INTERNATIONAL GCSE - Edexcel

1 INTERNATIONAL GCSEC omputer Science (9-1)SPECIFICATIONP earson Edexcel INTERNATIONAL GCSE in Computer Science (4CP0)For first teaching September 2017 First examination June 2019 INTERNATIONAL GCSE Computer Science SPECIFICATION Pearson Edexcel INTERNATIONAL GCSE in Computer Science (4CP0) For first teaching in September 2017 First examination June 2019 Edexcel , BTEC and LCCI qualifications Edexcel , BTEC and LCCI qualifications are awarded by Pearson, the UK s largest awarding body offering academic and vocational qualifications that are globally recognised and benchmarked.

2 For further information, please visit our qualifications website at Alternatively, you can get in touch with us using the details on our contact us page at About Pearson Pearson is the world's leading learning company, with 35,000 employees in more than 70 countries working to help people of all ages to make measurable progress in their lives through learning. We put the learner at the centre of everything we do, because wherever learning flourishes, so do people. Find out more about how we can help you and your learners at Acknowledgements This specification has been produced by Pearson on the basis of consultation with teachers, examiners, consultants and other interested parties.

3 Pearson would like to thank all those who contributed their time and expertise to the specification s development. References to third party material made in this specification are made in good faith. Pearson does not endorse, approve or accept responsibility for the content of materials, which may be subject to change, or any opinions expressed therein. (Material may include textbooks, journals, magazines and other publications and websites.) All information in this specification is correct at time of going to publication. ISBN 978 1 446 93428 9 All the material in this publication is copyright Pearson Education Limited 2016 Contents 1 About this specification 1 Specification updates 1 Using this specification 1 Why choose Pearson Edexcel INTERNATIONAL GCSE in Computer Science?

4 3 Qualification at a glance 5 Paper overview 5 2 Computer Science content 7 Course structure 8 Topic 1: Problem solving 9 Topic 2: Programming 11 Topic 3: Data 13 Topic 4: Computers 15 Topic 5: Communication and the internet 17 Topic 6: The bigger picture 19 3 Assessment information 21 Assessment requirements 21 Assessment objectives and weightings 22 Relationship of assessment objectives to units 22 4 Administration and general information 23 Entries 23 Access arrangements, reasonable adjustments, special consideration and malpractice 23 Language of assessment 23 Arrangements for Paper 2 23 Access arrangements 24 Reasonable adjustments 24 Special consideration 24 Further information 24 Candidate malpractice 25 Staff/centre malpractice 25 Awarding and reporting 25 Student recruitment and progression 26 Prior learning and other requirements 26 Progression 26 Appendices 27 Appendix 1: Codes 29 Appendix 2: Pearson World-Class Qualification Design Principles 31 Appendix 3: Transferable skills 33 Appendix 4: Glossary 35 Appendix 5.

5 Pseudocode command set 37 Appendix 6: Flowchart symbols 45 Appendix 7: Taxonomy 47 Pearson Edexcel INTERNATIONAL GCSE in Computer Science Specification Issue 1 November 2016 Pearson Education Limited 2016 1 1 About this specification The Pearson Edexcel INTERNATIONAL GCSE in Computer Science is part of a suite of INTERNATIONAL GCSE qualifications offered by Pearson. This qualification is not accredited or regulated by any UK regulatory body. This specification includes the following key features. Structure: the Pearson Edexcel INTERNATIONAL GCSE in Computer Science is a linear qualification.

6 Two examinations must be taken in the same series at the end of the course of study. Content: relevant, engaging, up to date and of equivalent standard to Pearson s regulated GCSE in Computer Science. Assessment: 100% external assessment consisting of two papers. A written examination and a practical programming examination, both with questions and tasks designed to be accessible to students of all abilities. Approach: independent learning, problem solving, computational thinking skills, critical thinking skills, real-life examples. Specification updates This specification is Issue 1 and is valid for the Pearson Edexcel INTERNATIONAL GCSE in Computer Science examination from 2019.

7 If there are any significant changes to the specification, Pearson will inform centres. Changes will also be posted on our website. For more information please visit Using this specification This specification has been designed to give guidance to teachers and encourage effective delivery of the qualification. The following information will help you get the most out of the content and guidance. Compulsory content: arranged as six topics in Section 2: Computer Science content. A summary of sub-topics is included at the start of each topic. As a minimum, all the bullet points in the content must be taught.

8 The word including in content specifies the detail of what must be covered. Assessments: use a range of material and are not limited to the examples given. Teachers should deliver the qualification using a good range of examples to support the assessment of the content. Depth and breadth of content: teachers should use the full range of content and all the assessment objectives given in Section 2: Computer Science content. Pearson Edexcel INTERNATIONAL GCSE in Computer Science Specification Issue 1 November 2016 Pearson Education Limited 2016 2 Qualification aims and objectives The aims and objectives of this qualification are to enable students to.

9 Understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science, including abstraction, decomposition, logic, algorithms and data representation analyse problems in computational terms through practical experience of solving such problems, including designing, writing and debugging programs think creatively, innovatively, analytically, logically and critically understand the components that make up digital systems, and how they communicate with one another and with other systems understand the impacts of digital technology to the individual and to wider society apply mathematical skills relevant to computer science.

10 Pearson Edexcel INTERNATIONAL GCSE in Computer Science Specification Issue 1 November 2016 Pearson Education Limited 2016 3 Why choose Pearson Edexcel INTERNATIONAL GCSE in Computer Science? We ve listened to feedback from all parts of the INTERNATIONAL school subject community and a representative at Intel, developing changes that will engage students and give them the skills that will support progression to further study of computer science, mathematics , physics and engineering. We believe ICT and computer science are unique and complementary subjects, serving different purposes and meeting different student needs, and therefore we are offering both subjects as INTERNATIONAL GCSEs.