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Curriculum

Explore the main topics for GCSE, IGCSE and A level by exam board, or choose England, Scotland or Wales under KS3 to explore your national curriculum.

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A clear route through Computer Science

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Curriculum topics

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England · National Curriculum — Computing

England · Key stage 3 · Years 7–9

Computational thinking, algorithms and logical reasoning
Programming in at least two languages, including one text-based language
Data structures, procedures and functions
Boolean logic, binary numbers and digital data
Computer hardware, software and communication
Creative projects, data analysis and digital applications
Digital content: design, usability and trustworthiness
Safe, respectful and responsible technology use, privacy and reporting concerns

Official curriculum

Scotland · Curriculum for Excellence — Computing Science

Scotland · Broad General Education · Third and Fourth levels

Computational thinking and problem solving
Algorithms, programming and logical reasoning
Designing, building and testing computing solutions
Data representation and information systems
Computer systems, hardware and software
Networks and communication

Official curriculum

Wales · Curriculum for Wales — Science and Technology, including Computing

Wales · Computing within Science and Technology · Progression suited to the learner

Computational thinking, decomposition and algorithms
Programming, testing and debugging
Data structures, storage and data analysis
Physical computing, sensors and actuators
User interaction and digital design
Networks, communication and data security

Official curriculum

AQA Computer Science · GCSE · 8525

Algorithms and programming
Data representation
Computer systems and Boolean logic
Computer networks
Cyber security
Relational databases and SQL
Ethics, legislation, environmental impacts and privacy

Official specification

OCR Computer Science · GCSE · J277

Computer architecture, memory and storage
Networks, connections and security
Operating systems and utility software
Ethical, legal, cultural and environmental impacts
Algorithms and computational thinking
Programming, testing and robust code
Boolean logic, programming languages and development tools

Official specification

Pearson Edexcel Computer Science · GCSE · 1CP2

Computational thinking, algorithms and logic
Binary, data representation and compression
Computer hardware, software and languages
Networks and network security
Emerging technologies and computing's impacts
Problem solving with practical Python programming

Official specification

WJEC Eduqas Computer Science · GCSE · C500QS

Hardware, architecture and storage
Boolean logic and data representation
Software and programming languages
Networks and cyber security
Algorithms, programming and testing
Ethical, legal and environmental impacts

Official specification

Cambridge International Computer Science · IGCSE · 0478 / 0984

Data representation and transmission
Computer hardware and software
The internet and cyber security
Automation, robotics and artificial intelligence
Algorithm design and problem solving
Programming and file handling
Databases and Boolean logic

Official specification

Pearson Edexcel Computer Science · International GCSE · 4CP0

Problem solving and algorithms
Programming
Data representation and storage
Computer hardware and software
Communication, networks and the internet
Ethics, environmental impacts and emerging technologies

Official specification

AQA Computer Science · A-level · 7517

Programming, data structures and algorithms
Theory of computation
Data representation and computer architecture
Communication and networking
Databases and Big Data
Functional programming
Computing's impacts and systematic problem solving
Independent computing project

Official specification

Cambridge International Computer Science · AS & A-level · 9618

Data representation and communication
Hardware, processors and system software
Security, privacy, integrity and ethics
Databases and SQL
Algorithms, data structures and recursion
Programming and software development
Artificial intelligence and virtual machines
Advanced programming and practical problem solving

Official specification

OCR Computer Science · A-level · H446

Processors, computer systems and software
Data exchange, networks and databases
Data types, data structures and Boolean algebra
Computational thinking and algorithms
Programming and software development
Legal, moral, cultural and ethical issues
Independent programming project

Official specification

WJEC Eduqas Computer Science · A level · A500QS

Data structures, algorithms and logical operations
Programming and software development
Computer architecture and operating systems
Data representation, databases and distributed systems
Networks and data security
Ethical, legal and environmental impacts
Independent programming project

Official specification