Content

Primary Storage

Secondary Storage

Units of Storage

Data Storage

Characters

Number Systems

Images

Sound

File Handling

Sub-Programs

Key Terminology and Skills

Programming:

String, Integer, Float, Variable, Constant, Assignment,
print, input, output, function, concatenation

Number conversions between bases

Programming Skills – logical comparisons, gates and data types

Image representation and storage

Sound representation and storage

Programming:

Video tutorials available for students on all aspects of string manipulation

Lossy and lossless Compression:

Comparisons and experience

Programming practice and demonstrations:

Tutorials available for all key skills as well as differentiated tasks.

Networks and topologies:

Advantages and disadvantages as well as practical uses.

Programming:

Sequence, selection and iteration to solve problems.

Programming:

Skills all taught through interactive tutorials on firefly as well as in person demonstrations with 1 to 1 support during lesson as needed.

Students will support each other in their project. A great opportunity to put their programming knowledge into practice.

Firefly Links*

Assessments

Key questions on firefly within each section. These are linked to past paper questions and required knowledge.

Students complete revision tasks during lesson time. Every section on Firefly has “revision tests” that students can use to self assess their progress. Teacher support helps to ensure that all students meet their objectives.

Students regularly make use of past paper questions which are worked-through in groups. All firefly sections have past paper questions embedded as well as mark schemes.

Content

Protocols and Layers

Network Security

Python project: Dice roller & Challenges

Systems Architecture 

CPU performance

Embedded Systems

Network Security

Python project: Guess the number game

Systems Software and Operating systems

Utility Software

Ethical, Legal and Environmental impacts

Python project: Story generator

Computational thinking

Designing, creating and refining algorithms

Key Terminology and Skills

Protocols and Layers:

TCP/IP, HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, POP, IMAP and SMTP.

Network Security:

Malware, DDOS, Policies, Data Interception, Phishing, SQL injection and Brute Force Attacks

Programming Project:

Programming libraries
Casting
Iteration (While Loops)

Systems Architecture:

Registers, CPU Components, CPU Units

CPU Performance:

Speed, Cache and Memory

Network Security

Programming Project:

Randomisation

Converting between data types

Nested selection and iteration

Logical comparisons

Operating Systems:

UI, Memory Management, Multitasking, User Management and File Management.

Utility Software:

Encryption, Defragmentation, Compression and Backups.

Ethical, Legal and Environmental impacts:

Open Source, Proprietary, Closed Source, Legislation (domestic and global), Privacy and Cultural Issues.

Programming Project:

Variable naming conventions, Lists, Arrays, Data Structures

Computational Thinking:

Abstraction, Decomposition and Algorithmic Thinking.

Designing, Creating and Refining Algorithms:

Inputs, Outputs, Trace Tables and Flowcharts and Pseudocode.

Firefly Links*

Assessments

Key questions on firefly within each section. These are linked to past paper questions and required knowledge.

Students complete revision tasks during lesson time. Every section on Firefly has “revision tests” that students can use to self assess their progress. Teacher support helps to ensure that all students meet their objectives.

Students regularly make use of past paper questions which are worked-through in groups. All firefly sections have past paper questions embedded as well as mark schemes.

Content

Searching and Sorting Algorithms 

Programming Fundamentals - recap

Databases

Programming Project

Boolean Logic

Programming Languages

Integrated Development Environments

Revision for final exams.

Key Terminology and Skills

Searching and Sorting Algorithms:

Binary Search, Linear search. Bubble Sort, Merge Sort and Insertion Sort

Programming Fundamentals:

Sequence, selection and iteration.
Variables, constants, operators, inputs, outputs and assignments. 
Data types and casting.
String manipulation.
File management

Databases:

SQL for searching: SELECT, FROM and WHERE.

Programming Project:

A student-led project which provides another opportunity to put all previous skills into practice. This activity is particularly beneficial for Paper 2.

Boolean Logic

Logic Gates and Truth Tables

Programming Languages:

High and Low level languages. Translators and Interpreters.

IDE:

Editors, Error Diagnostics, Run-Time Environment

Past Paper Practice:

Regular practice of past papers during lesson with these being set as homework tasks to support students with their revision.

Class Based Revision:

Priorities for revision topics will be determined after careful review of student performance across all topics throughout the course as well as mock results. Students will colour code their confidence levels with each topic and this will also inform topics chosen.

Firefly Links*

Assessments

Key questions on firefly within each section. These are linked to past paper questions and required knowledge.

Students complete revision tasks during lesson time. Every section on Firefly has “revision tests” that students can use to self assess their progress. Teacher support helps to ensure that all students meet their objectives.

Students regularly make use of past paper questions which are worked-through in groups. All firefly sections have past paper questions embedded as well as mark schemes.

