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A-level Computer Science Study Group 2023-2024

:hello: Welcome to the A-level Computer Science Study Group! :hello:


This is where you can chat with other students studying the same subjects as you and support each other as you head towards your exams :grouphugs:

You can post any useful tips and resources that you come across, offer support to others, share your successes, or just have moan when it gets tough! :yes:

Just remember, it’s against the site rules to ask for or offer any copyrighted papers, or to take conversations off-site to do these things. Posts that break these rules will be removed.

A few possible ice breaker questions are:
What exam board are you with?
What do you enjoy most about this subject/ course?
What area do you struggle with in this subject/ course?

Good luck with the next few months. Remember, ask for help, support where you can and together we can do this! :yeah:
(edited 1 year ago)

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What exam board are you with?
AQA

What do you enjoy most about this subject/ course?
The programming is really fun imo

What area do you struggle with in this subject/ course?
The 'IT' aspect, like i really don't care about learning about how a laser printer works or how CDs are read / written to. I'll rather have some decision mathematics involved or anything involving a sneak-peak into CS at university.
Reply 2
I’m from scotland, studying SQA advanced higher computer science!!
I’m wondering how our courses are different?
60% practical project 40% exam. We get to choose our project, but it’s marked based on the concepts in the exam (UML, OOP, data structures. software and web/databases). We do like hexadecimal, adding binary, and lots of code. We have to memorise the python we learn & write solutions to problems with python in the exam. Obviously not the full difference but i’m wondering what it is!! Higher (AS level i think) was very easy. Advanced higher is a bit more difficult but idk if that’s just bc i have a boring teacher
Hey!

I'm in Year 2 of the OCR Computer Science A level (H446) and we're just beginning to work through our NEA at the moment.

My favourite side of the course is Networking. The part of the course that has presented the most positive challenges is Boolean Algebra.
Reply 4
Original post by mesub
Hey!

I'm in Year 2 of the OCR Computer Science A level (H446) and we're just beginning to work through our NEA at the moment.

My favourite side of the course is Networking. The part of the course that has presented the most positive challenges is Boolean Algebra.


Aw no! I love those topics but we don’t have them really. Do you do the maths of networking? I’ve done a little boolean algebra in a subject i have called engineering science. My NEA is a password manager with encryption
Hi, I’m in year 13! My exam board is OCR. Overall I really like the whole course and I’m applying to a computer science degree. My main struggle is making sure I meet deadlines with the project.
Original post by emkelt


Aw no! I love those topics but we don’t have them really. Do you do the maths of networking? I’ve done a little boolean algebra in a subject i have called engineering science. My NEA is a password manager with encryption


I'm really sorry, I thought I responded to this. 😭😭

We don't cover the maths of networking, we cover it at a high level (so packet switching vs circuit switching, TCP/IP at a high level and then WANs + LANs and networking hardware).
Reply 7
Greetings all, my son just started A' level Computer Science (AQA) and I was wondering what resources to get him.

He said his teacher hasn't recommended any textbooks. As he did not do GCSE Computer Science, this is new territory for him, however, he is ready to push himself to excel in this field. I would appreciate any pointers regarding uselful websites, resources, textbooks etc to help him get going. Thank you very much in anticipation of your help
Original post by Remlad
Greetings all, my son just started A' level Computer Science (AQA) and I was wondering what resources to get him.

He said his teacher hasn't recommended any textbooks. As he did not do GCSE Computer Science, this is new territory for him, however, he is ready to push himself to excel in this field. I would appreciate any pointers regarding uselful websites, resources, textbooks etc to help him get going. Thank you very much in anticipation of your help


Isaac computer science has loads of notes and practice questions. There will also be an AQA textbook (I’m in year 13 but do OCR so I’m not sure how good the AQA one is). It could be good to look at some of the GCSE level stuff as a stepping stone to the a level if he’s confused on anything. I hope this helps!
Reply 9
Original post by Izzy-06
Isaac computer science has loads of notes and practice questions. There will also be an AQA textbook (I’m in year 13 but do OCR so I’m not sure how good the AQA one is). It could be good to look at some of the GCSE level stuff as a stepping stone to the a level if he’s confused on anything. I hope this helps!

Thank you very much for your insights, Izzy-06. I am so grateful.
Reply 10
:hello: Welcome to the A-level Computer Science Study Group! :hello:


This is where you can chat with other students studying the same subjects as you and support each other as you head towards your exams :grouphugs:

You can post any useful tips and resources that you come across, offer support to others, share your successes, or just have moan when it gets tough! :yes:

Just remember, it’s against the site rules to ask for or offer any copyrighted papers, or to take conversations off-site to do these things. Posts that break these rules will be removed.

