What is this course about?

Computer Science is a practical subject where students can apply the academic principles learned in the classroom to real-world systems. It’s an intensely creative subject that combines invention and excitement, and can look at the natural world through a digital prism. The aims of this qualification are to enable learners to develop:

• An understanding and ability to apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science, including: abstraction, decomposition, logic, algorithms and data representation
• The ability to analyse problems in computational terms through practical experience of solving such problems, including writing programs
• The capacity to think creatively, innovatively, analytically, logically and critically
• The capacity to see relationships between different aspects of computer science
• Mathematical skills. 

What content is on the course?

We follow OCR A Level in Computer Science (H446)

• Computer architecture, and how they operate
• Key software and how the system controls the hardware
• How data is transmitted and stored over networks, and kept secure
• The mathematics and logic behind computer operations
• Computers, ethics and the law in the modern world
• Algorithms and problem solving (and practical programming).

Course Assessment

• Component 1 – Computer systems: Written exam, 40% of final mark.
• Component 2 – Algorithms & programming: Written exam, 40% of final mark.
• Component 3 – NEA programming project: 20% of final mark.