Aims of the Course

So, you’re thinking about doing Computer Science? GCSE Computer Science is a fantastic course, which will open up a whole new world for you. Learning how computer systems work will enable you to become ‘the wizards of the future’. Compared to your non computing counterparts, you will gain the foundations needed to be able to make computers do things that will ‘blow people’s mind’! Picture yourself in the future reviving a ‘dead’ machine, building a money making website or designing the latest ‘world changing’ app. Studying Computer Science will give you the tools to make this a reality…and it all begins today!

General Description:

Students studying this specification will cover many topics. This qualification is linear. Linear means that you will sit all your exams at the end of the course.

Assessment

Paper 1: Computational thinking and programming skills (50% - written exam worth 90 marks)

What's assessed: Understanding of the fundamentals of algorithms and programming

Paper 2: Computing concepts (50% - written exam worth 90 marks)

What's assessed: Understanding of the fundamentals of data representation, computer systems, fundamentals of computer networks, cyber security, relational databases and structured query language (SQL), ethical, legal and environmental impacts of digital technology on wider society, including issues of privacy.

Exam style: A mix of multiple choice, short answer, longer answer and extended response questions assessing SQL programming skills and theoretical knowledge.

Pre-requisite

This option is only recommended to those students who achieve a high level of achievement in mathematics, science and computing in Year 9.