam boards, the university subject association MECCSA and other stakeholder representatives are best placed to determine the future direction of film and media education rather than Mr Gibb
