A Level Computer Science

The most common question by far that students ask me is: what programming languages does the course use? The answer is: Python! If you have previous experience with Python, that's fantastic (but isn't required). If you've learned another language at school or at home, that knowledge will be extra helpful in the course. Plus, for your Year 13 project you have the option to use a language other than Python if you would like (as long as I agree).

If GCSE Computer Science wasn't offered as an option at your school, please don't let that stop you from taking the course. The course does not assume any knowledge from GCSE.

Entry Requirements: GCSE grade 5 across subjects including English and Maths. Ideally grade 6 in ICT or Computer Science.

​​​​​​​Specification: https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/computer-science-and-it/as-and-a-level

Below are additional resources and a transition task to help prepare you for A Level Computer Science at Cowes Sixth Form

If GCSE Computer Science wasn't offered as an option at your school, please don't let that stop you from taking the course. The course does not assume any knowledge from GCSE.

Entry Requirements: GCSE grade 5 across subjects including English and Maths. Ideally grade 6 in ICT or Computer Science.

​​​​​​​Specification: https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/computer-science-and-it/as-and-a-level

The most common question that students ask is: what programming languages does the course use? The answer is: Python! If you have previous experience with Python, that's fantastic (but isn't required). If you've learned another language at school or at home, that knowledge will be extra helpful in the course. Plus, for your Year 13 project you have the option to use a language other than Python if you would like (as long as the teacher agrees).

PLEASE COMPLETE AS MUCH OF THE ATTACHED WORKBOOK AS YOU CAN.

Below are additional resources and a transition task to help prepare you for A Level Computer Science at Cowes Sixth Form

(1) LaunchCode Discovery Course

LaunchCode is a US-based Non-Profit that helps adults who work in other industries become software developers. They have a fantastic 'discovery' mini-course that is designed to introduce you to programming. For those of you who have taken GCSE Computer Science, a lot of the course will be familiar to you already. Please work through the course and come to your first lesson with a short list of things you learned or found interesting from the course. We'll have a discussion about it together as a class.

Here is the link to the course: https://stepik.org/course/4261/promo

(2) Codemarker.uk Python Course

Students often forget a lot of the Python programming skills they learned at GCSE over the summer. Here's some bridging work to make sure you don't!

Please use your school email as your login and link your account to my email agiannotta@cowesec.org so I can see your progress

(3) Typing skills:

Programming is much more enjoyable when you can touch type - especially if you learn to not look at the keyboard when you type!

(NOTE: Being physically able to touch type or see the computer screen isn't however a barrier to learning to program or working as a programmer. There are many successful disabled and blind programmers working at the world's biggest tech companies.)

If you'd like to test yourself and improve, give this 5 minute typing test a go:

https://www.typingclub.com/sportal/program-3.placement

Once you've done that you can click 'save progress' at the top to signup, save your progress and see your results.

TypingClub.com has some great lessons to help you learn how to touch type and improve your speed and accuracy in just 15 minutes a day. Start this now and you'll be a typing pro by September!

Can anyone beat my score on the test? (51 words per minute, 97% accuracy)​​​​​​​

List of essential subject specific equipment

None. Access to a computer at home is recommended but not required.

Any computer with internet access is suitable, as we use an online coding environment called 'repl.it' regularly.

Course books:

https://www.pgonline.co.uk/resources/computer-science/a-level-aqa/aqa-as-and-a-level-textbook/

https://www.pgonline.co.uk/resources/computer-science/a-level-aqa/tackling-aqa-a-level-projects-in-computer-science/

Wider reading list including online resources (TED talks etc.)

In addition to the course book, we regularly use the following two resources during the course (which you may want to check out):

https://isaaccomputerscience.org/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0HzEBLlJxlrwBAHJ5S9JQg/playlists?view=50&sort=dd&shelf_id=19