Computer Science

WHAT DOES THIS QUALIFICATION COVER?

By studying A Level Computer Science as part of your programme of study, you will choose to develop an understanding and the ability to apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science, including: abstraction, decomposition, logic, algorithms and data representation. You will also learn to analyse problems in computational terms through practical experience of solving such problems, including writing programs in programming languages such as Python, C++ and Java.

You will also learn how programming links to professional work practice, and you will be required to thinking creatively, innovatively, analytically, logically and critically when responding to the programming coursework brief.

The qualification links to the Level 3 Cambridge Technical in Information Technology and you can take the A Level if you are studying either of the two pathways:

• Emerging Digital Technology Practitioner (covering virtual and augmented reality, cyber security, project development and social media and digital marketing)
• Application Developer (covering web and app development, games design, cyber security and developing business solutions).

There are three units that you will study for this A Level:

• The content of computer systems (Component 1)

This component will introduce you to the internal workings of the Central Processing Unit (CPU), the exchange of data and will also look at software development, data types and legal and ethical issues. You will use this underpinning content when studying computational thinking, developing programming techniques and when you develop your own programming approach in the Programming project component.

• The content of Algorithms and programming (Component 2)

This component will build on the knowledge and understanding gained in the previous component, developing your understanding of computational thinking and the benefits of applying computational thinking to solve a wide variety of real-world computing problems. You will also be using algorithms to explain and solve problems.

• Programming project (Component 3)

You will be expected to analyse, design, develop, test, evaluate and document a program written in a suitable programming language. The underlying approach to the project is to apply the principles of computational thinking to a practical coding problem.

You will be working with local and national computing, digital design and IT companies as part of the units you study and completing employer led projects throughout the course.