Computer Science A Level OCR

Applications Open – 3rd November 2025

Applications Close – 31st July 2026

Entry Requirements –We do have entry recommendations for some courses, especially A-levels, as we would not want you to start a course that would not be suitable for you. We want to give you the best chance of future success.

The course programmes are flexible: students can mix Level 3 courses with Level 2 courses, or A-levels with BTECs. We provide impartial advice and guidance and seek to put you on the courses you want and are likely to be successful in.

Students are expected to study up to 3 A level equivalent subjects (this can be from either A levels and/or Level 3 BTEC subjects) building their own personalised combination of Level 3 subjects OR a full time Level 2 course.

The sixth form runs on a flexible timetable with some courses running until 6.00pm. This flexibility means we can offer as much as possible, to as many as possible, as often as possible.

How to Apply – Please apply via Kent Choices.

View our courses here

This specification has been designed for students who wish to go on to higher education courses or employment where knowledge of computing would be beneficial. One can study computing and go on to a career in medicine, law, business, politics or any type of science.

The course is not about learning to use tools or just training in a programming language. Instead the emphasis is on computational thinking. Computational thinking is a kind of reasoning used by both humans and machines. Thinking computationally is an important life skill.

Computational thinking will be at the core of the new specifications.

01 COMPUTING PRINCIPLES

This component will cover the characteristics of contemporary systems architecture and other areas, including the following:

• The characteristics of contemporary processors, input, output and storage devices

• Software and software development

• Programming

• Exchanging data

• Data types, data structures and algorithms

• Legal, moral, ethical and cultural issues

02 ALGORITHMS AND PROGRAMMING

• Elements of computational thinking

• Programming and problem solving

• Pattern recognition, abstraction and decomposition

• Algorithm design and efficiency

• Standard algorithms

The A Level will consist of three components, two of which will be externally marked question papers making up 80% of the qualification. The other 20% will be the coursework project, which will retain its current qualities but will be more focused, with a greater emphasis on coding and programming with a simple assessment model and marking criteria.

We would recommend grade 6 at GCSE in computing and a grade 6 in mathematics, and at least a grade 5 in English Language.

This specification has been designed for students who wish to go on to higher education courses or employment where knowledge of computing would be beneficial. One can study computing and go on to a career in medicine, law, business, engineering or any type of science.