Computer Science

The Computer Science curriculum heavily emphasises practical skills, especially programming, and logical thinking. The aim is to build a strong foundation of understanding and practical ability for students wishing to pursue the subject at GCSE and beyond as well as to develop an enthusiasm for problem-solving for all students.

Key Stage 3 (Years 7-9)

The Key Stage 3 curriculum enables students to learn the programming language Python, but students will also code HTML and CSS, develop a game on the block-based coding platform MakeCode Arcade and use spreadsheet functions to analyse and generate data. The second strand of the curriculum is internet safety and media literacy, exploring current issues in social media, mass media, data protection, AI, malware and more. The course aims to stay up-to-date and relevant with these rapidly changing topics to help students manage their safety and wellbeing.

Areas of study include:

Key Stage 4 (Years 10-11 GCSE)

Students follow the AQA 9-1 syllabus and will gain the logical and computational skills necessary to succeed at A-level, the workplace or beyond. Classroom practice is expected to be supportive and often collaborative. GCSE Computer Science includes social, moral and ethical understanding which requires thinking of others.

Topics studied include: 

• Fundamentals of algorithms
• Programming
• Fundamentals of data representation
• Computer systems
• Fundamentals of computer networks
• Cyber security
• Relational databases and structured query language (SQL) 
• Ethical, legal and environmental impacts of digital technology on wider society, including issues of privacy

GCSE Computer Science specification

Key Stage 5 (Years 12-13 A Level)

Students are required to have gained at least a grade 7 at GCSE Computer Science or grade  7 in Maths/Physics/Music

Students follow the AQA Computer Science A Level course which is 80% exam-based with a 20% non-examined practical.

Advances in computing are transforming the way we work and this course has been designed to allow students to gain an understanding of the Computer Science world. This course combines computational thinking, programming and the science of how computer systems work from hardware up. There is an expanded maths focus, looking at logic, number systems, number bases, boolean algebra, programming language arithmetic and complex algorithms. We will look at the theory behind the construction of computer languages, computational problem solving as well as understanding hardware and networking.

This course would suit those who wish to expand their ability in programming, who are self motivated and enjoy the satisfaction of realising an outcome through hard work. Students should have a good sense of logic and mathematics but need creativity to realise the best outcomes. GCSE Computer Science is not a requirement, but it is highly desirable. It will be expected that you have programming skill already or be prepared to undertake additional up-skilling in your own time in order to catch up, during the summer break, before the course begins.

The non-exam assessment assesses students’ ability to use the knowledge and skills gained through the course to solve or investigate a practical problem. Students will be expected to follow a systematic approach to problem solving.

Topics covered include:

• Fundamentals of programming, data structures and algorithms
• Theory of computation
• Fundamentals of data representation, computer systems, computer organisation and architecture
• Consequences of uses of computing
• Fundamentals of communication, networking and databases
• Big Data
• Fundamentals of functional programming
• Systematic approach to problem solving
• Non-exam assessment - the computing practical project

Computer Science A Level Specification

Co-curricular activities

• Labs open three times a week for students seeking help or developing own ideas
• Bebras Challenge
• Volunteering with Probus outreach
• Coding Club
• Informatics Olympiad