📚 AQA GCSE Media Studies 2026: Exam Changes and Trends | AQA GCSE媒体研究2026：考试变化与趋势
As Year 10 students begin their GCSE journey, understanding the 2026 AQA Media Studies examination landscape is essential. This article outlines key updates, emerging trends, and what learners can expect in the summer 2026 series. We zoom in on Close Study Product (CSP) rotations, modified assessment objectives, NEA refinements, and the growing emphasis on digital convergence and inclusive representations. Whether you are a student, parent or teacher, use this guide to align your revision and lesson planning with the demands of the modernised syllabus.
当Year 10学生迈入GCSE征程时，理解2026年AQA媒体研究考试格局至关重要。本文梳理了核心更新、新兴趋势以及2026年夏季考试系列的变化。我们将聚焦深度研究产品（CSP）的轮换、评估目标的调整、非考试评估（NEA）的优化，以及对数字融合和包容性表征日益增长的重视。不论你是学生、家长还是教师，均可借助本指南将复习与课程规划与新式大纲的要求对齐。
1. Overview of the 2026 Exam Series | 2026考试系列概览
The AQA GCSE Media Studies (8572) qualification retains its familiar structure: Paper 1 (Media One), Paper 2 (Media Two) and the Non-Exam Assessment (NEA). However, from 2025 onwards, the awarding body has signalled minor structural tweaks to better reflect contemporary media ecosystems. The 2026 sitting will be the first to fully incorporate all incremental changes introduced between 2024 and 2025, including refreshed stimulus materials and a sharper focus on comparing legacy and online media products.
AQA GCSE媒体研究（8572）资格证书保持了熟悉的架构：试卷一（媒体一）、试卷二（媒体二）与非考试评估（NEA）。但从2025年起，考试局已示意会进行微调，以更好地反映当代媒体生态。2026年考试将是首次全面纳入2024至2025年间引入的所有渐进式调整，包括更新后的刺激材料，以及更鲜明地比较传统与在线媒体产品。
Both papers continue to be 1 hour 30 minutes long, each worth 84 marks and contributing 35% to the final grade. The NEA remains 30% but now features tighter briefs that demand digital-storytelling competence. Teachers are advised to consult the AQA website for the finalised 2026 specification, which will be published in early 2025.
两份试卷时长仍为1小时30分钟，各占84分，并计入总成绩的35%。NEA依然占30%，但现包含更严格的命题，要求具备数字叙事能力。建议教师查阅AQA官网，获取将于2025年初发布的2026年最终版考纲。
2. New Close Study Products (CSPs) for 2026 | 2026年全新深度研究产品（CSPs）
AQA refreshes its CSP list every three years to keep the course relevant. The 2026 cohort will study a set of products that, while not yet officially confirmed, is expected to include media texts launched post-2022. Insider briefings hint at the inclusion of the film Barbie (2023) as a demonstration of cross-media marketing, a Netflix teen drama like Heartstopper, and a music video from an artist such as Dua Lipa or Blackpink to explore globalised media language.
AQA每三年更新一次CSP列表以保持课程时代性。2026级学生将学习一组产品，虽然目前尚未正式确认，但预计会包含2022年之后推出的媒体文本。内部简报暗示，可能会纳入电影《芭比》（2023年）以展示跨媒体营销，类似《心跳为你》的Netflix青少年剧，以及来自Dua Lipa或Blackpink等艺人的音乐视频，用以探究全球化媒体语言。
Newspaper, radio and video game CSPs also rotate. The 2026 list is likely to replace Fortnite with a newer online gaming phenomenon, such as Genshin Impact, and swap traditional print editions for digital-first news platforms like the Guardian online and BBC Newsbeat. Podcasts and social media campaigns are expected to appear as CSPs for the first time, requiring students to analyse episodic audio content and TikTok/Instagram storytelling strategies.
报纸、广播和电子游戏CSP也会轮换。2026年列表很可能用较新的在线游戏现象（如《原神》）取代《堡垒之夜》，并将传统纸质版本更换为数字优先的新闻平台，例如《卫报》在线版和《BBC Newsbeat》。播客和社交媒体运动预计将首次作为CSP出现，要求学生分析连载音频内容及TikTok/Instagram的叙事策略。
The full list will be available on the AQA CSP resource page. Schools should start teaching the new products from September 2025 at the latest. Early exposure to the texts helps students build deep, contextualised knowledge.
