Tom H.
GH-T1140
Software engineer and former Computer Science teacher
Computer Science · Maths · UK-wide
£45/hour
View profile GCSE subject guide
GCSE Computer Science
Computer Science tests computational thinking, programming and theory. Students need to read, write and trace code under exam conditions, as well as explain how computers and networks work.
AQA 8525 · OCR J277 · Edexcel 1CP2
- Papers
- AQA 8525: 2 hr + 1 hr 45 min · OCR J277: 2 × 1 hr 30 min
- Programming
- Assessed in the written papers
- Tiers
- Single tier, grades 1–9
- Languages
- Python is the most common in schools
Where marks are usually lost
Trace-table questions, writing algorithms in the board’s pseudocode or reference language, and theory questions that ask for a specific number of reasons. Students who code comfortably at home can still lose marks by not following the exam’s conventions.
How a tutor usually helps
Short coding tasks written on paper as well as on screen, weekly theory recall, and past-paper practice so students learn the exact wording examiners expect.
Details differ by board and change over time. Always check the current specification on the exam board’s website.
Approved tutors for GCSE Computer Science
Further reading
How to use past papers properly
Past papers help most when they are used to find gaps. Doing paper after paper without reviewing them rarely changes a grade.
Tell us what your child needs. We will do the searching.
A member of our team reads every request and replies with a shortlist of approved tutors, or an honest update if we need more time.