Computer Studies / Computing

Assessment

The AS has two components, externally assessed (weighted at 50% each): Computing Principles: The characteristics of contemporary processors, input, output and storage devices; software and software development; exchanging data; data types, data structures and algorithms; legal, moral, cultural and ethical issues. Algorithms and Programming: Elements of computational thinking; programming and problem solving; pattern recognition, abstraction and decomposition; algorithm design and efficiency; standard algorithms. The A Level consists of three components, two externally marked question papers (weighted at 40% each) and a programming project (worth 20%): Computer Systems (AS Computing Principles plus extension topics). Algorithms and Programming (AS topics plus extension topics). Programming Project: This is specific to the A Level and is internally marked and moderated. Pupils analyse a complex problem they have identified, design a solution, program and test that solution and give a thorough evaluation