完整列表将在AQA的CSP资源页面公布。学校最迟应从2025年9月开始教授新产品。尽早接触这些文本有助于学生构建深入的、情境化的知识。
3. Updated Assessment Objectives Weightings | 评估目标权重更新
For the 2026 examination, AQA is rebalancing the assessment objectives to give greater prominence to critical analysis and digital literacy. The current AO2 (Analyse media products) will increase from 30% to 32%, while AO4 (Evaluate and draw conclusions) rises from 20% to 22%. AO1 (Recall, select and communicate knowledge) is trimmed to 18%, and AO3 (Create media products) shifts to 28% within the NEA component only.
针对2026年考试，AQA正在重新调整评估目标权重，以突显批判性分析与数字素养。目前的AO2（分析媒体产品）将从30%升至32%，AO4（评价并得出结论）从20%升至22%。AO1（回忆、选择与传达知识）削减至18%，而AO3（创作媒体产品）则仅在NEA部分中调整为28%。
| Assessment Objective | Previous Weighting | 2026 Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| AO1: Knowledge and understanding | 20% | 18% |
| AO2: Analyse media products | 30% | 32% |
| AO3: Create media products (NEA only) | 30% | 28% |
| AO4: Evaluate and draw conclusions | 20% | 22% |
This rebalancing means students must spend more time practising comparative evaluation and interrogating how media language creates meaning across different platforms. Past paper mark schemes will be updated to reflect the new weightings, so relying solely on older resources may misalign exam technique.
该调整意味着学生需要花更多时间练习比较性评价，并深入探究媒体语言如何在跨平台中建构意义。历年真题的评分方案将更新以反映新权重，因此仅依赖旧资料可能导致考试技巧不匹配。
4. NEA (Non-Exam Assessment) Revisions | 非考试评估（NEA）修订
The NEA brief for 2026 will be released in September 2025 and will continue to offer a choice of five creative tasks linked to a specific brief. The key revision is a mandatory 'digital first' format for all media products. Learners can no longer submit a physical magazine or newspaper; instead, they must produce an interactive PDF, a video sequence, a website landing page, or a podcast episode complete with audio identity.
2026年的NEA命题将于2025年9月发布，并继续围绕特定命题提供五个创意任务供选择。关键修订在于所有媒体产品必须采用“数字优先”格式。考生不能再提交实体杂志或报纸；取而代之的是必须制作交互式PDF、视频片段、网站着陆页或具有完整音频标识的播客单集。
Furthermore, the statement of intent (approximately 500 words) will now require a section dedicated to 'audience interaction and data ethics', explaining how the product would engage users while respecting privacy and misinformation concerns. This aligns with Ofcom’s media literacy agenda and prepares students for responsible digital citizenship.
此外，创作意图说明（约500词）现要求专辟一节论述“受众互动与数据伦理”，解释产品如何在尊重隐私和应对虚假信息的同时吸引用户。这与英国通信管理局（Ofcom）的媒体素养议程一致，并培育学生成为负责任的数字公民。
Teachers must authenticate every stage of the NEA using an online tracking portal. Plagiarism checks will be more rigorous, with AI-generated content scans added. Originality and iterative design documentation will carry 12 of the 60 marks, up from 8 previously.
教师必须使用在线追踪门户对NEA的每个阶段进行验证。剽窃检查将更加严格，并新增人工智能生成内容扫描。原创性与迭代设计文档将占60分中的12分，高于以往的8分。
5. Digital Convergence and Online Media | 数字融合与在线媒体
A major trend shaping the 2026 exam is the foregrounding of digital convergence. Questions will expect candidates to discuss how a single media product exists across multiple platforms — for example, how a television drama extends its narrative through character Instagram accounts, YouTube companion videos, and interactive Twitter polls. Theories by Henry Jenkins on participatory culture and convergence culture will become essential lenses.
塑造2026年考试的一大趋势是数字融合的凸显。考题将期望考生讨论单一媒体产品如何跨多平台存在——例如，一部电视剧如何通过角色Instagram账号、YouTube配套视频和交互式Twitter投票延展叙事。亨利·詹金斯关于参与式文化和融合文化的理论将成为必不可少的分析透镜。
Online media CSPs such as video game streaming, influencer vlogs and social media campaigns will appear more frequently in both papers. Paper 1 may include an unseen audio-visual clip from a Twitch stream, requiring real-time analysis of media language, audience engagement and commercial sponsorship.
