Key stage 4 Computer Science

Content Overview

A high-quality computing education equips pupils to use computational thinking and creativity to understand and change the world. Computing has deep links with mathematics, Science and design and Technology, and provides insights into both natural and artificial systems.

Computing equips pupils to use information technology to create programs, systems, and a range of content. It also ensures that pupils become digitally literate.

The national curriculum for computing aims to ensure that all pupils:

  • Can understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science including abstraction, logic, algorithms, and data representation.
  • Can analyse problems in computational terms and have repeated practical experience of writing computer programs to solve such problems.
  • Can evaluate and apply information technology, including new or unfamiliar technologies, analytically to solve problems.
  • Are responsible, competent, confident, and creative users of information technology and communication technology.

The following content is covered.

Topic 1:

Computational Thinking

  • Decomposition and abstraction
  • Algorithms
  • Truth tables

Topic 3:

Computers

  • Hardware
  • Software
  • Programming languages

Topic 5:

Issues and Impact

  • Environmental
  • Ethical and legal
  • Cybersecurity

Topic 2:

Data

  • Binary
  • Data representation
  • Data storage and compression

Topic 4:

Networks

  • Networks
  • Network security

Topic 6:

Problem solving and programming

  • Develop code
  • Constructs
  • Data types and structures
  • Inputs/outputs
  • Operators
  • Subprograms