2 The specification overview

2a. OCR’s GCSE (9–1) in Computer Science (J277)

Students take J277/01 and J277/02 to be awarded the OCR GCSE (9–1) in Computer Science.

Content Overview Assessment Overview

J277/01: Computer systems Written paper: 1 hour and 30 minutes
50% of total GCSE
2
80 marks
• 1.1 Systems architecture
• 1.2 Memory and storage This is a non-calculator paper.

protocols
• 1.4 Network security

impacts of digital technology

J277/02: Computational thinking, algorithms and Written paper: 1 hour and 30 minutes
programming 50% of total GCSE
80 marks

• 2.1 Algorithms This is a non-calculator paper.

• 2.2 Programming fundamentals
• 2.3 Producing robust programs
• 2.4 Boolean logic
• 2.5 Programming languages and Integrated

either the OCR Exam Reference Language or the

with.

Practical Programming
i

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GCSE (9–1) in Computer Science 5
 2b. Content of Computer systems (J277/01)
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1.1 – Systems architecture

Sub topic Guidance

1.1.1 Architecture of the CPU
Required
o The fetch-execute cycle

o
o CU (Control Unit)
o Cache
o Registers
Not required
Knowledge of passing of data betwee
o MAR (Memory Address Register)
o MDR (Memory Data Register)
o Program Counter
o Accumulator
1.1.2 CPU performance
Required
o Clock speed
o Cache size
o Number of cores
GCSE (9–1) in Computer Science

1.1.3 Embedded systems

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Required
What embedded systems are
Examples of embedded systems
GCSE (9–1) in Computer Science
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1.2 – Memory and storage

Sub topic Guidance

1.2.1 Primary storage (memory)
The need for primary storage Required

How this usually consists of RAM

The purpose of ROM in a computer system
The purpose of RAM in a computer system
Virtual memory Transfer of data between RAM a
Cache RAM is full

1.2.2 Secondary storage

The need for secondary storage Required
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o
o
o Solid state Be able to apply their knowledge in c

Not required
Understanding of the component par

o Capacity
o Speed
o Portability
o Durability
o Reliability
o Cost
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Sub topic Guidance

1.2.3 Units
Required
Why data must be stored in binary fo
o Bit
o Nibble (4 bits)
o Byte (8 bits)
o
o
o
o
width (px)
o

processed by a computer Alternatives

1.2.4 Data storage

Numbers Required
Denary number range 0 – 255
Hexadecimal range 00 – FF
Binary number range 00000000 – 11
How to add two binary integers together (up to and including

base
GCSE (9–1) in Computer Science

Ability to deal with binary numbers c

8 bits
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e.g. 11010 is the same as 000

number
GCSE (9–1) in Computer Science
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Sub topic Guidance

Characters Required
The use of binary codes to represent characters How characters are represented in bi
The term ‘character set’ How the number of characters stored

o ASCII character code for ‘B’ will be one mo

o Unicode for ‘A’

Not required

Images Required

binary
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Metadata

o The quality of the image etc.)

o
Sound Required
How sound can be sampled and stored in digital form Analogue sounds must be stored in b
Sample rate – measured in Hertz (Hz
o The playback quality
o
(e.g. 16-bit)
1.2.5 Compression
The need for compression Required
Common scenarios where compressi
o Lossy
o Lossless

Not required
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1.3 – Computer networks, connections and protocols

Sub topic Guidance
1.3.1 Networks and topologies
Required
o LAN (Local Area Network)
o WAN (Wide Area Network) examples of each

peer network
Bandwidth
The hardware needed to connect stand-alone computers into a
The tasks performed by each piece o
The concept of the Internet as a netw
o Wireless access points
o Routers
o Switches
o NIC (Network Interface Controller/Card)
o Transmission media

o
o processing)
o The Cloud
o
Star and Mesh network topologies
GCSE (9–1) in Computer Science
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GCSE (9–1) in Computer Science
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1.3.2 Wired and wireless networks, protocols and layers

Required
o Wired
• Ethernet
o Wireless
• Wi-Fi
• Bluetooth

IP addressing and MAC addressing

format
Standards

o TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol)

manufacturers/producers
o HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol)
o HTTPS (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure)
transferring data
o FTP (File Transfer Protocol)
o
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The basic principles of each protocol

o IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol)
features
o SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol)
The concept of layers

Not required
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1.4 – Network security

