What is the practical exam like?

Three hours at a computer under supervision, working through programming tasks - reading, correcting and writing code. Two years of weekly practice make it the exam our students tend to relish.

What equipment does my child need?

A reliable computer and internet connection - the same setup as for their lessons. All development tools used on the course are free to install.

Is Computer Science very hard?

It's rigorous but learnable - logic matters more than prior experience. Small classes mean nobody gets stuck silently; problems get debugged together.

How is progress reported home?

Through the learning platform: assessment marks, teacher feedback and attendance in one place, plus alerts if a scheduled lesson is missed.

Does it combine well with other subjects?

Naturally with Mathematics and Physics, though its problem-solving discipline supports any combination - and plenty of arts-leaning students take it as their technical subject.

Key Stage 4

💻 Computer Science

For school aged learners, ages 14-16

Overview

Our Computer Science course runs as live, timetabled lessons through Years 10 and 11 with a specialist teacher, in classes averaging 15 students so code can be read, debugged and improved together on screen. Programming practice is continuous, and mock exams - written and practical - rehearse both halves of the assessment.

What Students Study

Why study Computer Science?

Software shapes almost every industry a student might one day join, and this course teaches not just how to use computers but how to command them. Students learn to decompose problems, design algorithms and write working programs - habits of thought that strengthen maths and science too. It's the obvious grounding for careers in software, data, cybersecurity and games, as well as for computing study at sixth form and university.

Course content

Teaching follows the Pearson Edexcel International GCSE (9-1) Computer Science specification, organised into six topics:

Problem solving - decomposition, abstraction and designing algorithms
Programming - writing, testing and refining real code
Data - binary, data representation and storage
Computers - hardware, software and how systems fit together
Communication and the internet - networks, protocols and security
The bigger picture - the ethical, legal and environmental impact of computing

Course Details

Examinations and assessments

Pearson Edexcel assesses the course through two equally weighted exams with no coursework: a written paper on the principles, and a hands-on practical exam completed at a computer, where students solve programming tasks using the language they have studied throughout the course.

Both papers, including the on-screen practical, are taken under formal remote invigilation or at an approved exam centre with suitable facilities - we establish what Pearson Edexcel allows for each student's location and organise it.

Paper 1 - Principles of Computer Science: written exam, 2 hours, worth 50% of the qualification
Paper 2 - Application of Computational Thinking: practical on-screen exam, 3 hours, worth 50%

Qualification

Students finish with the Pearson Edexcel International GCSE (9-1) in Computer Science, a globally recognised qualification and a strong platform for A Level computing and STEM pathways.

Entry requirements

Students join without any formal entry requirements, and no coding experience is needed at the start - the course teaches programming from scratch. Lessons are delivered in English and both the written and practical papers are sat in English.

Meet the teacher

“I spent several years in the IT industry in London before moving into teaching, and I know how to bring out the best in my students.”

D. Cooper, Computer Science teacher

Study full time or part time

Computer Science is a popular pick within the six-subject programme and equally available as an individual course - a practical answer for schools that still don't teach computing properly.

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