Computer Science
Department:
Computing
Type of Qualification:
A Level
Exam Board:
OCR
Requirements:
Grade 6 GCSE Computer Science and GCSE Maths
Course Content
Computer Systems will cover the characteristics of contemporary systems architecture and other areas, including the following:
- The characteristics of contemporary processors, input, output and storage devices
- Software and software development
- Exchanging data
- Data types, data structures and algorithms
- Legal, moral, cultural and ethical issues
Algorithms and Programming will cover computational thinking:
- Elements of computational thinking
- Programming and problem solving
- Pattern recognition, abstraction and decomposition
- Algorithm design and efficiency
- Standard algorithms
Style Of Assessment
Year 12 Internal Assessments
Computing Principles: 1 hour 15 minute exam, and
A Level Papers & NEA
A Level Paper 1: Computer Systems (2.5 hours) 40% of the final mark; and
Whose kind of course?
A Level Computer Science is for you if you are interested in developing your skills in Computing after GCSE. It expands on topics from GCSE, going in to more depth (e.g. in Logic Gates we look at more different types of gates and combining more gates). New material includes looking at State Machines.
Programming will continue focusing on developing skills in Python, or learning a new language such as Visual Basic or C# (a language commonly used by today’s software engineers). New concepts are introduced, such as Object Oriented Programming in both languages.
Career Prospects
The content taught and the transferable problem-solving skills acquired in Computer Science are highly sought after across the world of work. They would also help you to continue with further studies in both Engineering and Computer Science at university.
Competence in computer programming is especially useful in any data-oriented profession.
