A-Level Computer Science

What Will I learn?

Computer Science is a practical subject where you 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 you 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 .

How Am I Assessed?

You will be assessed through 2 methods; examinations and non-exam assessment:

Components 1 and 2 (Computer Systems and Algorithms and Programming) are externally examined.

Component 3 (Programming Project) are internally assessed and externally moderated through non-exam
assessment. You will choose a computing problem and the work that is produced is assessed by a
member of staff and then externally moderated by the exam board.

UnitWeighing
Component 1 – Computer Systems40%
Component 2 – Algorithms and Programming40%
Component 3 – Programming Project20%

What Career Options Do I Have?

The course will prepare you for job roles such as; Computer Games Developer, Forensic Computer
Analyst, Computer Games Tester, Robotics Engineer, Database Administrator, Software Developer

Examination Board: OCR