Computer Science, ICT and Digital Skills
Computer Science September Update
Welcome back to the new school year, I hope results met with expectations and you and your students have had a productive and restful break, ready for the year ahead.
New Specimen Set 4 now available
You can now access a further set of Specimen Papers - these are Set 4. These Specimen papers will remain under padlock and are a very vlauable resources to be used by teachers for mocks and other in program assessments. The silver padlock means that only teachers can access these resources. Further Set 4 resources, such as exemplar training materials will be added during the next academic year.
In the meantime please utilise all Sets 1 to 4 to help prepare your students for the live assessments.
Accessing and analysing your results
Preparing for Summer Results
Multi-Factor Authentication for Edexcel Online
To avoid any unnecessary delay in accessing your results and supporting learners, we are asking you to log on to one of the following platforms, ensuring you have a valid password and can authenticate using the MFA app.
- Edexcel Online (EOL)
- ResultsPlus
- Exam Viewer
The sooner you do this and ensure that your access is working the better.
Secure callbacks: Some issues, such as the need for an MFA device reset, requires us to complete a secure callback on the number we have on file. This usually means speaking to your centre reception first.
We have adapted our secure callback process to allow the use of a personal mobile number. If any secure callbacks are required during the summer holidays while you are not in centre, we are still able to do this quickly and securely.
Further Support: We appreciate that you may have questions about multi factor authentication..
Accessing Pearson Services Using Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Results days: Key dates
| Qualification |
Exam session | Results to centres | Results to students |
|---|---|---|---|
| IAL | Summer 24 | 14/08/2024 | 15/08/2024 |
| GCSE & International GCSE | Summer 24 | 21/08/2024 | 22/08/2024 |
Grade Boundaries
You can access Summer 2024 grade boundaries on our website from results day. In addition to the official grade boundaries that are produced at subject level, we will also be providing notional grade boundaries at paper level. These can help you mark and assess future mocks.
Availability of Summer 2024 Question Papers, Mark Schemes and Examiner Reports
Exam materials from the Summer 2024 exam series will be made available on our website (secure download) on the following dates:
| Assessment materials | Date of availability on website |
|---|---|
| Question Papers | 2 July |
| Mark Schemes | 16 July |
| GCSE Examiner Reports | 27 August (available on ResultsPlus from Results Day) |
ResultsPlus - our online results analysis tool
ResultsPlus is our free online results analysis tool, that gives you a detailed breakdown of your students’ performance in Pearson Edexcel exams.
It provides you with detailed analysis available of your students’ performance compared to national and other schools. For Computer Science Paper 1 this is fully functional. For Paper 2 you can get more detail by accessing the ILMC (Item Level Mark Capture) data sheets from your Exams Officer on results day.
You can access ResultsPlus using your Edexcel Online username and password if your account profile has ResultsPlus access granted by your Exams Officer.
Examiner Reports can be obtained from ResultsPlus on results day by following the steps below:
- Log into Results Plus using your Edexcel Online details
- Once you are logged in under your centre, select 'ResultsPlus Analysis'.
- Then select 'Whole cohort results' followed by 'Cohort paper analysis'.
- Select the relevant qualification and series, eg 'GCSE' and 'June 2024', followed by the relevant subject and 'View paper analysis'.
- Select 'Exam docs' and you will find the Examiner Report for that component.
Detailed Paper 2 Mark Data
Your Exams officer will be sent an ILMC (Item Level Mark Capture) Data file on results day. This Spreadsheet will have detailed marks for each of the questions from Paper 2.
You will have retained a copy of what you sent us for marking and this is the work that your students created during the Paper 2 exam.
Using this ILMC Data you will be able to compare the work sent to us for marking against your students evidence at a very detailed level.
This can be very helpful in deciding if RoMM actions are needed.
Access to Scripts - Paper 1
You can use our free Access to Scripts service to view your candidates’ marked exam scripts online or download as a PDF. It is available from results day until the 13 December 2024.
Providing a rich source of information, you can use this service to help make decisions about requesting a review of marking, but it can also help inform future teaching and learning and gives insights and visibility that performance data alone cannot provide.
Note, you will need 'Exam viewer' in your Edexcel Online profile if you want to download candidate scripts from results day. Please ask your Exams Officer if you need this adding to your profile.
Discover more about Access to Scripts, along with FAQs and a step-by-step User Guide.
