Computer Science

Have you ever played a game and wanted to know how it worked?

Have you ever wondered what’s inside a PC and what it does?

Have you got a great idea for an app and need to know how to create it?

If so, then Computing is for you. In this course, you will learn how to write code and understand computers and their role in society.

Computer Science will encourage students to:

• understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of Computer Science, including abstraction, decomposition, logic, algorithms, and data representation

• analyse problems in computational terms through practical experience in solving such problems, including designing, writing and debugging programs

• think creatively, innovatively, analytically, logically and critically

• understand the components that make up digital systems and how they communicate with one another and with other systems

• understand the impacts of digital technology on the individual and to wider society

• apply mathematical skills relevant to Computer Science.

Computer systems and programming – the hardware, software and interfaces that make-up computers, networking and storage, how computers think and count, how to construct a program and code solutions. The theory element of this course will show you how computers work and what’s going on behind the scenes when you’re using them.

There is also a big focus on the practical side of computing too. There are two units – the first requires you to investigate and test existing applications showing you understand how they work. The second requires you to actually write programs to solve specific tasks.

Curiosity and a logical mind will help! You need to be organised and prepared to take risks and learn independently. Good ICT skills are important, as is the ability to research topics and present them clearly.

Systems architecture
Memory and storage
Computer networks, connections and protocols
Ethical, legal, cultural and environmental concerns
Python Programming

Programming fundamentals
Algorithms
Boolean logic
Python Programming