The OCR Computer Science A-Level course is not about learning to use tools or just training in a programming language. Instead, the emphasis is on computational thinking. Thinking computationally means using decomposition and abstraction. This means breaking down a problem into smaller parts and trying to understand the big ideas that underpin the solution to the problem. • Programming is an essential skill for Computer Science and upon successful completion of this course, you can expect to be a competent programmer. • The syllabus taught places the emphasis on programming technique, rather than a specific language. This will let you learn how to program in general, not just how to program in Java, C, Python, PHP, HTML, Prolog, Haskell or SQL (all of which are covered in this course). • No prior experience of programming is necessary, however, enthusiasm is mandatory! • Students will learn to discuss the efficiency of their solutions, including how to optimise an algorithm using sensible data structures and heuristic methods. • The computational thinking element is supported by an understanding of computer systems, including computer networks, with a particular focus on security issues.