Sub topic Guidance

1.4.1 Threats to computer systems and networks
Required
o Malware
o
o
o
o
o

1.4.2 Identifying and preventing vulnerabilities

Required
o Understanding of how to limit the th
o
o Firewalls
o
o Passwords
o
o Physical security
GCSE (9–1) in Computer Science
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GCSE (9–1) in Computer Science
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1.5 – Systems software

Sub topic Guidance

1.5.1 Operating systems
Required
o User interface
o Features of a user interface
o
o User management The transfer of data between m
o File management

This process needs to be manag

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Access rights

Naming

Not required

1.5.2 Utility software

Required

o how this performs housekeeping task

o
o Data compression
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1.6 – Ethical, legal, cultural and environmental impacts of digital technology

Sub topic Guidance
1.6.1 Ethical, legal, cultural and environmental impact
Required
o Ethical issues
o Legal issues
o Cultural issues
o this impacts on society
o An ability to discuss the impact of tec
issues listed
o
allows or prohibits
o Computer Misuse Act 1990
o Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988
licence
o
GCSE (9–1) in Computer Science
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GCSE (9–1) in Computer Science
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2c. Content of Computational thinking, algorithms and programming (J277/02)

2.1 – Algorithms

Sub topic Guidance

2.1.1 Computational thinking
Required
o Understanding of these principles an
o
o Algorithmic thinking
2.1.2 Designing, creating and refining algorithms
Required
Structure diagrams
The structure of a problem
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o Pseudocode
o Flowcharts
o
Create and use trace tables to follow
Trace tables
Flowchart symbols
Line

Process

Sub
program
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2.1.3 Searching and sorting algorithms

Required
o Binary search Understand the main steps of the alg
o Linear search code in it
Understand any pre-requisites of an
Apply the algorithm to a data set
o Bubble sort
o Merge sort
Reference Language for it
o
Not required

for these algorithms

GCSE (9–1) in Computer Science
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GCSE (9–1) in Computer Science
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2.2 – Programming fundamentals

Sub topic Guidance

2.2.1 Programming fundamentals
Required
assignments
The use of the three basic programming constructs used to classroom
Understanding of each technique
o Sequence
o
o Comparison operators A

< Less than

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> Greater than MOD M

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2.2.2 Data types

Required
o Integer
o Real classroom
o Boolean
o Character and string Understand that data types may be t
o
2.2.3 Additional programming techniques
Required

o Open
o Read
o Write
o Close Slicing
The use of records to store data
The use of SQL to search for data

both one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional arrays (2D)

The use of procedures
structured code

arrays (passing and returning)

SELECT
FROM
GCSE (9–1) in Computer Science

WHERE
Be able to create and use random n
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GCSE (9–1) in Computer Science
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2.3 – Producing robust programs

Sub topic Guidance

2.3.1 Defensive design
Required
o Understanding of the issues a progra
o

o Use of sub programs

o
o
appropriately
o

2.3.2 Testing
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Required

o
o Final/terminal
programming language and stop it fro
Logic errors as errors which produce
Normal test data as data which shoul
o Normal
without causing errors
o Boundary
Boundary test data as data of the cor
o

rejected by a computer system

Erroneous test data as data of the inc
should be rejected by a computer sys

Ability to create/complete a test plan

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2.4 – Boolean logic

Sub topic Guidance
2.4.1 Boolean logic
Required
and NOT Knowledge of the truth tables for each logic gate
Truth tables

NOT
Ability to work with more than one gate in a logic d
problems
Boolean Operators Logic Ga

AND

OR

NOT

Truth Tables
AND OR
A B A AND B A B A
0 0 0 0 0
GCSE (9–1) in Computer Science

0 1 0 0 1
1 0 0 1 0
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1 1 1 1 1

Alternatives
•
GCSE (9–1) in Computer Science
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2.5 – Programming languages and Integrated Development Environments

Sub topic Guidance

2.5.1 Languages
Required

o languages
o The need for translators
The purpose of translators
interpreter

Not required
Understanding of assemblers
2.5.2 The Integrated Development Environment (IDE)
Required
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o Editors
o
o
o Translators one IDE
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GCSE (9–1) in Computer Science
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3c. OCR Exam Reference Language

Operators
Comparison operators Arithmetic opera
== Equal to <= Less than or equal to + /
!= Not equal to > Greater than - MOD
< Less than >= Greater than or equal to * DIV
^ Exponent
Boolean operators
AND Logical AND
OR Logical OR
NOT Logical NOT
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Concept Keyword(s)/Symbols Example

