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AQA GCSE Media Studies Past Papers & Mark Schemes

Download free AQA GCSE Media Studies (8572) past papers and mark schemes. Media language, representation, industry, audience. 34 resources from 2019 to 2024.

📅June 2019 – June 2024📄60 resources available✅Free to download

Papers Overview Paper Structure Key Info Key Topics Command Words Grade Boundaries Revision Tips Try AI Tutor ✦

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60 of 60 resources — page 1 of 3

June 2023

8 files

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A-level Media Studies – Mark scheme: Paper 2 Written – June 2023

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A-level Media Studies – Question paper: Paper 2 Written – June 2023

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A-level Media Studies – Question paper (Modified A3 36pt): Paper 1 Written – June 2023

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A-level Media Studies – Question paper (Modified A3 36pt): Paper 2 Written – June 2023

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A-level Media Studies – Question paper (Modified A4 18pt): Paper 1 Written – June 2023

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A-level Media Studies – Question paper (Modified A4 18pt): Paper 2 Written – June 2023

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A-level Media Studies – Question paper: Paper 1 Written – June 2023

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A-level Media Studies – Mark scheme: Paper 1 Written – June 2023

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June 2022

7 files

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A-level Media Studies – Question paper: Paper 2 Written – June 2022

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A-level Media Studies – Question paper (Modified A3 36pt): Paper 1 Written – June 2022

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A-level Media Studies – Question paper (Modified A3 36pt): Paper 2 Written – June 2022

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A-level Media Studies – Question paper (Modified A4 18pt): Paper 1 Written – June 2022

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A-level Media Studies – Question paper (Modified A4 18pt): Paper 2 Written – June 2022

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A-level Media Studies – Question paper: Paper 1 Written – June 2022

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A-level Media Studies – Mark scheme: Paper 1 Written – June 2022

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November 2021

4 files

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A-level Media Studies – Question paper: Paper 1 Written – November 2021

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A-level Media Studies – Mark scheme: Paper 2 Written – November 2021

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A-level Media Studies – Question paper: Paper 2 Written – November 2021

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A-level Media Studies – Mark scheme: Paper 1 Written – November 2021

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November 2020

6 files

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A-level Media Studies – Mark scheme: Paper 2 Written – November 2020

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A-level Media Studies – Question paper: Paper 2 Written – November 2020

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A-level Media Studies – Question paper (Modified A4 18pt): Paper 1 Written – November 2020

Question Paper

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A-level Media Studies – Question paper (Modified A4 18pt): Paper 2 Written – November 2020

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A-level Media Studies – Question paper: Paper 1 Written – November 2020

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A-level Media Studies – Mark scheme: Paper 1 Written – November 2020

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About AQA GCSE Media Studies

AQA GCSE Media Studies (specification code 8572) is assessed through two written papers (70% total) and a non-exam assessment (NEA, 30%). Both written papers and the NEA draw on the same analytical framework: the four key concepts of media language, representation, media industries, and audiences. Paper 1 focuses on the Television and Music industry sections of the specification. It includes questions on the set products from these two industries — specific TV programmes and music videos that AQA announces in advance. Students must analyse media language (camera work, editing, mise-en-scène, codes and conventions), representation (how groups and ideas are constructed and presented), and the industrial context (ownership, production, distribution, and regulation). Paper 2 covers the remaining media forms: film, newspapers, online and social media, and advertising and marketing. Like Paper 1, it includes both short-answer questions on set products and extended responses requiring analysis and evaluation of media products and contexts. Questions may ask students to compare two products from different time periods or contexts. The NEA involves creating their own media product — a print or digital artefact — alongside a Statement of Intent and written reflection. Students create a product in response to a brief in one of the media forms covered by the specification. AQA updates the set products for GCSE Media Studies periodically, so it is essential to check which set products apply to your exam series before using past papers from earlier years — the questions will reference different products.

Exam Paper Structure

Paper 1No calculator

Television and Music

⏱ 1 hour 30 minutes🎯 70 marks📊 35% of grade

Set product analysis: TV programmeSet product analysis: music videoMedia language, representation, industry and audience

Paper 2No calculator

Film, Newspapers, Online and Advertising

⏱ 1 hour 30 minutes🎯 70 marks📊 35% of grade

Set product analysis: filmSet product analysis: newspaperOnline, social media and advertising contextsComparing media products across time and form

Key Information

Exam Board	AQA
Specification Code	8572
Qualification	GCSE
Grading Scale	9–1
Assessment Type	2 written exams (70%) + non-exam assessment/NEA (30%)
Number Of Papers	2
Exam Duration	1 hour 30 minutes per paper
Total Marks	70 marks per paper (written); 30 marks NEA
Calculator Status	Not applicable
Available Sessions	June 2019 – June 2024
Total Resources	34

Key Topics in Media Studies

Topics you need to know

Media language (camera, editing, mise-en-scène, codes and conventions)Representation (stereotypes, selective portrayal, dominant/oppositional readings)Media industries (ownership, production, distribution, regulation)Audiences (target audience, audience theory, how audiences interact with media)Set products analysis (AQA-specified products, updated periodically)Comparing media forms and contexts

Exam Command Words

Command word	What the examiner expects
Analyse	Examine how media language is used and explain the meanings and effects it creates
Evaluate	Judge how successfully a media product achieves its purpose
Explain	Give reasons for a media choice or representation, using theoretical knowledge
Compare	Examine similarities and differences between two media products or contexts
Discuss	Consider multiple perspectives on a media issue or representation
Identify	Name or locate a specific feature, technique or representation in a product

Typical Grade Boundaries

Grade	Approximate mark needed
Grade 9	75–85%
Grade 8	64–74%
Grade 7	53–63%
Grade 6	44–52%
Grade 5	35–43%
Grade 4	26–34%
Grade 3	17–25%
Grade 2	9–16%
Grade 1	1–8%

⚠️ Written papers are 70% of the grade; NEA (30%) is internally assessed. Set products change periodically. Check AQA's website for official grade boundaries.

How to Use AQA GCSE Media Studies Past Papers Effectively

Media Studies requires you to apply a theoretical framework — media language, representation, industry, audience — to specific products. When practising past paper questions, identify which key concept(s) the question is asking about and select only relevant theoretical knowledge. Students often lose marks by writing about everything they know rather than focusing on the specific question. For analysis questions, use the acronym CLAMS (camera, lighting, audio, mise-en-scène, structure) as a checklist when analysing audio-visual products. For print products, consider layout, typography, colour, image, and written codes. Always link your technical observations back to meaning — 'a low-angle shot is used' earns less credit than 'a low-angle shot is used to make the central figure appear powerful and authoritative'. Representation questions require you to discuss who is represented and how — including stereotyping, selective portrayal, dominant readings, and how different audiences might respond. Use media-specific vocabulary: hegemony, preferred reading, oppositional reading, counter-narrative. For industry questions, research the ownership and institutional context of your set products. Who produces them? What is their target audience? How are they distributed and regulated? GCSE examiners reward students who demonstrate understanding of commercial and regulatory pressures on media products, not just analysis of their content.

More AQA GCSE Subjects

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AQA GCSE Media Studies Past Papers & Mark Schemes

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June 2023

June 2022

November 2021

November 2020

About AQA GCSE Media Studies

Exam Paper Structure

Key Information

Key Topics in Media Studies

Exam Command Words

Typical Grade Boundaries

How to Use AQA GCSE Media Studies Past Papers Effectively

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