A-level Computer Science having not done the GCSE

[LighthouseCat]

Hello,

I'm trying to help my DD make her A-level choices.

She's academic but not sure what she wants to do career wise. She quite often says she regrets not doing GCSE computer science as she feels she now can't do that for A-level. Does anyone have experience of their DC doing A-level comp sci having not done the GCSE? Was it a v steep learning curve?

Thanks in advance!

Is she doing A level maths?
She won't need A level computer science to do computer science at university

Would she be taking it at a school college where a reasonable number of the class have also not done the gcse? Because they’ll cover the gcse content in the first lesson of every topic. Universities will then repeat the A level content in the first year.

Has she done any coding? The rest of is pretty straightforward. She could do the GCSE course on Seneca learning in a weekend.

She can do CS for A-Level if her GCSE Maths is good, she can do CS at degree if her A-Level Maths is good.

Thank you all. Very helpful. She is strong on maths (9 in mock) and will do maths for A-level (and likely further maths). She hasn't done much coding (a tiny bit which she found straightforward). She's planning on staying at her school. I imagine most doing it would have done the GCSE but it sounds like she'd manage ok. Thank you again!

Get her to talk to the teachers, if she's going to be staying at the same school. They'll know which bits of the GCSE course it would be helpful for her to have seen, and can probably lend her a textbook and/or give her access to their online resources over the summer.

Good advice, thank you.
I also have another a-level related question: is there much point in doing further maths if DD not likely to do maths at uni or is it daft not to at least start out doing it as it's so complementary to maths and is presumably well regarded even if she doesn't go on to do a maths degree. It sounds like it might be helpful for comp sci degree.

Hi, my dd is doing maths, further maths and computer science (plus one other) and didn't do computer science at GCSE. She is enjoying it and finding it relatively easy so far. There are a couple of them that haven't done the GCSE and the teacher gave them the CGP GCSE books at the start.

My dd isn't sure what degree she wants to do yet, but looking at courses, further maths is useful for lots of degree: science, computer science, economics, engineering - they don't all say you need it but most say it is useful. Also, if she's good at maths she might find it easier than doing another subject. If her school does decision maths as part of further maths then this is very similar to computer science.

Thank you very much. This is really useful. You're DD sounds like mine. It's reassuring to hear she's finding computer science fairly straightforward. I think my DD would be potentially interested in engineering. Sounds like further maths could be useful. So Maths, Further Maths, Comp Sci and one more. Think that will either be Biology, Fine Art or German. Feel like we're getting there! Thanks again : )

GCSE Computer Science is pretty vague, no need to have GCSE to do A-Level.

So my sons school told me - I believe them as I reckon my son could learn programming well beyond GCSE level in a few weeks if I taught him.

Back in the day (80s), people did A-Level Computer Science at Sixth Form before schools had computers - there was no O-Level computer classes in secondary school back then but there was A-Level at Sixth Form.

This has been really reassuring to hear. I did suspect as much. I will chat with the CS teacher too, and of course DD may decide it's not for her, but great to have the option (I think it's right up her street!).

Just to say DD does GCSE CS and has found it really, really dull. She is good at Maths and finds it very straightforward although she's not an at-home programmer. It has involved less work than any other GCSE and if you are bright and good at Maths it seems pretty easy to do well. In some ways it would appear a good choice for A Level, but because the GCSE has been so mind-numbingly boring she isn't even contemplating it.

It sounds like it's actually potentially been a good thing my DD didn't do it for GCSE. What a shame they seem to have made it so dull. I really hope the A-level is a lot more engaging. Even though it sounds like she wouldn't necessarily need it at a-level to do it at uni, I think knowing my DD she wouldn't want to be starting at uni without having done it. My DD is maths-y but likes being creative too so computer science seems like a good option.

What they say for computer science degrees is that you can’t have done too much maths. It’s all about the maths. So def further maths if that’s an option. Or engineering i guess too.

Great, that's good to know!

back in the day (80s), people did A-Level Computer Science at Sixth Form before schools had computers - there was no O-Level computer classes in secondary school back then but there was A-Level at Sixth Form.

I did O level Computer science in 1977, followed by A level at 6th Form. 'Our' computer was at the council offices 30 miles away and at A level we punched out our own programs onto paper-tape which were uploaded to the mainframe via a 300 baud modem link!

Might be worth finding out which exam board the school are using as there are some differences in the syllabus's especially whether they include coding or not.

Oh wow!

Ah, I had assumed they'd all include programming! Will definitely check, thank you

If she's considering engineering as an option, she should perhaps check what universities look for for entry. I'm sure Maths would be important and helpful but would they not want Physics and/or Chemistry rather than Biology?

Thank you @elkiedee we will do that : ) She's strong on all three but definitely most comfortable with biology (though I think physics might be growing on her!)