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A-LEVEL Computer Science

4 Subject content – A-level

4.1 Fundamentals of databases

4.1.1 Programming

4.1.1.2 Programming concepts

4.1.1.3 Arithmetic operations in a programming language

4.1.1.4 Relational operations in a programming language

4.1.1.5 Boolean operations in a programming language

4.1.1.8 Random number generation in a programming language

4.1.1.10 Subroutines (procedures/functions)

4.1.1.11 Parameters of subroutines

4.1.1.13 Local variables in subroutines

4.1.1.15 Role of stack frames in subroutine calls

4.1.1.16 Recursive techniques

4.1.2 Programming paradigms

4.1.2.1 Programming paradigms

4.2 Fundamentals of data structures

4.2.1 Data structures and abstract data types

4.2.1.1 Data structures

4.2.1.2 Single- and multi-dimensional arrays (or equivalent)

4.2.1.3 Fields, records and files

4.2.1.4 Abstract data types/data structures

4.2.3 Stacks

4.2.3.1 Stacks

4.2.4 Graphs

4.2.4.1 Graphs

4.2.5 Trees

4.2.5.1 Trees (including binary trees)

4.4.4.2 Maths for Big-O notation

4.4.4.3 Order of complexity

4.4.4.4 Limits of computation

4.4.4.5 Classification of algorithmic problems

4.4.4.6 Computable and non-computable problems

4.4.4.7 Halting problem

4.4.5 A model of computation

4.4.5.1 Turing machine

4.5 Fundamentals of data representation

4.5.1 Number systems

4.5.1.1 Natural numbers

4.5.1.2 Integer numbers

4.5.1.3 Rational numbers

4.5.1.4 Irrational numbers

4.5.1.5 Real numbers

4.5.1.6 Ordinal numbers

4.5.1.7 Counting and measurement

4.5.2 Number bases

4.5.2.1 Number base

4.5.3 Units of information

4.5.3.1 Bits and bytes

4.5.3.2 Units

4.5.4 Binary number system

4.5.4.1 Unsigned binary

4.5.4.2 Unsigned binary arithmetic

4.5.4.4 Numbers with a fractional part

4.5.4.7 Range and precision

4.5.4.9 Underflow and overflow

4.5.5 Information coding systems

4.5.5.1 Character form of a decimal digit

4.5.5.2 ASCII and Unicode

4.5.5.3 Error checking and correction

4.5.6 Representing images, sound and other data

4.5.6.1 Bit patterns, images, sound and other data

4.5.6.2 Analogue and digital

4.5.6.3 Analogue/digital conversion

4.5.6.4 Bitmapped graphics

4.5.6.5 Vector graphics

4.5.6.6 Vector graphics versus bitmapped graphics

4.5.6.7 Digital representation of sound

4.5.6.8 Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI)

4.5.6.9 Data compression

4.6 Fundamentals of computer systems

4.6.1 Hardware and software

4.6.1.1 Relationship between hardware and software

4.6.1.2 Classification of software

4.6.1.3 System software

4.6.1.4 Role of an operating system (OS)

4.6.2 Classification of programming languages

4.6.2.1 Classification of programming languages

4.6.4 Logic gates

4.6.4.1 Logic gates

4.6.5 Boolean algebra

4.6.5.1 Using Boolean algebra

4.7 Fundamentals of computer organisation and architecture

4.7.1 Internal hardware components of a computer

4.7.1.1 Internal hardware components of a computer

4.7.2 The stored program concept

4.7.2.1 The meaning of the stored program concept

4.7.3 Structure and role of the processor and its components

4.7.3.1 The processor and its components

4.7.3.2 The Fetch-Execute cycle and the role of registers within it

4.7.3.3 The processor instruction set

4.7.3.4 Addressing modes

4.7.3.5 Machine-code/assembly language operations

4.7.3.7 Factors affecting processor performance

4.7.4 External hardware devices

4.7.4.1 Input and output devices

4.7.4.2 Secondary storage devices

4.8 Consequences of uses of computing

4.8.1 Individual (moral), social (ethical), legal and cultural issues and opportunities

4.9 Fundamentals of communication and networking

4.9.1 Communication

4.9.1.1 Communication methods

4.9.1.2 Communication basics

4.9.2 Networking

4.9.2.1 Network topology

4.9.2.2 Types of networking between hosts

4.9.2.3 Wireless networking

4.9.3 The Internet

4.9.3.1 The Internet and how it works

4.9.3.2 Internet security

4.9.4 The Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) protocol

4.9.4.1 TCP/IP

4.9.4.2 Standard application layer protocols

4.9.4.3 IP address structure

4.9.4.4 Subnet masking

4.9.4.5 IP standards

4.9.4.6 Public and private IP addresses

4.9.4.7 Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)

