KS4 Computer Science

Computer Science is one of the fastest growing disciplines in the world today. It touches every part of our lives, and  should you  decide to take a GCSE in Computer Science you will have a qualification that  will prepare you for a world in which technology is becoming increasingly important.

Computer Science teaches you how to think. It will develop advanced problem solving skills which can be applied to almost any setting.

Computer Science will also enable you to understand how you can develop technology that will help shape our lives. You will be able to navigate through a changing technological landscape and be more successful at identifying opportunities that can impact you directly.

Future proof yourself by taking this course. Not all job prospects are evident to us now, and this course will help prepare you for tomorrows world, today.

Unit 1 - Computer systems

80 marks
1 hour and 30 minutes Written paper
40% of total GCSE

• Systems Architecture
• Memory
• Storage
• Wired and wireless networks
• Network topologies, protocols and layers
• System security
• System software
• Ethical, legal, cultural and environmental concerns

Unit 2 - Computational thinking, algorithms and programming

80 marks
1 hour and 30 minutes Written paper
40% of total GCSE

• Algorithms
• Programming techniques
• Producing robust programs
• Computational logic
• Translators and facilities of languages
• Data representation

Unit 3 - Programming Project

40 marks
Totaling 20 hours
20% of total GCSE

• Programming techniques
• Analysis
• Design
• Development
• Testing
• Evaluation and conclusions