A-level Computer Science revision
Every topic in the course and where it sits in each board's specification. Choose your board for its own topic list, official links and summer 2027 exam dates.
Choose your exam board
| Topic | AQA | OCR | Notes and tools |
|---|---|---|---|
| Programming techniques | 4.1.1.9 to 4.1.1.16, 4.2.7, 4.2.8, 4.5.1 | 2.2.1 | |
| Object-oriented programming | 4.1.2.3 | 1.2.4 (object-oriented languages) | |
| Data structures | 4.2.1 to 4.2.6, 4.3.1 to 4.3.3 | 1.4.2 and 2.3.1 | |
| Algorithms | 4.3.2, 4.3.4 to 4.3.6, 4.4.1 (problem solving) | 2.1, 2.2.2, 2.3.1 | |
| Theory of computation | 4.4.1 to 4.4.5 | 2.1 (computational thinking), 2.3.1 (Big-O), 1.4.3 (BNF and sets where taught) | |
| Number representation | 4.5.4 to 4.5.6 (fixed and floating point, error checking, Vernam, analogue and digital, media) | 1.4.1 (data types: floating point, bitwise manipulation, sign and magnitude), 1.3.1 (compression and encryption) | |
| Boolean algebra and logic circuits | 4.6.4 and 4.6.5 | 1.4.3 | |
| Systems software and software development | 4.6.1 to 4.6.3, 4.13 | 1.2.1 to 1.2.3 | |
| Processors and assembly language | 4.7.1 to 4.7.4 | 1.1.1 to 1.1.3, 1.2.1 (c) interrupts, 1.2.4 (c) and (d) assembly and addressing modes | |
| Consequences of computing and Big Data | 4.8, 4.11 | 1.5 | |
| Communication and networking | 4.9.1 to 4.9.4 | 1.3.1 (c) and (d), 1.3.3, 1.3.4 | |
| Databases and SQL | 4.10.1 to 4.10.5, 4.11 (introduction) | 1.3.2 (including flat files, secondary keys, indexing and data exchange) | |
| Functional programming | 4.12.1 to 4.12.3 | 1.2.4 (programming paradigms) | |
| The programming project (NEA) | 4.14 (non-exam assessment) | Component 03/04 (programming project) | |
| AQA A-level Computer Science (7517) mock exam | Paper 2 and the theory of Paper 1: 4.1 to 4.13 | ||
| OCR A-level Computer Science (H446) mock exam | Components 01 and 02: 1.1 to 2.3 |
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Brainlag is not affiliated with or endorsed by any exam board. Specification codes and references are only here to help you find your topics.