GCSE Computer Science - Teaching from 2025

The GCSE Computer Science qualification will support the Curriculum for Wales by:

• Supporting the statements of what matters, giving learners the opportunity to
  • develop and test models
  • consider the social, professional, ethical, environmental and legal impact of systems and the use of technology
  • become enterprising, real-world problem solvers through developing skills in computational thinking.

• Supporting the principles of progression
  • by encouraging iterative problem solving and design
  • explore and experience increasingly complex ideas (for example in programming tasks in the pre-release brief that are further refined and expanded upon in the examination).

• Supporting the specific considerations for this area by giving learners the opportunity to:
  • learn about the design, development and application of technology, software and systems
  • build understanding of how technologies can impact learners’ lives and future careers.

The GCSE Computer Science qualification will also be based on the following computer science concepts based on the topics listed in 6-8 of the published Approval Criteria:

• computer architecture
• structure of systems and function
• how systems communicate
• security
• problem solving
  • algorithmic
  • functional decomposition
• programming
• language and compilers
• logical operations
• operating systems
• systems development life cycle

The subject content of the GCSE Computer Science qualification will also include a range of legal, social, ethical, environmental and professional dimensions that are relevant to and integrated with the topic areas above.

The GCSE Computer Science qualification will also include content relating to the evolution of technologies that are relevant to the topics outlined above, where appropriate.