Content

1.1.1 Structure and Function of the Processor

1.1.2 Types of Processor

1.1.3 Input, Output and Storage

1.2.1 Systems Software

2.1.2 Thinking Ahead

2.1.2 Computational Methods

1.2.1 Systems Software

1.2.2 Applications Generation

2.1.2 Thinking Ahead

1.2.3 Software Development

1.2.4 Types of Programming Languages

1.4.1 Data Types

1.4.2 Data Structures

2.2.1 Programming Techniques

1.3.4 Web Technologies

1.3.1 Compression, Encryption and Hashing

1.3.2 Databases

2.2.2 Computational Methods

1.3.3 Networks

1.3.3 Networks

1.3.4 Web Technologies

2.1.1 Thinking Abstractly

2.2.2 Computational Methods

2.2.2 Computational Methods

2.1.2 Thinking Ahead

1.2.4 Types of Programming Language

2.3.1 Algorithms

1.4.2 Data Structures

Key Terminology and Skills

ALU, CU, Busses, Registers, FDE, CPU Performance, Caching, CPU Architectures, CISC, RISC, Pipelining, GPU, Multicore and Parallel, IO, Storage, Virtual Storage, RAM and ROM, BIOS, Virtual Memory, Memory Management

Application Software, Nature of Applications, Utility Software, UI, OS, Scheduling, Interrupts, ISR, Device Drivers, Virtual Machine, Open and Closed Source, Translators, Libraries, Reusable components, Linkers, Loaders

Development Methodologies, Programming Languages, Procedural Languages, LMC and Assembly, Addressing Memory, Data Types, Arrays, Lists, Tuples, Records, UNICODE, ASCII, Hash Tables, Programming Constructs, Functions and Procedures, Parameter Passing, Global and Local Variables, Recursion, Debugging, IDE, Algorithms, HTML, CSS, JavaScript

Lossy vs Lossless;
Run Length and Dictionary Encoding
Symmetric and Asymmetric Encryption
Hashing
Database Fundamentals
Structured Query Language
DB Normalisation
Referential Integrity
Transaction Processing
Managing data in a Database
Performance Modelling
Network Characteristics
Protocols and Standards
Network Hardware

Client Server;
Client/ Server Side Processing
Peer to Peer
LAN
WAN
TCP/IP Stack
DNS
Packet and Circuit Switching
Network Security and Threats
Firewalls - Proxies and Encryption
Search Engine Indexing
Page Rank Algorithm
Nature of Abstraction and the need for Abstraction
Abstraction and Reality
Use of Abstraction
Devise an Abstract Model
Computationally Solvable Problems

Problem Recognition
Determining Preconditions
Problem Decomposition
Identify Inputs and Outputs
Classes - Objects - Methods and Attributes
Encapsulation
Inheritance
Polymorphism
Linked Lists
Stack and Queue
Graphs
Trees
Visualisation

Firefly Links*

Assessments

After learning new theory content, students make their own notes before answering questions using our bespoke knowledge checking website.  They have access to supporting videos as well as knowledge organisers.

During each lesson, students have access to past paper questions for each topic. Time is allocated to answering these and the creation of model answers. The mark schemes are available to support and check responses.

Content

1.4.1 Data Types

1.4.3 Boolean Algebra

1.5.1 Computing Legislation

2.2.2 Computational Methods

1.5.2 Moral and Ethical issues

2.1.3 Thinking Procedurally

2.1.4 Thinking Logically

2.1.4 Thinking Concurrently

2.3.1 Algorithms

2.2.2 Computational Methods

2.3.1 Algorithms

2.3.1 Algorithms

Revision for final examinations

Key Terminology and Skills

Binary Integers
Denary to Binary
Hexadecimal Integers
Denary to Hexadecimal
Hexadecimal to Binary
Sign and Magnitude
Two's Complement
Bitwise Manipulation
Masks
Floating Point Numbers
Floating Point Arithmetic
Boolean Logic
Logic Gate Diagrams
Truth Tables
Karnaugh Maps
Simplifying Boolean
Half and Full Adders
D-Type Flip Flops

DPA
Data Mining
Analysing Personal Information
Computer Misuse Act
Copyright Design and Patents Act
RIPA
Workplace
Monitoring Behaviour
Censorship
Privacy and Offensive Communications
Decision-Making
AI
Environment
Layout/ Colour and Character Sets
Problem Components
Solution Components
Problem-Solving Steps
Identify Sub-Procedures

Decision Points
Determine Logical Conditions
Decisions and Program Flow
Tackling Concurrent Problems
Concurrent Processing: Benefits and Trade-Offs
Linear Search
Binary Search
Divide and Conquer
Backtracking
Heuristics
Bubble Sort
Insertion Sort
Merge Sort
Quick Sort
Algorithm Efficiency
Suitability of Algorithms
Algorithm Analysis and Design

Dijkstra’s shortest path algorithm;
A* Pathfinding
Algorithm Complexity

Revision:

Revising for examinations using past paper practice questions and identifying topics which students need more support on through our knowledge checking website as well as student preference.

Class Based Revision:

Priorities for revision topics will be determined after careful review of student performance across all topics throughout the course as well as mock results. Students will colour code their confidence levels with each topic and this will also inform topics chosen.

Firefly Links*

Assessments

After learning new theory content, students make their own notes before answering questions using our bespoke knowledge checking website.  They have access to supporting videos as well as knowledge organisers.

During each lesson, students have access to past paper questions for each topic. Time is allocated to answering these and the creation of model answers. The mark schemes are available to support and check responses.