What are lessons like in this subject?
Computer Science lessons usually begin with a friendly low stakes quiz, retrieval practice, or, as we move through the course, an exam style question. This is based upon the preview work that is set each week, or from a previous topic from earlier in the course. We build on the preview exercises by introducing new concepts and then doing a variety of activities to embed your understanding and clear up any misconceptions. We work in pairs, groups and individually; this depends upon the activity and if we are doing theory or programming.
The kind of trips you can expect to go on are university visits for students who want to understand what it will be like to study beyond A-level, but we also get to see technology in action at businesses, expos and museums (both locally and further afield).
What will I study?
Unit 1
- 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.
Unit 2
- Elements of computational thinking.
- Problem solving and programming.
- Algorithms to solve problems and standard algorithms.
Computer Science is a challenging yet rewarding course which covers a vast range of intriguing topics. This is an excellent choice for people who enjoy problem solving and have a mathematical mindset. The teachers are very supportive and the project offers a great opportunity to develop and demonstrate your computing skills. This would be a strong foundation for anyone considering studying Computer Science at degree level.
Luis Harvey, The Snaith School
Computer Science
Please note: Subject videos have been filmed from colleges across our Trust.