Computer Science AQA A Level

Applications Open: 3rd November 2025

Applications Close: 23rd March 2026

Entry Requirements: an overall GCSE points score of at least 50 (including grade 4 or higher in both Mathematics and English Language) is required to enrol. You also need to qualify for each of the subjects (minimum 3) you wish to take - a GCSE grade 6 or higher (7 or higher for Mathematics and Music) is required. See our prospectus for full details.

How to Apply: - Please apply via KentChoices

Computer Science is a subject that impacts on our daily lives and has transformed society in the last 60 years. However very few people truly understand how this has happened.

The department offers a course that is an ideal complement qualification for students who wish to go on to higher education courses or employment where knowledge of Computing would be beneficial.

With its emphasis on general problem solving, algorithmic reasoning, scientific and engineering-based thinking, it is a good foundation for further study and offers students the opportunity to work in many of the projects being offered by the school. Also it gives you the chance to think about your future career from a more technological and data-driven perspective.

In Year 12, the students cover the syllabus in a very practical manner, which allows them many more opportunities to develop their understanding of the subject. This approach means that they are able to create a piece of coursework in Year 13, which is innovative and exciting to develop.

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. The study of computation is about what can be computed and how to compute it.

Paper 1

• 40 % of A Level

• 2.5 hours onscreen practical examination.

• Skeleton program is given to student before the examination, which is used to answer short questions and to write a program in the examination.

Paper 2

• 40 % of A Level

• 2.5 hours written examination.

• Compulsory short-answer and extended-answer questions.

Non- exam assessment

• 20 % of A Level

• The non-exam assessment assesses students’ ability to use the knowledge and skills gained through the course to solve or investigate a practical problem.

Grade 6 in GCSE Computer Science and Grade 6 in Maths are required.

Please note that applicants must also meet our overall entry requirements of scoring at least a total of 50 points (simply add up all your GCSE grades) and achieving a Grade 4 or higher in both English Language and Mathematics.