The non-exam assessment (Component 3): creating a media product in response to one of the AQA-set briefs, writing a statement of intent that applies the theoretical framework, and how the NEA is marked by the school and moderated by AQA. The NEA is not examined in the written papers.

What this dot point is asking

The non-exam assessment (NEA), also called Component 3, is the practical part of AQA GCSE Media Studies (8572). You create a media product in response to a brief set by AQA, applying the theoretical framework you have studied. The NEA is worth 30% of the GCSE, is marked by your school and moderated by AQA, and is not examined in the written papers. This page is a single overview of what the NEA requires and how it is assessed, because the production work itself is coursework rather than examinable content. The written papers only ever test the four frameworks, the set products and the contexts; the NEA is a separate, practical component.

What the NEA requires

The briefs cover a range of media forms, for example a magazine, a film or television sequence, a website, an advertising campaign or a music video package. Each brief sets requirements you must meet: the form, the audience, the number of pages, images or minutes, and a demand for original work. Choosing a brief that suits your strengths and that you can resource well is the first decision. The NEA rewards a product that shows control of the codes and conventions of its form and a clear sense of who it is for.

The statement of intent

A strong statement of intent names the chosen brief, the media form and the target audience (using demographics and psychographics), then works through the framework. For media language, it states the codes and conventions you intend to use and the meaning they will construct. For representation, it explains how you will show people, places or issues. For industries, it links the product to the conventions and context of its form. For audiences, it explains how the product will appeal to and reach its target audience. The marks come from showing the framework underpinning the plan, with specific intentions rather than a vague description.

Applying the framework to production

The production itself is where you demonstrate, in practice, the analytical skills the rest of the course builds. The same frameworks you use to analyse set products now guide your own choices: you select technical and visual codes deliberately, construct representations consciously, follow the conventions of the form, and tailor every choice to the intended audience. The contexts you have studied also matter, since a product is made for a particular social and cultural moment. The strongest productions read like a confident answer to the brief, where each decision is purposeful and audience-led.

How this is assessed

The NEA is marked by your school out of 60 marks and moderated by AQA; it is not sat as a written exam. Assessors reward a statement of intent and a media product that deliberately apply the theoretical framework and target a clearly defined audience, showing control of the codes and conventions of the chosen form. Because it is a separate practical component, it is studied here as a single overview; your exam revision should focus on the frameworks, set products and contexts that the two written papers test.

Try this

Q1. State what the two parts of the AQA Media Studies NEA are. [2 marks]

• What the marker wants. A statement of intent (a written plan applying the framework) and a media product made for an intended audience in response to an AQA brief.

Q2. Explain why the statement of intent must apply the theoretical framework. [4 marks]

• Cue. The NEA assesses how well you apply media language, representation, industry conventions and audience targeting to your own production, so the statement must plan these, not just describe the product (AO2).