在线媒体CSP，例如电子游戏直播、网红视频博客和社交媒体营销活动，将更频繁地出现在两份试卷中。试卷一可能包含一段来自Twitch直播的未见视听片段，要求对媒体语言、受众参与度和商业赞助进行实时分析。
Moreover, the concept of 'prosumer' — audiences who both consume and produce content — will be integrated into source-based questions on industry and audience. Students should practise applying David Gauntlett’s identity theory alongside Clay Shirky’s 'cognitive surplus' to contemporary online phenomena.
此外，“产消者”——既消费又生产内容的受众——概念将融入关于产业与受众的材料分析题中。学生应练习将大卫·冈特利特的身份理论与克莱·舍基的“认知盈余”概念应用于当代网络现象。
6. Diversity and Representation Requirements | 多样性与表征要求
Reflecting Ofqual’s commitment to inclusive media, the 2026 examination will embed diversity more deeply into assessment. CSP selections explicitly include media texts produced by or representing Black, Asian, and minority ethnic communities, LGBTQ+ narratives, disability perspectives, and regional UK identities. For instance, a CSP radio programme might be an episode of BBC Asian Network, and a print advertisement could depict a same-sex family.
为体现Ofqual对包容性媒体的承诺，2026年考试将更深入地融入多样性。CSP选择明确涵盖由黑人、亚裔及少数族裔社群制作或表现其面貌的媒体文本、LGBTQ+叙事、残疾视角以及英国地域身份。例如，一个CSP广播节目可能是《BBC亚洲网络》的一集，一则平面广告可能描绘同性家庭。
Exam questions will require students to apply feminist and postcolonial theories more explicitly. A typical Paper 1 question might ask: 'Explain how bell hooks' concept of the oppositional gaze can be applied to Representation in Set Product X.' Similarly, Paul Gilroy’s ideas on postcolonial melancholia and diaspora will be tested through news or music video CSPs.
试题将要求学生更明确地运用女性主义和后殖民理论。一道典型的试卷一题目可能为：“解释bell hooks的对抗性凝视概念如何应用于既定产品X中的表征。”同样，保罗·吉尔罗伊关于后殖民忧郁与流散的观点将通过新闻或音乐视频CSP进行考查。
Mark schemes will reward candidates who avoid stereotyping and who demonstrate nuanced understanding of how media can both challenge and reinforce dominant ideologies. Teachers should introduce a wide range of theorists, including Judith Butler (gender performativity) and Stuart Hall (representation and encoding/decoding), early in Year 10.
评分方案将奖励那些避免刻板印象、并能展现对媒体如何既挑战又强化主流意识形态的细腻理解的考生。教师应在Year 10早期就引入广泛的理论家，包括朱迪斯·巴特勒（性别操演）和斯图亚特·霍尔（表征与编码/解码）。
7. Changes to Exam Question Styles | 考试题型变化
While the stem formats — short-answer, medium-answer and extended response — remain, the 2026 papers will introduce more synoptic question types. A single extended 20-mark question may straddle two CSPs and ask learners to compare representations across different media forms and historical contexts. For example, compare the construction of masculinity in a 1990s action film poster and a 2024 music video.
尽管题干形式——简答、中答题和长答题——保持不变，但2026年试卷将引入更多纵览类题型。一道20分的延伸题可能横跨两个CSP，要求考生比较不同媒体形式与历史背景下的表征。例如，比较1990年代动作电影海报与2024年音乐视频中的男性气质建构。
Unseen analysis will now account for at least 18% of each written paper. Students must be trained to deconstruct an unfamiliar media text using the theoretical framework (media language, representation, audience, industry) within a limited time. Speed-writing exercises and timed mock drills are crucial.
未见文本分析现至少占每份笔试的18%。学生必须接受训练，能在限定时间内运用理论框架（媒体语言、表征、受众、产业）解构陌生的媒体文本。快速写作练习和限时模拟演练至关重要。
Additionally, Paper 2 will feature an 'Industry and Audience' case study section where learners evaluate the promotional strategy of a single CSP across its digital ecosystem. A sample question could be: 'To what extent has Convergence transformed the audience experience of Radio Product Y? Refer to the theoretical ideas of Curran and Seaton.'
此外，试卷二将设置“产业与受众”案例研究部分，考生要评估单个CSP在其数字生态中的推广策略。一道样题可能为：“融合在多大程度上改变了广播产品Y的受众体验？请援引柯兰与西顿的理论观点。”
8. Study Strategies for the 2026 Syllabus | 2026大纲学习策略
To excel in the updated assessment, students should build a broad repertoire of media examples beyond the set CSPs. Maintain a digital ‘media diary’ where you collect and annotate advertisements, news stories, social media trends and film trailers. Annotate them using the four key concepts and apply at least two theorists to each entry.
