Pathways Guide 2024 - Flipbook - Page 9
Computer Science GCSE
What we aim to achieve
Computer Science GCSE is a highly interesting
and challenging subject that opens up a
wide range of highly skilled and highly paid
career opportunities to you. It aims to develop
your creative and logistical skills and it
also encourages you to build patience and
perseverance. It teaches problem solving skills,
mental arithmetic and how to be an independent
learner. It teaches you how to program in
Python and perhaps also in MySQL, but it also
encourages you to do so much more.
Computer Science GCSE aims to foster
learners’ ability to:
• Understand and apply the fundamental
principles and concepts of Computer Science,
including abstraction, decomposition, logic,
algorithms and data representation
• Analyse problems in computational terms
through practical experience of solving
such problems, including designing, writing
and debugging programs, thinking creatively,
innovatively, analytically, logically and critically
• Understand the components that make
up digital systems and how they communicate
with one another and with other systems
• Understand the impacts of digital technology
to the individual and to wider society
• Apply mathematical skills relevant to
Computer Science
Course outline
You will cover two key areas:
• Computational Thinking, Algorithms and
Programming (J277/02) which teaches you to
plan, design and analyse algorithms, programming
fundamentals, producing robust programs,
applying and understanding simple Boolean logic,
high and low level languages and Integrated
Development Environments
You will also complete a project undertaking
programming tasks, either to a specification or to solve
a problem (or problems), during your course of study.
How will I be assessed?
Computer Science GCSE consists of two 90 minute
written examinations that will be worth 100% of your
overall grade. The exams will have a mixture of short and
long answer questions; some of which will require you
to write program code. You will also need to spend 20
hours completing a programming project. You will design,
analyse, code, develop, test and evaluate a solution to a
computational problem.
What skills do I need
Computer Science is not the same as ICT. Students who
achieve good grades in Computer Science need to be
good at Mathematics. Students with a Mathematics
target of less than grade 4 at Key Stage 4 find this subject
very demanding. You need to be able to persevere.
Problem solving requires a lot of patience, an analytical
brain and clear thought. You also need to be able to
think around projects. Many people find programming
challenging. If you are not sure whether you have what it
takes to study Computer Science then visit
www.codecademy.com and try to complete the basic
tasks in Java Script, SQL or Python as well as speaking to
your Computing teachers.
• Computer Systems (J277/01) in which you
learn about systems architecture, memory and
storage, computer networks, connections
and protocols, network security, systems
software and the ethical, legal, cultural
and environmental impacts of digital
technology
Mr W Melton – Team Leader – Computing
william.melton@attrust.org.uk