4.9.4.8 Network Address Translation (NAT)

4.9.4.10 Client server model

4.9.4.11 Thin- versus thick-client computing

4.10.1 Conceptual data models and entity relationship modelling

4.10.1.1 Database concepts

4.10.5 Client server databases

4.10.5.1 Client server databases

4.11 Big Data

4.11.1 Big Data

4.12 Fundamentals of functional programming

4.12.1 Functional programming paradigm

4.12.1.1 Function type

4.12.1.3 Function application

4.12.1.4 Partial function application

4.12.1.5 Composition of functions

4.12.3 Lists in functional programming

4.12.3.1 List processing

4.13 Systematic approach to problem solving

4.13.1 Aspects of software development

4.13.1.1 Analysis

4.13.1.2 Design

4.13.1.3 Implementation

4.13.1.5 Evaluation

4.14 Non-exam assessment - the computing practical project

4.14.1 Overview

4.14.1.1 Purpose of the project

4.14.1.2 Types of problem/investigation

4.14.5 Guide to non-exam assessment documentation

4.14.5.1 Analysis

4.14.5.2 Design

4.14.5.3 Technical solution

4.14.5.4 Testing

AO1 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the principles and concepts of computer science, including abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation.

AO2 Apply knowledge and understanding of the principles and concepts of computer science, including to analyse problems in computational terms.

AO3 Design, program and evaluate computer systems that solve problems, making reasoned judgements about these and presenting conclusions.

A-LEVEL Exam A-LEVEL Computer Science

A-LEVEL Computer Science

4 Subject content – A-level

4.1 Fundamentals of databases

4.1.1 Programming

4.1.1.2 Programming concepts

4.1.1.3 Arithmetic operations in a programming language

4.1.1.4 Relational operations in a programming language

4.1.1.5 Boolean operations in a programming language

4.1.1.8 Random number generation in a programming language

4.1.1.10 Subroutines (procedures/functions)

4.1.1.11 Parameters of subroutines

4.1.1.13 Local variables in subroutines

4.1.1.15 Role of stack frames in subroutine calls

4.1.1.16 Recursive techniques

4.1.2 Programming paradigms

4.1.2.1 Programming paradigms

4.2 Fundamentals of data structures

4.2.1 Data structures and abstract data types

4.2.1.1 Data structures

4.2.1.2 Single- and multi-dimensional arrays (or equivalent)

4.2.1.3 Fields, records and files

4.2.1.4 Abstract data types/data structures

4.2.3 Stacks

4.2.3.1 Stacks

4.2.4 Graphs

4.2.4.1 Graphs

4.2.5 Trees

4.2.5.1 Trees (including binary trees)

4.4.4.2 Maths for Big-O notation

4.4.4.3 Order of complexity

4.4.4.4 Limits of computation

4.4.4.5 Classification of algorithmic problems

4.4.4.6 Computable and non-computable problems

4.4.4.7 Halting problem

4.4.5 A model of computation

4.4.5.1 Turing machine

4.5 Fundamentals of data representation

4.5.1 Number systems

4.5.1.1 Natural numbers

4.5.1.2 Integer numbers

4.5.1.3 Rational numbers

4.5.1.4 Irrational numbers

4.5.1.5 Real numbers

4.5.1.6 Ordinal numbers

4.5.1.7 Counting and measurement

4.5.2 Number bases

4.5.2.1 Number base

4.5.3 Units of information

4.5.3.1 Bits and bytes

4.5.3.2 Units

4.5.4 Binary number system

4.5.4.1 Unsigned binary

4.5.4.2 Unsigned binary arithmetic

4.5.4.4 Numbers with a fractional part

4.5.4.7 Range and precision

4.5.4.9 Underflow and overflow

4.5.5 Information coding systems

4.5.5.1 Character form of a decimal digit

4.5.5.2 ASCII and Unicode

4.5.5.3 Error checking and correction

4.5.6 Representing images, sound and other data

4.5.6.1 Bit patterns, images, sound and other data

4.5.6.2 Analogue and digital

4.5.6.3 Analogue/digital conversion

4.5.6.4 Bitmapped graphics

4.5.6.5 Vector graphics

4.5.6.6 Vector graphics versus bitmapped graphics

4.5.6.7 Digital representation of sound

4.5.6.8 Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI)

