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A-Level Computer Science Study Group 2024-25

Welcome to the A-Level Computer Science Study Group!
:call::clip::cyber::flip::noonoo::pcguru::rock:

This thread is a place you can connect with fellow students who are also studying Computer Science at A-Level. Here we offer a space to support each other support as you prepare for your exams/coursework.

Feel free to share any helpful tips, resources, or advice you find along the way, and share any questions you have about the subject.

Help encourage others, celebrate your achievements, or simply vent when things get a bit overwhelming!

Lil serious note - just a reminder please be aware that sharing or requesting copyrighted materials is against our community guidelines, and moving conversations off-site for this purpose is not allowed. Posts violating these rules will be taken down.


To get started, here are a few questions to break the ice:

Which exam board are you following?

What do you enjoy the most about this subject or course?

What topics within A-Level Computer Science do you find most challenging/interesting?

Reply 1

Hii thanks for setting up this thread! I'm doing OCR and I'm honestly not a fan of the subject, I kinda wish I'd done something like Spanish instead but it's too late to back out now!! I don't find anything particularly challenging (maybe the project, but that's just because I've fallen behind and keep procrastinating), I just kinda think the content is boring.

Reply 2

anyone doing aqa and very annoyed about the extremely long variable names in the skeleton code

Reply 3

Original post
by scar-the-queen
Hii thanks for setting up this thread! I'm doing OCR and I'm honestly not a fan of the subject, I kinda wish I'd done something like Spanish instead but it's too late to back out now!! I don't find anything particularly challenging (maybe the project, but that's just because I've fallen behind and keep procrastinating), I just kinda think the content is boring.


Sorry to hear it's a bit dull and doesn't feel like a challenge. Is there any aspect of it that does interest you/that you like? :cyber:

Reply 4

Original post
by Blinkr
Sorry to hear it's a bit dull and doesn't feel like a challenge. Is there any aspect of it that does interest you/that you like? :cyber:

We've just started doing HTML and I quite like doing that! :yep:

Reply 5

heyy everyone. i mostly like CS but it's a challenge since i have never programmed before the course. i would say i'm at an okay programming level right now and the most interesting thing i've done is OOP

Reply 6

Original post
by scar-the-queen
We've just started doing HTML and I quite like doing that! :yep:


Oh very cool, I have a vague remember of learning a bit back in dinosaur times when I was on Tumblr haha :giggle: it's a really useful one to know!

Reply 7

Original post
by Blinkr
Sorry to hear it's a bit dull and doesn't feel like a challenge. Is there any aspect of it that does interest you/that you like? :cyber:

I'm soooo happy we didnt have to deal with all the raasclart text files as the 2024 cohort did 🙂 😆 😆 X D!!!!

soooo looking forward to some data string manipulation ZOMG

Reply 8

Hello everyone. I do OCR A-level computer science so feel free to ask any questions to me. Any advice regarding NEA project and admissions to top universities like Cambridge and Imperial would be really helpful to me. Thank you.

Reply 9

CS Master on the App Store for OCR A-Level Computer Science. iPhone only for now.

Reply 10

Original post
by Blinkr
Welcome to the A-Level Computer Science Study Group!
:call::clip::cyber::flip::noonoo::pcguru::rock:

This thread is a place you can connect with fellow students who are also studying Computer Science at A-Level. Here we offer a space to support each other support as you prepare for your exams/coursework.
Feel free to share any helpful tips, resources, or advice you find along the way, and share any questions you have about the subject.
Help encourage others, celebrate your achievements, or simply vent when things get a bit overwhelming!
Lil serious note - just a reminder please be aware that sharing or requesting copyrighted materials is against our community guidelines, and moving conversations off-site for this purpose is not allowed. Posts violating these rules will be taken down.
To get started, here are a few questions to break the ice:

Which exam board are you following?

What do you enjoy the most about this subject or course?

What topics within A-Level Computer Science do you find most challenging/interesting?


could anyone in this group check out my post on my situation regarding alevel cs. it would really help if i could get some tips because i feel, well ik that im really behind.

Reply 11

Original post
by probably_sane
anyone doing aqa and very annoyed about the extremely long variable names in the skeleton code

Same honestly. I cba with the pre release because it is SO boring and dry but I actually have to revise it :/

Reply 12

Hi there! I do OCR at A-level and do two written papers worth 140 marks each and a programming project worth 70 marks giving a total of 350 marks. So far, in Year AS I am at grade B even though my predicted is only grade D (I wanna try and get an A or A*). I enjoy A-level Computer Science quite a lot and do it alongside Pearson's BTEC National Extended Certificate in Information Technology which is similar content wise to Computer Science although does not contain as much programming as Computer Science and units (I only do units 1, 2, 3 and 6 meanwhile we use PGOnline which has 12 units for OCR which honestly I like for Computer Science). I also Pearson Edexcel A Level Music Technology which in my opinion complements Computer Science quite well as I don't learn as much as the AQA spec and this kinda clears up any gaps in my knowledge (mainly we learn about sample rates, bit depth, MIDI, lossy compression and other bits not really covered by the OCR spec). If I was to say what my favourite topic in Computer Science mainly is, I would have to mainly say databases because I have already learnt it more than once (I have to learn it three times throughout the 2 years) and I got a distinction on my Unit 2 exams for IT. I would also argue though that I really like mainly the Component 1 topics more than the Component 2 topics, although I've noticed I've gotten stronger in the Component 2 topics recently.

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