Specification/Exam Board

OCR [GCSE 9-1 J277]

Component 01: Computer systems

Introduces students to the central processing unit (CPU), computer memory and storage, data representation, wired and wireless networks, network topologies, system security and system software. It also looks at ethical, legal, cultural and environmental concerns associated with computer science.

Component 02: Computational thinking, algorithms and programming

Students apply knowledge and understanding gained in component 01. They develop skills and understanding in computational thinking: algorithms, programming techniques, producing robust programs, computational logic and translators.

Practical programming

Students are to be given the opportunity to undertake a programming task(s) during their course of study which allows them to develop their skills to design, write, test and refine programs using a high-level programming language. Students will be assessed on these skills during the written examinations, in particular component 02 (section B).

Curriculum Allocation

GCSE Computer Science is taught for three 100 minute lessons per fortnight.

Curriculum Period 1:

Curriculum content

Algorithms

  • Computational thinking
  • Designing, creating and refining algorithms
  • Searching and sorting algorithms

Programming fundamentals

  • Programming fundamentals
  • Data types
  • Additional programming techniques

Boolean logic

  • Simple logic diagrams using the operators AND, OR and NOT
  • Truth tables
  • Combining Boolean operators using AND, OR and NOT
  • Applying logical operators in truth tables to solve problems

Ethical, legal, cultural and environmental impacts of digital technology

  • Ethical, legal, cultural and environmental impact

Assessment

Pupils will complete an exam paper for this assessment

Curriculum Period 2:

Curriculum content

Operating systems

  • The purpose and functionality of operating systems

Utility software

  • The purpose and functionality of utility software
  • Utility system software

Computer networks, connections and protocols

  • Networks and topologies
  • Wired and wireless networks, protocols and layers

Producing robust programs

  • Defensive design
  • Testing

Assessment

Pupils will complete an exam paper for this assessment

Revision resources

Knowledge Organisers: endon.fireflycloud.net/computing-and-computer-science/cs-knowledge-organisers

Recommended revision materials: endon.fireflycloud.net/computing-and-computer-science/revision-guides

Subject advice and guidance

If you need any further guidance then please contact your child’s teacher via email:

Mr Plant [r.plant@endon.shaw-education.org.uk]

Mrs Brownsett [g.brownsett@endon.shaw-education.org.uk]