要在更新后的评估中脱颖而出，学生应建立广泛的作品库，不局限于既定CSP。维护一份数字“媒体日记”，收集并注释广告、新闻报道、社交媒体趋势和电影预告。运用四个核心概念进行注解，并为每个条目至少应用两位理论家。
Active recall and spaced repetition work well for remembering theorist names and key arguments. Flashcards with theorists on one side and applications to specific CSPs on the other can be very effective. Pair this with essay planning using the PEA (Point, Evidence, Analysis) structure, ensuring each paragraph links back to the question and references industry context or social attitudes.
主动回忆与间隔重复有助于记住理论家姓名与核心论点。一面写理论家、另一面写如何应用于具体CSP的抽认卡非常有效。配合使用PEA（观点、证据、分析）结构的短文规划，确保每段都回扣题目并提及产业背景或社会态度。
For NEA, start gathering test designs and gather peer feedback early. Use AQA’s exemplar NEA work (available on their website) as a benchmark. Pay close attention to the statement of intent, often worth 15% of the NEA marks, and draft it over several iterations to match the examiner’s expectations.
对于NEA，应尽早收集测试设计作品并获取同伴反馈。使用AQA官网上的NEA范例作品作为基准。密切关注创作意图说明，这通常占NEA分数的15%，并反复修改以匹配考官预期。
9. Resources and Support from AQA | 来自AQA的资源与支持
AQA provides a comprehensive suite of free resources tailored to the 2026 specification. The 'CSP Resource Pack' — typically released in spring 2025 — will contain detailed fact sheets, guidance on applying theoretical perspectives, and sample analyses for each new product. Visit the GCSE Media Studies subject page on the AQA website and subscribe to updates.
AQA提供了一套适配2026年考纲的全面免费资源。“CSP资源包”——通常于2025年春季发布——将包含详尽资料页、应用理论视角的指南以及每个新产品的分析范例。请访问AQA官网上的GCSE媒体研究学科页面并订阅更新。
Additionally, AQA will run teacher standardisation events (online and in-person) in autumn 2025 to clarify the NEA requirements. Students can also access past papers and examiner reports from the 2024 and 2025 series, which remain valuable for understanding question patterns, even if the CSPs differ.
此外，AQA将于2025年秋季举办教师标准化活动（线上与线下），以阐明NEA要求。学生还可查阅2024与2025考试系列的历年真题和考官报告，尽管CSP不同，这些资料对于理解出题模式仍有价值。
Third-party revision guides from trusted publishers are likely to update their editions for the 2026 syllabus by autumn 2025. Check for guides specifically stating 'For assessments from 2026' to ensure alignment with the reweighted AOs and the rotated CSPs.
值得信赖的出版社推出的第三方复习指南预计将于2025年秋季更新至2026年大纲版本。请认准明确标注“适用于2026年起评估”的指南，以确保与调整后的评估目标权重及轮换后的CSP保持一致。
10. Preparing for Success: Final Tips | 成功备考：最后建议
Start structured revision no later than January 2026. Divide your time so that each CSP is revisited at least three times before the exam: once for media language and representation, once for audience and industry, and once for comparative synthesis with unseen texts. Constantly connect back to the theoretical framework and practice writing under timed conditions.
最迟在2026年1月开始结构化复习。合理安排时间，确保每个CSP在考前至少回顾三次：第一次针对媒体语言与表征，第二次针对受众与产业，第三次针对与未见文本的比较综合。不断回归理论框架，并在限时条件下练习写作。
Don't overlook the importance of contemporary debates. Read media news on sites like BBC Media Centre or The Guardian Media section to understand real-world regulation, declining print circulations, and the impact of algorithms. Embedding these insights in your extended responses will push you into the top mark bands.
切勿忽视当代辩论的重要性。阅读BBC媒体中心或《卫报》媒体版的新闻，了解现实中的监管、纸质发行量下滑以及算法的影响。在拓展回答中融入这些洞察将使你跻身最高分档。
Finally, stay curious and critical. 2026’s examiners want to see genuine engagement with media, not formulaic answers. Question the text, question the industry, and show how media shapes — and is shaped by — society. That critical voice is what transforms a good answer into an outstanding one.
最后，保持好奇与批判。2026年的考官希望看到考生对媒体的真实参与，而非公式化答案。质疑文本，质疑产业，并展现媒体如何塑造社会以及如何被社会塑造。这种批判声音能使良好的回答升华为卓越的回答。
Published by TutorHao | Media Revision Series | aleveler.com
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