We deliver the OCR J276 Computer Science Qualification, which will be replaced by a nearly identical J277 course shortly. The content of this website is suitable for both courses.
The qualification comprises three units, two of which assessed by ninety minute long exams at the end of the course. There is another unit which is not formally assessed and is delivered in lesson - it is a great introduction to programming and helps students understand the second unit.
This information is taken from the OCR web site:
Component 01: Computer systems
Introduces students to the central processing unit (CPU), computer memory and storage, wired and wireless networks, network topologies, system security and system software. It also looks at ethical, legal, cultural and environmental concerns associated with computer science.
Component 02: Computational thinking, algorithms and programming
Students apply knowledge and understanding gained in component 01. They develop skills and understanding in computational thinking: algorithms, programming techniques, producing robust programs, computational logic, translators and data representation. The skills and knowledge developed within this component will support the learner when completing the Programming Project.
Programming Project
Students use OCR Programming Project tasks to develop their practical ability in the skills developed in components 01 and 02. They will have the opportunity to define success criteria from a given problem, and then create suitable algorithms to achieve the success criteria. Students then code their solutions in a suitable programming language, and check its functionality using a suitable and documented test plan. Finally they will evaluate the success of their solution and reflect on potential developments for the future.
Students should be offered 20 hours timetabled time to complete their Programming Project. The Programming Project does not count towards a candidate’s final grade, but is a requirement of the course.