Computer Science

Linear

O CR

7 in Computing

(GCSE Level)

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.

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.

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.