Computer Science
Provisional Exam Board: OCR
The proposed course content and exam board are provisional and may be subject to change before the start of the course.
Understand technology. Solve problems. Build what comes next.
Computer Science is at the heart of the digital world. From artificial intelligence and cyber security to software development, data and automation, computing influences almost every industry and continues to change how we live, work and communicate.
A Level Computer Science takes you beyond simply using technology. You explore how computer systems work, how information is represented and exchanged, how algorithms solve problems and how software is designed and developed. Most importantly, you learn to think computationally – breaking complex problems into manageable parts and developing logical, efficient solutions.
At a specialist digital Sixth Form, Computer Science is more than an individual subject. It connects directly with the wider digital environment at BOA Digital and provides opportunities to apply your knowledge through programming, problem-solving and practical digital projects.
What will I study?
The proposed course combines theoretical computer science with practical programming and computational thinking.
You explore areas including processors and computer architecture, software development, data representation, networks and data exchange, databases, programming, algorithms, computational thinking and the legal, moral, cultural and ethical implications of digital technology.
As your knowledge develops, you also investigate more sophisticated approaches to problem-solving, including abstraction, decomposition, recursion, object-oriented programming and algorithm efficiency. The course introduces important algorithms and data structures and considers how different approaches can be selected to solve different computational problems.
This combination of theory and practical application helps you understand not just what technology can do, but how and why it works.
How will I study?
Computer Science is a subject you learn by thinking, questioning, designing and doing. Lessons combine theoretical study with programming and practical problem-solving. You develop your ability to analyse unfamiliar problems, design algorithms, write and refine programs, test solutions and explain the computational thinking behind your decisions.
Independent study is an important part of the course. You are expected to practise programming, revisit complex concepts and tackle problems beyond those explored in lessons. As your confidence develops, you become increasingly able to approach unfamiliar challenges independently and turn an idea or problem into a working computational solution.
Studying Computer Science within BOA Digital also places your learning within a wider specialist digital environment, where areas such as software development, cyber security, emerging technologies and digital innovation form part of the wider culture of the Sixth Form.
How is the course assessed?
A Level Computer Science consists of two written examinations and a practical programming project.
Computer Systems – 40%
A 2-hour 30-minute examination exploring areas including processors, software, data exchange, data structures and the legal, moral, cultural and ethical issues associated with computing.
Algorithms and Programming – 40%
A 2-hour 30-minute examination focusing on computational thinking, problem-solving, programming and algorithms.
Programming Project – 20%
A non-exam assessment in which you apply computational thinking to a substantial programming problem. You analyse the problem before designing, developing, testing, evaluating and documenting your solution in a suitable programming language.
The programming project gives you the opportunity to demonstrate that you can take the knowledge and skills developed throughout the course and apply them to a substantial problem of your own.
Develop skills that take you further.
Computer Science develops much more than your ability to write code. You learn to think logically, analyse complex problems, recognise patterns, evaluate alternative solutions and approach challenges systematically.
You also develop persistence. Programs do not always work first time, and solutions often need to be tested, debugged and improved. Learning how to identify what has gone wrong and find a better solution is an important part of becoming an effective computer scientist.
These skills provide a strong foundation for progression into areas such as Computer Science, Software Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Cyber Security, Data Science and other computing-related disciplines, as well as higher and degree apprenticeships and careers across the technology sector.
Don't just use technology. Understand it.
A Level Computer Science is for students who are curious about what happens behind the screen. If you enjoy logical thinking, solving problems, programming and discovering how digital systems work, the course gives you the opportunity to take that interest much further.
At BOA Digital, you are studying Computer Science within a community built around digital technology, creativity and innovation – an environment where you can develop the knowledge and confidence to move from using digital technology to understanding, developing and shaping it.
Because the next generation of technology needs people who understand how to build it.