A few possible ice breaker questions are:
What exam board are you with?
What do you enjoy most about this subject/ course?
What area do you struggle with in this subject/ course?

Good luck with the next few months. Remember, ask for help, support where you can and together we can do this! :yeah:

Heyy,
What exam board are you with?
I am with AQA

What do you enjoy most about this subject/ course?
I just like how much my future options increase by studying this subject.

What area do you struggle with in this subject/ course?
I am not the best at coding. Or remembering the content because in exams they want such a specific answer.
:hello: Welcome to the A-level Computer Science Study Group! :hello:


This is where you can chat with other students studying the same subjects as you and support each other as you head towards your exams :grouphugs:

You can post any useful tips and resources that you come across, offer support to others, share your successes, or just have moan when it gets tough! :yes:

Just remember, it’s against the site rules to ask for or offer any copyrighted papers, or to take conversations off-site to do these things. Posts that break these rules will be removed.

A few possible ice breaker questions are:
What exam board are you with?
What do you enjoy most about this subject/ course?
What area do you struggle with in this subject/ course?

Good luck with the next few months. Remember, ask for help, support where you can and together we can do this! :yeah:

Hi, I'm a computer science student and wants to persue my masters from a well known university of UK, my cgpa is 3.5, any suggestions please?
Please don't post your numbers guys. It's against the rules and ultimately to protect you.
Hi I am in year 13 doing AQA Computer Science, and I have my mock on Tuesday... and the whole paper 1 will be the same as the 2023 paper 1 apart from the prelim, so can someone tell me the Section B question or any other questions they remember, from any mock they have done? I have read that the section B question is something to do with converting a string to ASCII. So if any of you have done a mock and had a coding question similar to this, please let me know
Reply 14
WJEC AS Level Computer Science here so I'm in year 12. Unit 1 Mock is in a few days and I'm using both WJEC and Eduqas past papers to help revise. If anyone else out there is with WJEC dm to discuss revision.
Original post by Izzy-06
Hi, I’m in year 13! My exam board is OCR. Overall I really like the whole course and I’m applying to a computer science degree. My main struggle is making sure I meet deadlines with the project.

How do you study for computer science? i'm so lostttt
Reply 16
Original post by user3547368

How do you study for computer science? i'm so lostttt


My main method is just past paper questions. At the moment I’ll use the textbook alongside the questions if I’m not sure how to answer. If you find YouTube videos helpful then look at CraigandDave, I’m not a huge fan of them but they do cover the information well.
Reply 17
Original post by Izzy-06
My main method is just past paper questions. At the moment I’ll use the textbook alongside the questions if I’m not sure how to answer. If you find YouTube videos helpful then look at CraigandDave, I’m not a huge fan of them but they do cover the information well.

https://hwb.gov.wales/repository/resource/120f02d0-cd6c-4e0f-ba93-8cda83d6aaf0/overview
Hwb is made by the welsh government and has videos detailing many things on the spec, not sure if it is fully complete, some of the narrators are AI voices but it has quite a bit of info - great for making notes.

https://www.youtube.com/@JBCS/playlists
This youtuber I believe is a teacher from Manchester who teaches Eduqas A Level Computer Science, he has video playlists on a bunch of topics and they're all the same information as WJEC as Eduqas is the English equivalent.

I also do revision sessions with my classmates going through past papers because it helps me revise and articulate what I already know in a more understandable fashion.

DM me if you want some more resources or to join in on the revision sessions. If a bunch of students all over the country piled in the resources then we could all become more skilled Computer Scientists. As a result becoming more attractive to employers and more equipped to compete with international competition in the tech market.
Original post by ShRey2587
Hi I am in year 13 doing AQA Computer Science, and I have my mock on Tuesday... and the whole paper 1 will be the same as the 2023 paper 1 apart from the prelim, so can someone tell me the Section B question or any other questions they remember, from any mock they have done? I have read that the section B question is something to do with converting a string to ASCII. So if any of you have done a mock and had a coding question similar to this, please let me know
Hey I hope you are doing well with your course. If you have done your mock exam and have access to the papers and answers can you send them to me so I can practice myself.
Reply 19
Hello guys
I'm doing Computer Science A Level(Subject code: 9608)
Paper 2 is written programming and Paper 4 is programming on Visual Basic/Java/Python.
I would like to have some tips and help so as to master the Programming part and get my A+ in the subject.
Thanks.

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