Computer Science

EXAM BOARD: OCR

Entry requirements:

In line with KAS A level entry requirements.

Extra information:

You’ll have opportunities to see computing outside of the classroom during visits to London Stock Exchange, National Museum of Computing and conferences at Imperial. We also run a robotics and programming club.

Head of department:

Raj Bhalsod

A level Computer Science introduces students to a practical and relevant approach to the changing world of Computing.

Combined with academic principles, the course is intensely creative combining invention, innovation and excitement enabling 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 to do so. • The capacity to think creatively, innovatively, analytically, logically and critically. • The capacity to see relationships between different aspects of computer science. • Mathematical skills. • The ability to articulate (moral), social (ethical), legal and cultural opportunities and risks of digital technology. In addition to lessons, students will be required to work independently in order to understand the theory material for the two examinations which they will complete in Year 13. Students will also be expected to develop an understanding of programming in order to prepare for the non-examination programming coursework unit. Skills will also be developed in solving problems, designing systems and understand the power and limits of human and machine intelligence, preparing them to go on to study Computer Science at a higher level.

Assessment Component 01 – Computer Systems

This is one written paper worth 40% of the total A level. The content assessed is: 1.1 Characteristics of contemporary processors, input, output and storage devices 1.2 Software and software development 1.3 Exchanging data 1.4 Data types, data structures and algorithms 1.5 Legal, moral, cultural and ethical issues

Component 02 – Elements of computational thinking

This is one written paper worth 40% of the total A level. The content assessed is: 2.1 Elements of computational thinking 2.2 Problem solving and programming 2.3 Algorithms

Component 03 or 04 – Programming Project

This is a non-exam assessment (coursework) worth 20% of the total A level. 3.1 Analysis of the problem 3.2 Design of the solution 3.3 Developing the solution 3.4 Evaluation .