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Computing

at Highdown School and Sixth Form Centre, Reading · school or sixth form

Level 3A levelsGCE A level18 monthsFull time

What the college says

GCE Computer Science is not about learning to use tools or just training in a programming language (though you will do both). Instead the emphasis is on computational thinking. Computational thinking is a kind of reasoning used by both humans and machines. Thinking computationally is an important life skill. Thinking computationally means using abstraction and decomposition. The study of computation is about what can be computed and how to compute it. Computer Science involves questions that have the potential to change how we view the world. For example, we may be computing with DNA at some stage in the future, with computer circuits made of genes. This leads to the question, does the natural world ‘compute’? Experimental Computer Science can be done with computers whereby we can learn more about the natural world by observing the emergent behaviour of a colony of interacting software agents in a simulation. Computing / Computer Science is about designing new algorithms to solve new problems. In this sense Computer Science is no more about computers than astronomy is about telescopes. Your studies will help you understand the range of applications of computers and the effects of their use. You will develop an understanding of systems analysis and design, methods of design, implementation, testing and documentation. This course, with its emphasis on abstract thinking, general problem solving, algorithmic and mathematical reasoning, scientific and engineering-based thinking, i

What you need to get on

6+ in GCSE Computing and 5+ in Maths. If Computing not studied at GCSE, 6+ in Maths.

How you are assessed

Academic subjects, mostly exams, three or four at once. The traditional route to university.

What this level means

The A-level-equivalent step, and what universities and employers ask for.

Is it open to 16 to 18 year olds?

Approved for 16 to 18 study on the government's Section 96 list.

Where it runs

  • Highdown School & Sixth Form Centre

    Surley Row Caversham, Reading, RG4 8LR

    DaytimeClassroom based
    Check the journey

Start dates

  • 2 September 2026 · Reading

Who else teaches this exact qualification

Same qualification, different college. Entry requirements and how it is taught can differ a lot between them, which is the whole reason to compare.

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