Intro
CIE A Level Computer Science
Year 12
Paper 1 -Theory Fundamentals
- Sections 1 to 8
- 90 minute exam (25% of A level)
Paper 2 – Problem-solving and Programming
- Sections 9 to 12
- 120 minute exam (25% of A level)
- Includes writing algorithms in code *, Pseudocode & Flowcharts
Year 13
Paper 3 – Advanced Theory
- Sections 13 to 20
- 90 minute exam (25% of A level)
Paper 4 – Practical
- Sections 19 to 20
- 150 minute exam (25% of A level)
- Answered on computer
- Students will submit program code* and evidence of testing
- No email or internet access
* Permitted Programming languages – Java, VB.net or Python. No other languages are allowed.
Unit 1
Unit 1 – Information Representation
1.1 Data Representation
- Binary & Denary Number Systems
- Hexadecimal Number Systems
- Binary and Decimal Prefixes
- One’s Compliment and Two’s Compliment
- Binary Addition and Subtraction
- Binary Coded Decimal
- ASCII, Extended ASCII and Unicode
1.2 Multimedia – Graphics, Sound
1.3 Compression
2
Unit 2 – Communication
2.1 Networks including the internet
- Purpose of networking of devices
- LAN vs WAN
- Client-Server vs Peer to Peer
- Thin and Thick Clients
- Network Topologies
- Cloud Computing
- Wired and Wireless Networks
- Network Hardware
- Ethernet
- Network routing and collisions
- Bit Streaming
- WWW and the Internet
- Internet Hardware
- IP Addresses
- Subnets & Network Masks
- Public vs Private IP Addresses
- Static Vs Dynamic IP, DHCP
- URLs, DNS and Serving Web Pages
- Client Side & Server Side Scripting
3
Unit 3 – Hardware
3.1 Computers and their components
- Input Devices
- Output Devices
- Primary Storage
- Secondary Storage Devices
- Embedded Systems
- Virtual and Augmented Reality
- Buffers
- RAM and ROM
- SRAM vs DRAM
- ROM,PROM,EPROM,EEPROM
- Monitoring and Control Systems
CIE Teacher Support Materials Input/Output Devices
3.2 Logic Gates and Logic Circuits
4
Unit 4 – Processor Fundamentals
4.1 Central Processing Unit (CPU) Architecture
- VON Neumann Architecture
- Registers
- ALU,CU,IAS, System Clock
- Busses
- CPU Performance Factors
- Motherboard Ports
- Fetch – Execute Cycle
- Interrupts
4.2 Assembly Language
- Assembly Language Vs Machine Code & The assembly process
- Grouping Instruction Sets
- Modes of addressing
4.3 Bit manipulation
- Binary Shifts
- Bit Manipulation
5
Unit 5 – System Software
5.1 Operating Systems
5.2 Language Translators
- Assembler Software
- Compilers
- Interpreters
6
Unit 6 – Security, privacy and data integrity
6.1 Data Security
- Security, Privacy and Integrity
- Data and System Security
- Computer & Network Threats
- Security / Threat reduction measures
- Passwords
6.2 Data Integrity
7
Unit 7 – Ethics and Ownership
7.1 Ethics and Ownership
8
Unit 8 – Databases
8.1 Database Concepts
- Limitations of file based systems
- Features of a relational database
- Relational database model
- Entity relationship diagram
- Normalisation process
- First, Second, Third Normal Form
8.2 Database Management System (DBMS)
- Features of a database management system
- DBMS Software Tools
8.3 Data Definition Language (DDL) and Data Manipulation
Language (DML)
9
Unit 9 – Algorithm Design and Problem-Solving
9.1 Computational Thinking Skills
- Abstraction
- Decomposition
9.2 Algorithms
- Algorithms
- Identifier names and tables
- Pseudocode
- Step-wise refinement
- Logic statements
10
Unit 10 – Data Types and structures
10.1 Data Types and Records
- Selection of data types
- Record Structures
10.2 Arrays
- 1 Dimensional Arrays
- 2 Dimensional Arrays
- Search Algorithms
- Sorting Algorithms
- Lower and Upper Bounds
10.3 Files
- Read and writing read files
10.4 Introduction to Abstract Data Types (ADT)
- Introduction to abstract data types
- Stack, Queue and Linked List
11
Unit 11 – Programming
11.1 Programming Basics
- Writing Pseudocode
11.2 Constructs
- Programming Constructs
11.3 Structured Programming
- Procedures
- Functions
- Input Parameters
- Efficient code
12
Unit 12 – Software Development
12.1 Program Development Life Cycle
12.2 Program Design
13. Program Testing & Maintenance
13
Unit 13 – Data Representation (A – level)
13.1 User Defined Types
13.2 File organisation and access
13.3 Floating-point numbers, representation and
manipulation
14
Unit 14 – Communication & Internet Technologies
14.1 Protocols
14.2 Circuit switching, packet switching
- Circuit Switching
- Packet Switching
- Function of a router
15
Unit 15 – Hardware & Virtual Machines
15.1 Processors, Parallel Processing and Virtual Machines
- RISC & CISC Computers
- Interrupt Handling in RISC & CISC
- Pipelining & Registers
- SISD,SIMD,MISD,MIMD
- Massively Parallel Computers
- Virtual Machines
15.2 Boolean Algebra and Logic Circuits
16
Unit 16 – System Software
16.1 Purposes of an Operating System (OS)
16.2 Translation Software
- Interpreters
- Compilers
- Syntax Diagrams
- Backus-Naur Form
- Reverse Polish Notation
17
Unit 17 – Security
17.1 Encryption, Encryption Protocols and Digital certificates
18
Unit 18 – Artificial Intelligence
18.1 Artificial Intelligence
- A* & Dijkstra’s Algorithms (Focus on graphing)
- Neural Networks
- Deep Learning, Machine Learning & Reinforcement Learning
- Supervised vs Unsupervised Learning
- Back Propagation & Regression
19
Unit 19 – Computational thinking and problem solving
19.1 Algorithms
Big O Notation with searching and sorting algorithms
Abstract Data Types
20
Unit 20 – Further Programming
20.1 Programming Paradigms
- Low Level Programming
- Imperative (Procedural) Programming
- Object Orientated Programming
- Declarative Programming
20.2 File Processing and Exception Handling
Syllabus
Past Papers
Course Book
Course Book for 9618 Specification
Hodder Education: Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science Course Book.
This is the book we will be using from 2020 onward, as it is tailored towards the specific requirements of the course and offers a full structured approach to the CIE A level Computer Science 9618 course content.
The Hodder Education CIE Computer Science book for the new 2021 -2023 Specification. Available on paper and Kindle.
Year 11 Transition
Year 11 Transition Work
In order to prepare for the CIE A Level Computer Science course, you should look to complete the following learning over the holidays prior to the course.
Step 1 – Complete the Python Programming Challenges
If you haven’t already done so you should complete the Python programming challenges found here.
Step 2 – Full Program Walkthrough
Once you have completed the programming challenges your next objective should be to pick 3 of the program walkthrough tutorials to follow. These will help you develop the skills and understanding to start developing larger programming projects. The walk-throughs can be found here.
Step 3 – Mini Project
Finally you should look to code your own program. Your first project doesn’t need to be big, as long as you get opportunity to practise the basics.
Project Ideas
- Todo list tracker
- Alarm application
- Scrabble helper application
- Budget tracker
- Text based adventure game
- Address book application
- Holiday budget planner
Want more ideas? Take a look here