GCSE COMPUTER SCIENCE (9–1): PAST
PAPER 2: APPLICATION OF
COMPUTATIONAL THINKING. ALL
ASSESSMENT & MARK SCHEME
ACTUAL EXAM PAPER 2026 QUESTIONS
WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
◍ What must students do when retaking the qualification?.
Answer: They must retake all examined components.
◍ What is the aim of the GCSE (9-1) Computer Science qualification?.
Answer: To provide a flexible computing curriculum that meets diverse
student needs.
◍ What must be submitted to OCR by the specified deadline for estimated
entries?.
Answer: Your best projection of the number of students who will be entered
for a qualification.
◍ What is the assessment type for Computational thinking, algorithms and
programming?.
Answer: External assessment
◍ What is the purpose of the 'return' statement in a function?.
Answer: To send a value back to the caller of the function.
◍ What is a flowchart?.
Answer: A flowchart is a diagram that represents a process or algorithm
using symbols and arrows to show the flow of control.
,◍ What is meant by 'Review of results'?.
Answer: A service that allows centres to submit a review if they are not
satisfied with a student's results.
◍ What happens if final entries are not submitted by the deadline?.
Answer: Late entry fees will apply.
◍ What does 'MOD' represent in programming?.
Answer: The modulo operation, which gives the remainder of a division.
◍ What is the significance of the black line in the margin of the specification?.
Answer: It indicates where an update has been made based on feedback.
◍ What is the purpose of the Facebook community for teachers?.
Answer: To connect and share resources related to the GCSE (9-1)
Computer Science.
◍ What is a syntax error?.
Answer: An error that occurs when the code violates the grammatical rules
of the programming language.
◍ What is the significance of the 'most significant bit' in binary?.
Answer: It is the leftmost bit in a binary number, representing the highest
value.
◍ What is the purpose of ROM in a computer system?.
Answer: To store firmware and essential instructions for booting the
computer.
◍ Why might a computer need virtual memory?.
Answer: To extend the available memory by using a portion of the hard
drive when RAM is full.
◍ What will be recorded on an OCR certificate?.
Answer: The qualification title as 'OCR Level 1/Level 2 GCSE (9-1) in
Computer Science'.
◍ What ethical issues are associated with digital technology?.
, Answer: Ethical issues include privacy concerns, data security, and the
impact of technology on society.
◍ What is the significance of the updates summarized in the specification?.
Answer: To meet Ofqual requirements and provide additional support and
clarity based on feedback.
◍ What is the contact number for the Computer Science Subject Advisors?.
Answer: 01223 553998.
◍ What was the feedback regarding the appendices in the J276 specification?.
Answer: Teachers preferred relevant information to be included within the
main content.
◍ What is cache memory?.
Answer: A small amount of high-speed memory located inside or close to
the CPU to speed up data access.
◍ What is the weight of each component in the total marks for the GCSE?.
Answer: Each component is worth 80 marks, representing 50% of the total
marks.
◍ What type of questions are included in the examination?.
Answer: Short and medium answer questions, including one 8-mark
extended response question.
◍ What is an Integrated Development Environment (IDE)?.
Answer: A software application that provides comprehensive facilities to
programmers for software development, including code editors, debuggers,
and build automation tools.
◍ What is bubble sort?.
Answer: A standard sorting algorithm that repeatedly steps through the list,
compares adjacent elements, and swaps them if they are in the wrong order.
◍ What are SQL commands used for?.
Answer: To manage and manipulate databases, including commands like
SELECT, FROM, and WHERE.
PAPER 2: APPLICATION OF
COMPUTATIONAL THINKING. ALL
ASSESSMENT & MARK SCHEME
ACTUAL EXAM PAPER 2026 QUESTIONS
WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
◍ What must students do when retaking the qualification?.
Answer: They must retake all examined components.
◍ What is the aim of the GCSE (9-1) Computer Science qualification?.
Answer: To provide a flexible computing curriculum that meets diverse
student needs.
◍ What must be submitted to OCR by the specified deadline for estimated
entries?.
Answer: Your best projection of the number of students who will be entered
for a qualification.
◍ What is the assessment type for Computational thinking, algorithms and
programming?.
Answer: External assessment
◍ What is the purpose of the 'return' statement in a function?.
Answer: To send a value back to the caller of the function.
◍ What is a flowchart?.
Answer: A flowchart is a diagram that represents a process or algorithm
using symbols and arrows to show the flow of control.
,◍ What is meant by 'Review of results'?.
Answer: A service that allows centres to submit a review if they are not
satisfied with a student's results.
◍ What happens if final entries are not submitted by the deadline?.
Answer: Late entry fees will apply.
◍ What does 'MOD' represent in programming?.
Answer: The modulo operation, which gives the remainder of a division.
◍ What is the significance of the black line in the margin of the specification?.
Answer: It indicates where an update has been made based on feedback.
◍ What is the purpose of the Facebook community for teachers?.
Answer: To connect and share resources related to the GCSE (9-1)
Computer Science.
◍ What is a syntax error?.
Answer: An error that occurs when the code violates the grammatical rules
of the programming language.
◍ What is the significance of the 'most significant bit' in binary?.
Answer: It is the leftmost bit in a binary number, representing the highest
value.
◍ What is the purpose of ROM in a computer system?.
Answer: To store firmware and essential instructions for booting the
computer.
◍ Why might a computer need virtual memory?.
Answer: To extend the available memory by using a portion of the hard
drive when RAM is full.
◍ What will be recorded on an OCR certificate?.
Answer: The qualification title as 'OCR Level 1/Level 2 GCSE (9-1) in
Computer Science'.
◍ What ethical issues are associated with digital technology?.
, Answer: Ethical issues include privacy concerns, data security, and the
impact of technology on society.
◍ What is the significance of the updates summarized in the specification?.
Answer: To meet Ofqual requirements and provide additional support and
clarity based on feedback.
◍ What is the contact number for the Computer Science Subject Advisors?.
Answer: 01223 553998.
◍ What was the feedback regarding the appendices in the J276 specification?.
Answer: Teachers preferred relevant information to be included within the
main content.
◍ What is cache memory?.
Answer: A small amount of high-speed memory located inside or close to
the CPU to speed up data access.
◍ What is the weight of each component in the total marks for the GCSE?.
Answer: Each component is worth 80 marks, representing 50% of the total
marks.
◍ What type of questions are included in the examination?.
Answer: Short and medium answer questions, including one 8-mark
extended response question.
◍ What is an Integrated Development Environment (IDE)?.
Answer: A software application that provides comprehensive facilities to
programmers for software development, including code editors, debuggers,
and build automation tools.
◍ What is bubble sort?.
Answer: A standard sorting algorithm that repeatedly steps through the list,
compares adjacent elements, and swaps them if they are in the wrong order.
◍ What are SQL commands used for?.
Answer: To manage and manipulate databases, including commands like
SELECT, FROM, and WHERE.
