Last updated: 06 Sep 2007

The ability to develop and express ideas within the fields of creative and media enables young people to 'imagine the world differently'. It offers them the opportunity to shape their identity, culture and society, through challenging what is known or accepted.

The creative and media Diploma focuses on the meaning and outcomes of creativity in different contexts and emphasises the importance of the individual and the collective voice. The Diploma acknowledges and celebrates the importance of personal experience, cultural diversity and the achievements of earlier practitioners.

To engage in the creative process requires awareness and articulation of personal and cultural values, allied to practical, often technical, skills. Imaginative, abstract concepts must be wedded to concrete processes such as planning and rehearsal before a performance or product can be realised. Understanding and using production processes is key to this.

The creative and media Diploma, with its emphasis on exploration of ideas through creative and professional practices, forms an educational framework that is able to respond to the changing needs of the learner by offering appropriate autonomy and ownership.

By acquiring the knowledge and skills inherent within the creative and media disciplines, young people will develop their personal, social and employability skills.
The Diploma can be linked with the learning in Citizenship, for learners following the national curriculum at key stage 4.  For example, the Diploma engages learners in topical issues and the role of the media in informing and influencing public opinion and in holding those in power to account.  This contributes to an understanding of democracy, a key concept in citizenship.