GCSE COMPUT v
ERSCIENCE v
(8525)
Specification
ForvteachingvfromvSeptemberv2020vonwardsv
Forv GCSEv examsv inv 2022v onwards
Versionv 1.2v 29v Novemberv 2022
,
, AQAvGCSEvComputervSciencev8525.vGCSEvexamsvJunev2022vonwards.vVersionv1.2v29vNovemberv20
22
Contents
1 Introduction 5
1.1 WhyvchoosevAQAvforvGCSEvComputervScience 5
1.2 Supportvandvresourcesvtovhelpvyouvteach 5
2 Specification at a glance
v v v 7
2.1 Subjectvcontent 7
2.2 Assessments 7
3 Subject content
v 9
3.1 Fundamentalsvofvalgorithms 10
3.2 Programming 11
3.3 Fundamentalsvofvdatavrepresentation 18
3.4 Computervsystems 22
3.5 Fundamentalsvofvcomputervnetworks 27
3.6 Cybervsecurity 29
3.7 Relationalv databasesv andv structuredv queryv languagev(SQL)
31
3.8 Ethical,vlegalvandvenvironmentalvimpactsvofvdigitalvt
echnologyvonvwidervsociety,vincludingvissuesvof
privacy 33
4 Scheme of assessment
v v 35
4.1 Aimsvandvlearningvoutcomes 35
4.3vAssessmentvweightings 36
5 Programming skills v 37
5.1 Programmingvskillsvauthentication 37
5.2 Avoidingvmalpractice 37
6 General administration
v 39
6.1 Entriesvandvcodes 39
6.2 Overlapsvwithvothervqualifications 39
6.3 Awardingvgradesvandvreportingvresults 39
6.4 Resitsvandvshelfvlife 40
6.5 Previousvlearningvandvprerequisites 40
6.6 Accessvtovassessment:vdiversityvandvinclusion 40
6.7 WorkingvwithvAQAvforvthevfirstvtime 41
6.8 Privatevcandidates 41
Visitv forv thev mostv up-to-datev specification,v resources,v supportv andv administrationv 3
, Are you using the latest version of this specification?
v v v v v v v v
• Youvwillvalwaysvfindvthevmostvup-to-datevversionvofvthisvspecificationvonvourvwebsitevat
• Wevwillvwritevtovyouvifvtherevarevsignificantvchangesvtovthevspecification.
4v Visitv forv thev mostv up-to-datev specification,v resources,v supportv andv administration
ERSCIENCE v
(8525)
Specification
ForvteachingvfromvSeptemberv2020vonwardsv
Forv GCSEv examsv inv 2022v onwards
Versionv 1.2v 29v Novemberv 2022
,
, AQAvGCSEvComputervSciencev8525.vGCSEvexamsvJunev2022vonwards.vVersionv1.2v29vNovemberv20
22
Contents
1 Introduction 5
1.1 WhyvchoosevAQAvforvGCSEvComputervScience 5
1.2 Supportvandvresourcesvtovhelpvyouvteach 5
2 Specification at a glance
v v v 7
2.1 Subjectvcontent 7
2.2 Assessments 7
3 Subject content
v 9
3.1 Fundamentalsvofvalgorithms 10
3.2 Programming 11
3.3 Fundamentalsvofvdatavrepresentation 18
3.4 Computervsystems 22
3.5 Fundamentalsvofvcomputervnetworks 27
3.6 Cybervsecurity 29
3.7 Relationalv databasesv andv structuredv queryv languagev(SQL)
31
3.8 Ethical,vlegalvandvenvironmentalvimpactsvofvdigitalvt
echnologyvonvwidervsociety,vincludingvissuesvof
privacy 33
4 Scheme of assessment
v v 35
4.1 Aimsvandvlearningvoutcomes 35
4.3vAssessmentvweightings 36
5 Programming skills v 37
5.1 Programmingvskillsvauthentication 37
5.2 Avoidingvmalpractice 37
6 General administration
v 39
6.1 Entriesvandvcodes 39
6.2 Overlapsvwithvothervqualifications 39
6.3 Awardingvgradesvandvreportingvresults 39
6.4 Resitsvandvshelfvlife 40
6.5 Previousvlearningvandvprerequisites 40
6.6 Accessvtovassessment:vdiversityvandvinclusion 40
6.7 WorkingvwithvAQAvforvthevfirstvtime 41
6.8 Privatevcandidates 41
Visitv forv thev mostv up-to-datev specification,v resources,v supportv andv administrationv 3
, Are you using the latest version of this specification?
v v v v v v v v
• Youvwillvalwaysvfindvthevmostvup-to-datevversionvofvthisvspecificationvonvourvwebsitevat
• Wevwillvwritevtovyouvifvtherevarevsignificantvchangesvtovthevspecification.
4v Visitv forv thev mostv up-to-datev specification,v resources,v supportv andv administration
