Existing school magazines analysed on codes and conventions.

1. School Magazine Analysis
School magazines are created for a pre-determined
target audience, prodimantly students of that
particular school.
Here I have analysed existing school magazines to see
how they have used the codes and conventions
required to make a successful magazine front cover.

2. Pug– this would open the magazine
target audience up as it would entice
the adult audience to buy the
magazine; like teachers, governors
and parents.
Main splash image. This is a mid –
shot of a school girl, who obviously
goes to the school the magazine is
about. This can be told as the girl is
wearing a school uniform and the tie
shows the school badge. This re-
enforces the school identity and will
allow people to recognise the
school.
The girl is also presented happy,
which suggests that the school
community is a happy one and that
the students enjoy being there. This
would promote the school and give
people a positive view of the school.
Cover Line ‘Our guide to coping with
teenage stress’ – is one that all
students of upper years will be able
to relate to and so will therefore
entice them to buy it.
Masthead – Bold and very clear to
see what the title of the magazine is.
The white colour fits in with the
overall image.
Issue number/date are included
which are one of the basic codes and
conventions needed to make a
successful magazine front cover. The
cost is also important as this is one
of the factors that will influence
whether or not someone will buy
the magazine.
The school website advertises the
school and allows people to go and
further explore what the school
offers, which could potentially bring
new students to the school.
The different cover lines appeal to
different target audiences for
example; “New to school” would
appal to the new students in school
like year 7.

3. Masthead – Is bold and appealing to
the eye. It is white as it stands out
from the background and the red
and green also link in with the
school identity as they are the
colours of the school badge on the
students tie.
The cover line ‘Head Boy’ has been
used as it relates to the main image.
This would then give the audience
more of an idea about what the
main story of the magazine is going
to be about and would entice them
to buy it.
Strapline is in yellow to stand out
from the cover lines and grab the
readers attention. This gives the
reader an insight to what the main
story is about, which would then
make them want to buy the
magazine to read it.
Pug – A free giveaway which would
persuade the audience to buy the
magazine as they would be getting
more than what they wanted and
will think it is worth what they are
paying.
Main splash image – is a mid shot
that is juts off centre. It catches the
eye of the audience. It also helps
appeal to the main target audience
as the main image is of a student of
the school so his fellow students will
recognise him and will then buy the
magazine as they will want to read
about him and will be able to relate
to the magazine. The boy is also
presented in a school uniform,
wearing a school tie, which
reinforces then school identity as it
has the badge on it.
Non-verbal communication is used
in the image as it is a form of directly
addressing the audience with eye
contact and will draw in the
attention of the reader.
The colours of red, white, blue and
yellow create the house theme,
which then creates a recognisable
style for the audience. These colours
are also not gender specific, which
then keeps it open to all.