4.5.6.9 Data compression

4.6 Fundamentals of computer systems

4.6.1 Hardware and software

4.6.1.1 Relationship between hardware and software

4.6.1.2 Classification of software

4.6.1.3 System software

4.6.1.4 Role of an operating system (OS)

4.6.2 Classification of programming languages

4.6.2.1 Classification of programming languages

4.6.4 Logic gates

4.6.4.1 Logic gates

4.6.5 Boolean algebra

4.6.5.1 Using Boolean algebra

4.7 Fundamentals of computer organisation and architecture

4.7.1 Internal hardware components of a computer

4.7.1.1 Internal hardware components of a computer

4.7.2 The stored program concept

4.7.2.1 The meaning of the stored program concept

4.7.3 Structure and role of the processor and its components

4.7.3.1 The processor and its components

4.7.3.2 The Fetch-Execute cycle and the role of registers within it

4.7.3.3 The processor instruction set

4.7.3.4 Addressing modes

4.7.3.5 Machine-code/assembly language operations

4.7.3.7 Factors affecting processor performance

4.7.4 External hardware devices

4.7.4.1 Input and output devices

4.7.4.2 Secondary storage devices

4.8 Consequences of uses of computing

4.8.1 Individual (moral), social (ethical), legal and cultural issues and opportunities

4.9 Fundamentals of communication and networking

4.9.1 Communication

4.9.1.1 Communication methods

4.9.1.2 Communication basics

4.9.2 Networking

4.9.2.1 Network topology

4.9.2.2 Types of networking between hosts

4.9.2.3 Wireless networking

4.9.3 The Internet

4.9.3.1 The Internet and how it works

4.9.3.2 Internet security

4.9.4 The Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) protocol

4.9.4.1 TCP/IP

4.9.4.2 Standard application layer protocols

4.9.4.3 IP address structure

4.9.4.4 Subnet masking

4.9.4.5 IP standards

4.9.4.6 Public and private IP addresses

4.9.4.7 Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)

4.9.4.8 Network Address Translation (NAT)

4.9.4.10 Client server model

4.9.4.11 Thin- versus thick-client computing

4.10.1 Conceptual data models and entity relationship modelling

4.10.1.1 Database concepts

4.10.5 Client server databases

4.10.5.1 Client server databases

4.11 Big Data

4.11.1 Big Data

4.12 Fundamentals of functional programming

4.12.1 Functional programming paradigm

4.12.1.1 Function type

4.12.1.3 Function application

4.12.1.4 Partial function application

4.12.1.5 Composition of functions

4.12.3 Lists in functional programming

4.12.3.1 List processing

4.13 Systematic approach to problem solving

4.13.1 Aspects of software development

4.13.1.1 Analysis

4.13.1.2 Design

4.13.1.3 Implementation

4.13.1.5 Evaluation

4.14 Non-exam assessment - the computing practical project

4.14.1 Overview

4.14.1.1 Purpose of the project

4.14.1.2 Types of problem/investigation

4.14.5 Guide to non-exam assessment documentation

4.14.5.1 Analysis

4.14.5.2 Design

4.14.5.3 Technical solution

4.14.5.4 Testing

AO1 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the principles and concepts of computer science, including abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation.

AO2 Apply knowledge and understanding of the principles and concepts of computer science, including to analyse problems in computational terms.

AO3 Design, program and evaluate computer systems that solve problems, making reasoned judgements about these and presenting conclusions.

4.9.1.1 Communication methods

4.9.1.2 Communication basics

4.9.2.1 Network topology

4.9.2.2 Types of networking between hosts

4.9.2.3 Wireless networking

4.9.3.1 The Internet and how it works

4.9.3.2 Internet security

4.9.4.1 TCP/IP

4.9.4.2 Standard application layer protocols

4.9.4.3 IP address structure

4.9.4.4 Subnet masking

4.9.4.5 IP standards

4.9.4.6 Public and private IP addresses

4.9.4.7 Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)

4.9.4.8 Network Address Translation (NAT)

4.9.4.10 Client server model

4.9.4.11 Thin- versus thick-client computing