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KS5

KS5 Computer Science  

A Level Computer Science Specification:  

OCR H446 Computer Science

Curriculum Overview  

For each topic studied, Topic Descriptors detail the knowledge and skills needed to progress in that topic.  

Topic Descriptors are shared with students at the start of every topic. 

KEY CONTENT OF THE 
TOPIC TEACHER 1

 ASSESSMENT POINTS
(ALSO CLASS SPECIFIC TEST AND HOMEWORK		 KEY CONTENT OF THE
TOPIC TEACHER 2		 ASSESSMENT POINTS 
(ALSO CLASS SPECIFIC TESTS AND HOMEWORK)

Principles of computational thinking: 

  • Thinking abstractly 
  • Thinking ahead 
  • Thinking procedurally  
  • Thinking logically 
  • Thinking concurrently 

Online quizzes  

 

End of topics tests

Programming techniques: 

  • Sequence 
  • Selection 
  • Iteration 
  • Recursion 
  • Global and local variables 
  • Modularity, functions, and procedures 
  • Parameter passing by value and by reference 
  • Use of an IDE to develop / debug a program 

Online quizzes  

 

End of topics tests 

 

Coding Exercises 

Computational methods: 

  • Problem recognition 
  • Problem decomposition 

Online quizzes End of topic tests

Data types, part 1: 

  • Primitives 
  • Positive integers in binary 
  • Negative binary numbers - sign and magnitude, Two’s Complement 
  • Binary addition 
  • Binary subtraction

Online quizzes End of topic tests Worksheets

The structure and function of the processor: 

  • The ALU  
  • The CU 
  •  Special registers 
  • Buses 
  • How the processor relates to assembly language 
  • The FDE cycle and its effects on registers 
  • Factors affecting CPU performance – clock speed, cores, cache  
  • Pipelining  
  • Von Neumann Architecture  
  • Harvard Architecture 
  • Contemporary architectures

Online quizzes End of topic tests

Boolean algebra: 

  • Boolean logic  
  • Boolean expression manipulation  
  • Karnaugh maps  
  • Derive and simplify Boolean statements 
  • De Morgan’s laws 
  • Distribution, association, commutation, double negation 
  • Logic gates and diagrams  
  • Truth tables  
  • D type flip flops  
  • Half and full adders 

Online quizzes End of topic tests Worksheets Coding challenges

Types of processors: 

  • CISC and RISC  
  • GPUs and their uses  
  • Multicore and parallel system

Online quizzes End of topic tests

Data types, part 2:  

  • Floating point arithmetic  
  • Positive and negative FP numbers  
  • FP addition and subtraction  
  • Bitwise manipulation and masks  
  • Shifts – AND, OR, XOR  
  • Character sets

Online quizzes End of topic tests Worksheets

Types of programming language:  

  • Programming paradigms  
  • Procedural languages  
  • Assembly and Little Man Computer  
  • Modes of addressing  
  • Object-oriented languages – classes, objects, methods, attributes, inheritance, encapsulation and polymorphism 

Online quizzes End of topic tests Worksheets Coding challenges 

Web technologies:  

  1. HTML  
  2. CSS 
  3. JavaScript 
  4.  Search engine indexing 
  5. PageRank algorithm  
  6. Server-side and client-side processing

Online quizzes End of topic tests Coding challenges 

Input, output and storage:  

  • Input, output and storage devices 
  • RAM and ROM  
  • Virtual storage 

Online quizzes End of topic tests 

Data structures: 

  • Arrays  
  • Records  
  • Lists  
  • Tuples  
  • Linked lists  
  • Graphs  
  • Stacks  
  • Queues  
  • Trees  
  • Binary search tree  
  • Hashing and hash tables  
  • Tree traversals, additions and deletions

Online quizzes End of topic tests Coding challenges

Systems software:  

  • Operating systems  
  • Memory management – paging, segmentation, and virtual memory  
  • Interrupts and the interrupt service routine  
  • Scheduling – the scheduler, burst and quantum, round robin, first come first served, shortest job first, shortest time remaining, multi-level feedback queues, priority, process starvation  
  • Types of OS  
  • The BIOS  
  • Device drivers  
  • Virtual machines

Online quizzes End of topic tests

Computing related legislation:  

  • The Data Protection Act 1998  
  • The Computer Misuse Act 1990  
  • The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988  
  • The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000

Online quizzes End of topic tests.  

 

Class discussion and presentation 

Databases:  

  • Flat file  
  • Relational  
  • Keys  
  • Entity relationship modelling  
  • Normalisation to 3rd normal form  
  • Structured Query Language  
  • Referential integrity  
  • Transaction processing – ACID  
  • Record locking and redundancy

Online quizzes End of topic tests Worksheets Database building challenges

Moral and ethical issues:  

  • Moral, social, ethical and cultural opportunities and risks  
  • Artificial intelligence  
  • Automated decision making  
  • Environmental effects  
  • Censorship and the internet  
  • Piracy and offensive communications  
  • Layout, colour paradigms and character sets 

Online quizzes End of topic tests 

 

Class discussion

Algorithms:  

  • Measuring the efficiency of algorithms – Big O notation  
  • Sorts - bubble, insertion, merge  
  • Searches – linear, binary

Online quizzes End of topic tests Worksheets Coding challenges

Computational methods:  

  • Use of divide and conquer  
  • Backtracking  
  • Data mining  
  • Heuristics 
  • Performance modelling  
  • Visualisation 

Online quizzes End of topic tests 

Applications generation:  

  • The nature of applications  
  • Utilities  
  • Open source and closed source  
  • Translators – interpreters, compilers and assemblers  
  • Stages of compilation – lexical analysis, syntax analysis, code generation, optimization 
  • Linkers and loaders 
  • Libraries

Online quizzes End of topic tests 

Algorithms:  

  • Dijkstra’s shortest path  

  • A* algorithm 

Online quizzes End of topic tests Worksheets 
Coding Throughout the course:  

coding exercises are given, refined, and assessed throughout the two years with the aim of developing the skills of the students and to produce a series of modules which can later be used in their coursework. 

Coursework runs from the last half term in Y12 through to the end of the 3rd half term in Y13. Coursework lessons are interspersed with theory lessons. 

There is also a trip to the Bury arcade club, getting an idea for a coursework project by retro playing games experiencing gameplay, interactions and simplicity of the games from the era.

Recommended Revision Guides for A Level  

Revision Guidance: 
  • Use the course theory self-audit document to recap theory and look for gaps.  
  • Prepare own summary notes for revision (mind maps or whatever works for you!)  
Resources to help:  
  1. Your Microsoft Team and Class Notebook (OneNote)  
  2. PG Online resources  
  3. Craig and Dave videos Support available for A Level Students  
  4. The Python Programming Club supports students who are struggling with programming.  This is run by existing A level students 
  5. Programming mentors are available to support students. 
  6.  Intervention sessions online run by staff to support students 
  7. Staff available upon request. 
Further Study in Computer Science beyond A level 

There are many online courses and tutorials available to help with studying Computer Science, some of which will help in their A level studies, others will help beyond A level at AGSB. 

Many of our students go on to study Computer Science at University. 

Sites and online courses which are useful for studying Computer Science at A level: 
Sites and Online courses which are useful for specific Computer Science based courses at university: 
Extra-Curricular links 

AGSB has a highly successful E-sports team and many of our students mix their studies of Computer Science with their gaming interests.