Computer Science
Aims of the course
- The A-level Computer Science qualifications will inspire and challenge students to apply the knowledge they gain with the creative and technical skills they acquire.
- The qualification will be focused on programming, will build on GCSE Computing and emphasise the importance of computational thinking as a discipline.
- There’ll be an expanded maths focus, much of which will be embedded within the course; Computational thinking will be at the core of this new specification.
What will I learn?
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Computer Systems
This component will be a traditionally marked and structured question paper with a mix of question types. It will cover the characteristics of contemporary systems architecture and other areas including the following:
• The characteristics of contemporary processors, input, output and storage devices
• Software and software development
• Exchanging data
• Data types, data structures and algorithms
• Legal, moral, cultural and ethical issues -
Algorithms and Programming
This component will be a traditionally marked and structured question paper with two sections, both of which will include a mix of question types. Students will be given a problem in their exam for which they must design a solution. -
Programming Project
You will have a Controlled Assessment, user-driven problem of an appropriate size and complexity to solve. You will need to analyse the problem, design a solution, implement the solution and give a thorough evaluation.
Highlights
Future Opportunities
- This qualification will provide you with a range of transferable skills that are useful across the curriculum. There will also be an extended programming project which will give you an opportunity to develop your coding skills.
- Computer Science is a very creative subject and skills such as problem solving and analytical thinking will ll be refined and explored as you progress through the learning and assessment programme.