Commenting
Comment // //This function squares
function squared(number)
squared = number^2
return squared
endfunction
//End of function
Variables
Assignment = x = 3
name = "Louise"
Constants const const vat = 0.2
Global Variables global global userID = "Cust001
Input/Output
Input input(…) myName = input("Please e

Output print(…) print("My name is Noni")

print(myArray[2,3])
Casting
str() str(345)
type
int() int("3")

"4.52")

real() real("4.52")

bool() bool("True")
GCSE (9–1) in Computer Science
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GCSE (9–1) in Computer Science
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Concept Keyword(s)/Symbols Example

Iteration
FOR loop for … to … for i=0 to 9
(Count-controlled) print("Loop")
next … next i

for … to … step … for i=2 to 10 step 2

print(i)
next … next i

for i=10 to 0 step -1

print(i)
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next i

Note that the ‘step’ command

decrement the loop by any positive

WHILE loop while … while answer != "Correct

answer = input("New
endwhile endwhile

DO UNTIL loop do do
answer = input("New
until … until answer == "Correct

once before a check is carried out.

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Concept Keyword(s)/Symbols Example

Selection
IF-THEN-ELSE if … then if answer == "Yes" then
elseif … then print("Correct")
else
endif elseif answer == "No" th
print("Wrong")
else
print("Error")
endif

CASE SELECT or switch … : switch day :

SWITCH
case … : case "Sat":
case … : print("Saturday"
default: case "Sun":
endswitch print("Sunday")
default:
print("Weekday")
endswitch
GCSE (9–1) in Computer Science
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GCSE (9–1) in Computer Science
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Concept Keyword(s)/Symbols Example

String handling/operations
String length .length subject = "ComputerScien
subject.length gives the v

Substrings .substring(x , i) subject.substring(3,5) re

.left(i) subject.left(4) returns "C
.right(i) subject.right(3) returns "
x is starting index; i is number of ch
indexed

+ print(stringA + stringB)
print("Hello, your name

Uppercase .upper subject.upper gives "COMPU

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Lowercase .lower subject.lower gives "compu

ASC(…) returns 65 (numeric

CHR(…) CHR(97) returns (char)
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Concept Keyword(s)/Symbols Example

File handling
Open open(…) myFile = open("sample.tx

Note that the file needs to be store

Close .close() myFile.close()

Read line .readLine() myFile.readLine() returns
Write line .writeLine(…) myFile.writeLine("Add ne

Note that the line will be written to

.endOfFile() while NOT myFile.endOfFi
print(myFile.readLin
endwhile
newFile() newFile("myText.txt")

Creates a new text file called "myT

need to be opened using the above
Arrays
array colours[…] array colours[5]
Creates 1D array with 5 elements (

array colours = ["Blue",

"Yellow", "Red"]
Arrays can be declared with values

Arrays are 0 indexed array gameboard[…,…] = … array gameboard[8,8]

Arrays only store a single Creates 2D array with 8 elements (
GCSE (9–1) in Computer Science

data type
names[…] = … names[3] = "Noni"
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Assignment
gameboard[…,…] = … gameboard[1,0] = "Pawn"
 array colours[…] array colours[5]
Creates 1D array with 5 elements (

array colours = ["Blue",

"Yellow", "Red"]
Arrays can be declared with values

Arrays are 0 indexed array gameboard[…,…] = … array gameboard[8,8]

Arrays only store a single Creates 2D array with 8 elements (
data type
Assignment names[…] = … names[3] = "Noni"
gameboard[…,…] = … gameboard[1,0] = "Pawn"
GCSE (9–1) in Computer Science
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Concept Keyword(s)/Symbols Example

Sub programs
Procedure procedure name(…) procedure agePass()
print("You are old e
endprocedure endprocedure

procedure printName(name
print(name)
endprocedure

procedure multiply(num1,
print(num1 * num2)
endprocedure

Calling a procedure procedure(parameters) agePass()

printName(parameter)
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multiply(parameter1, par
function name(…) function squared(number)
… squared = number^2
return … return squared
endfunction endfunction
function(parameters) print(squared(4))

newValue = squared(4)
Note: Function returns should be s
for later use in a program.

Random numbers
Random numbers random(…,…) myVariable = random(1,6)
Creates a random integer between

myVariable = random(-1.0
Creates a random real number bet
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