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Unit 1

2

3

4

5

Unit 5 – System Software

5.1 Operating Systems

5.2 Language Translators

6

7

8

9

Unit  9 – Algorithm Design and Problem-Solving

9.1 Computational Thinking Skills

9.2 Algorithms

10

Unit 10 – Data Types and structures

10.1 Data Types and Records

10.2 Arrays

Search Algorithms

Sorting Algorithms

10.3 Files

10.4 Introduction to Abstract Data Types (ADT)

11

Unit 11 – Programming

11.1 Programming Basics

  • Basic input, processing & output
  • Data Types
  • Conditionals
  • Loops
  • Arrays
  • Dictionaries
  • Text Files
  • Subroutines

CIE Pseudocode

(Also create a cheat sheet and add it here)

11.2 Constructs

  • Programming Constructs

11.3 Structured Programming

 

12

13

Unit 13 – Data Representation (A – level)

13.1 User Defined Types

13.2 File Organisation & Access

13.3 Floating-point numbers, representation and
manipulation

 

14

Unit 14  – Communication & Internet Technologies

14.1 Protocols

14.2 Circuit switching, packet switching

15

Unit 15 – Hardware & Virtual Machines

15.1 Processors, Parallel Processing and Virtual Machines

15.2 Boolean Algebra and Logic Circuits

 

16

Unit 16 – System Software

16.1 Purposes of an Operating System (OS)

Process Management

16.2 Translation Software

 

17

Unit 17 – Security

17.1 Encryption, Encryption Protocols and Digital certificates

 

 

 

18

19

Unit 19 – Computational thinking and problem solving

19.1 Algorithms

Big O Notation with searching and sorting algorithms

Abstract Data Types

19.2 Recursion

 

 

 

 

20

Unit 20 – Further Programming

20.1 Programming Paradigms

 

20.2 File Processing and Exception Handling

 

 

 

 

 

Syllabus

Exams

AS & A Level Exam Components

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.

 

 

Exam Practice

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.