Computer Studies / Computing
Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys
Course summary
Computer Science is a subject that impacts our daily lives and has transformed society in the last 60 years. However, very few people truly understand how this has happened. The department offers a course that is an ideal complement qualification for students who wish to go on to higher education courses or employment where knowledge of Computing would be beneficial. With its emphasis on general problem-solving, algorithmic reasoning, and scientific and engineering-based thinking, it is a good foundation for further study and offers students the opportunity to work on many of the projects being offered by the school. Also, it gives you the chance to think about your future career from a more technological and data-driven perspective. In Year 12, the students cover the syllabus in a very practical manner, which allows them many more opportunities to develop their understanding of the subject. This approach means that they can create a piece of coursework in Year 13, which is innovative and exciting to develop. The course is not about learning to use tools or just training in a programming language. Instead, the emphasis is on computational thinking. Computational thinking is a kind of reasoning used by both humans and machines. Thinking computationally is an important life skill. The study of computation is about what can be computed and how to compute it.
Entry Requirements
Checked against your grades — every rule traces to the school's published source.
| Requirement | Rule | You |
|---|---|---|
Total point score | Minimum total point score of 50 | — |
As published by the school
A GCSE points score of at least 50. Grade 4 or higher in both English Language and Mathematics. 6 in Computer Science and 6 in Maths.
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Assessment
Paper 1 • 40 % of A Level • 2.5 hours onscreen practical examination. • The skeleton program is given to students before the examination and is used to answer short questions and to write a program for the examination. Paper 2 • 40 % of A Level • 2.5 hours written examination. • Compulsory short-answer and extended-answer questions. Non-exam assessment • 20 % of A Level • The non-exam assessment assesses a student's ability to use the knowledge and skills gained through the course to solve or investigate a practical problem.
About School
50%