What if you have questions about the results
Post-results support services
If you're not happy with your students' results this summer, you should take the following steps:
- View the grade boundaries, question papers, mark schemes and examiner reports for the paper/qualification concerned.
- View your students’ scripts using our free access to scripts service.
- Log in to ResultsPlus to see how your students have performed on every question for Paper 1 and compare their performance to the national average.
- Use the ILMC data to perform a detailed analysis of Paper 2 performance.
- If you are still unhappy with your students' results, you may apply for a review of marking via our post-results services.
Full details of all our post-results services are available on our website.
The deadline for requesting a Review of marking and moderation (ROMM) is 26 September 2024 for GCSE, A level and International GCSE.
How to apply for post-results services
Please speak to your Exams Officer if you wish to proceed with a review of marking. Exams officers should contact their Centre Account Specialist on 0344 463 2535 if they require guidance or watch our post results video. All applications for reviews of marking must be submitted through Edexcel Online.
Post-results support for students
We have a dedicated web page for student post-results support. Please forward this link to your students where they can find information on the services for students.
Appeals
If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of a review of marking, you may wish to appeal against the decision. We will allow the head of centre (or designated member of the centre’s senior management team or examinations manager) 30 calendar days from the receipt of the outcome of the review of marking, during which an appeal may be lodged by filling in the form below. All appeals must be submitted by the entering centre. We cannot accept appeals directly from candidates, their parents or other third parties acting on their behalf. The only exception to this is if private candidates are appealing directly without the support of the entering centre. There is further guidance on appeals on our website.
Have your say
May/June 2024 exam feedback
As we come towards the end of the exam series, we would like you to share your feedback on this year's exam papers.
We wish to provide students with the best possible exam experience, and your insights are crucial in helping us achieve this goal. If you're a teacher whose students have taken any of our exams in the May/June 2024 series, we are eager to hear your thoughts.
Your feedback will play a vital role in shaping the future of our qualifications and assessments. Your input will be shared with our senior examiners and across our subject teams to help us continuously improve future assessments and enhance the exam experience for students.
Useful background content
Please watch this short case study video
Pete Dring, Head of Computer Science at Fulford School, tells us about the school’s experience of teaching Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9-1) Computer Science.
Recording of Paper 2 Preparation Event - 24th April 2024
We met with Exams Officers, Teachers and IT support colleagues to discuss getting ready for Paper 2.. The presentation that accompanied the event can be obtained below:
Recording of Network event 19th March 2024 with Mission Encodeable
Recent students Harry and Anna who are currently in Year 12 studying A Level Computer Science presented their Mission Encodeable resources and answered questions about their experience of GCSE Computer Science.
If you are delivering, or are considering delivering, our 2020 Computer Science specification and have not already been contacted please complete the Intention to offer form below.
Please join the 2181 colleagues currently active in the Facebook group for this qualification. It is teachers only and provides the platform for free and open sharing of views resources and opinions.
Join us as an Examiner
Excellent opportunity to join this growing team and gain invaluable CPD.
A GCSE -Computer Science (2020 Specification) Examiner will mark candidates’ responses in accordance with the pre-defined mark scheme, whilst adhering to conditions of recognition and examination procedures. A high level of subject knowledge is necessary in order to apply the mark scheme. Each examiner will receive an agreed allocation of scripts.
Please note that if you wish to be considered you must have experience with Python Computer Language for 1CP2 02.
Responsibilities
- To mark accurately and consistently to ensure overall standards are maintained
- To submit samples to your Team Leader at designated times
- To ensure milestones for marking are adhered to
- To ensure all administration is completed as specified
Experience/qualifications needed
- You will have one academic year's worth of teaching experience: a. within the last 8 years b. within the relevant qualification and subject
- You will have a degree or equivalent
- You will be a qualified teacher
- You will have experience in Python
Free teacher access to Pearson’s online GCSE revision.
We're here to help your GCSE Computer Science students have the best chance to succeed with online revision from the exam experts.
Pearson Revise Online gives every student the same access to all their revision guides for Pearson Edexcel and AQA subjects. All in one place online, with quick quizzes and knowledge checks to help them prioritise their learning.
This year, teachers can get free access to the platform to use in front-of-class revision lessons in the run-up to mocks.
Subject advisor
Tim Brady
Computer Science and ICT Subject Advisor
Subject updates
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BTEC Tech Award September Update
Welcome back to another school year! I hope all of your students had a successful results experience in August and that you are rested and ready for the challenges ahead.