Computing

Computers are widely used in all aspects of business, industry, government, education, leisure and the home.

We aim to give students the skills to facilitate their learning across the curriculum and develop a broad understanding of the fundamentals of computer science and the careers available in this ever-changing discipline.

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"I have really enjoyed Computing. I have learnt so much about how computers work. Learning how to plan programs and write code was fun."
Year 10 Computer Science Student

During Years 7-9 the following topics are taught:

Year 7

Year 8

Year 9

Computing

  1. Key Skills 

    Students learn to access and use school computer systems effectively.  This includes the Google Workplace suite.

  2. Computational thinking skills with BEBRAS

    Developing problem-solving skills and participating in the BEBRAS international challenge.

  3. Introduction to Python

    Introduction to programming with python, which is a text-based language.

  4. Edublocks

    Extending programming knowledge through block-based Python.

  5. Spreadsheets

    Modelling data in spreadsheet software.

Computing

  1. Edublocks

    Extending programming knowledge through block-based Python.

  2. Computational thinking skills with BEBRAS

    Developing problem-solving skills and participating in the BEBRAS international challenge.

  3. Programming and problem-solving using BBC Microbits.

  4. HTML and CSS 

    Students learn the fundamentals of website technologies. They  build a website using HTML and CSS.

  5. Python selection  

    Building additional skills in Python with the selection construct.

  6. AI - Artificial Intelligence 

    Learning about artificial intelligence with Raspberry Pi.

Computing

  1. Python Programming with iteration. Students further develop their problem-solving skills during a series of challenges. This will revisit and build on skills from previous years.

  2. Computational thinking skills with BEBRAS

    Developing problem-solving skills and participating in the BEBRAS international challenge.

  3. Mobile App Development Students learn to use App Lab to develop an app.

  4. Python Lists and Strings

    Students learn about string manipulation with Python and the list data structure.

  5. Boolean Logic 

    Students learn to create logic circuits and truth tables.

  6. Cybersecurity

    Learning about risks to data and how to prevent them.

  7. Photoshop

    Learning to use Photoshop for image manipulation.

Two courses are offered at key stage 4: GCSE Computer Science  and Cambridge Nationals in Creative iMedia  (equivalent to one GCSE).

Students studying GCSE Computer Science follow the OCR specification. During the course, the following topics are covered:

Year 10

Year 11

  1. Programming (throughout the year)

  2. Systems Architecture

  3. Primary and Secondary Storage

  4. Data Representation and compression

  5. Boolean logic

  6. Algorithms and programming fundamentals

  7. Programming Languages and IDE's

  1. Programming (throughout the year)

  2. Computer networks

  3. Network security

  4. Operating Systems

  5. Ethical, cultural and environmental impacts

Students studying the subject at A Level follow the OCR specification.  During the course the following topics are covered.

Year 12

Year 13

Computer Systems:

  1. The characteristics of contemporary processors, input, output and storage devices

  2. Software and software development

  3. Data types and data structures

  4. Legal, moral, cultural and ethical  issues

Algorithms and programming:

  1. Introduction to programming

  2. Assembly language programming

  3. Standard algorithms

Programming project:

  1. Analysis

  2. Design

Computer Systems:

  1. Exchanging data with networks, databases, web technologies, encryption and compression.

  2. Efficiency of algorithms

  3. Advanced data structures

Algorithms and programming:

  1. Elements of computational thinking

  2. Problem solving and computational methods

Programming project:

  1. Development

  2. Testing

  3. Evaluation

For more detailed information about the course content and assessment requirements, please refer to the examination board website: OCR A Level Computer Science

Educake for retrieval practice 

Microbit Programming 

Learning Hub - Replit - Learn Python in 100 days

BEBRAS - Computational Thinking challenges

Replit - online Python IDE