Community
Community resources
Computer science Worksheets and Python Workspaces shared by Coding Pathway teachers. Worksheets cover exam board theory as well as programming. Read any of them in full here. Teachers can copy one into their own lessons and edit it before setting it to a class.
Planning a whole course or unit? Our mapped pages put the teaching sequence in order with the Worksheets that cover it: OCR GCSE Computer Science (J277), Pearson Edexcel GCSE Computer Science (1CP2), OCR A Level Computer Science (H446), Python Turtle for Key Stage 3.
- 438 resources
- 3 teachers sharing
- Creative Commons licensed
Scaffolded support Worksheets
Showing 1 to 24 of 52. Newest first. Opening a resource shows the whole thing, with answers and marking held back.
CAIE P1 S1 Signed integers and two's complement
This worksheet introduces 8 bit two's complement and asks pupils to decide when signed or unsigned integers are suitable, interpret negative binary patterns, and convert denary values to and from signed binary. It teaches the 8 bit ranges and the invert and add one method, with short explanations, checked examples, and error spotting tasks. The demand is moderate, with strong scaffolding for learners who are new to signed binary.
WorksheetCAIE P1 S1 Binary foundations
This worksheet introduces the foundations of binary number representation. Pupils learn why computers use binary, how 8 bit place values work, how to convert simple binary patterns to denary, and how bit width affects the number of values and the maximum value. It is fairly accessible and suits a guided first look, with some short challenge questions for stretch.
WorksheetSeries · 9 partsH446 1.1.1 · Structure and function of the processor
Includes OCR H446 1.1.1 Control unit, ALU and processor organisation
OCR H446 1.1.1 expects students to separate the control unit, the ALU and the registers by what each one does or holds, and weak answers collapse all three into a vague claim that the processor "processes data". This worksheet builds that division of labour from a worked pricing calculation so every action is attributed to a named component. Students will: - distinguish the control unit from the ALU by the action each one performs - state which processor component holds a temporary value during a calculation - explain the roles of the CU and ALU in carrying out a supplied comparison instruction - say where the result of an operation may be held once it has been produced - complete component statements from memory without an answer bank Inside: 6 explanation cells, 1 multiple-choice question, 2 fill-in-the-blanks cells and 1 written answer. 12 marks, about 15 to 25 minutes. Series: H446 1.1.1 · Structure and function of the processor, part 1 of 12.
WorksheetSeries · 2 partsH446 2.3.1 · Algorithms
Includes OCR H446 2.3.1 Designing and representing algorithms
OCR H446 2.3.1 opens with algorithm design, where students must produce finite, testable steps and then move the same logic between a flowchart, pseudocode and program code. This worksheet builds that habit from the start, so students learn that changing the notation must never quietly change what the algorithm does. Students will: - separate a problem statement into inputs, validation, processing and outputs - rewrite the same logic as pseudocode and describe how its decisions appear in a flowchart - keep decision, loop-back and update order identical across representations - design an algorithm for an unfamiliar charging rule with a cap and a rejection condition - choose normal, boundary and invalid test cases with expected outputs Inside: 6 explanation cells, 1 multiple-choice question, 1 fill-in-the-blanks cell and 2 written answers. 20 marks, about 20 to 30 minutes. Series: H446 2.3.1 · Algorithms, part 1 of 16.
WorksheetSeries · 7 partsH446 2.2.2 · Computational methods
Includes OCR H446 2.2.2 Computational solvability and problem recognition
OCR H446 2.2.2 begins with a question students often skip: can this problem be solved computationally at all? Working from a rehearsal-room allocation request, the worksheet teaches them to turn a vague human aim into precise inputs, rules, stored state and testable outputs before any algorithm is chosen. Students will: - identify the inputs, rules, stored state and outputs hidden inside a described need - rewrite an ambiguous requirement so that a program could execute and test it - explain why naming sequence, selection and iteration does not answer a question about computational methods - judge whether a loosely worded request is solvable as stated, and say what information would make part of it computable - recall the central distinctions from memory in a closed-book check Inside: 7 explanation cells, 1 multiple-choice question, 2 fill-in-the-blanks cells and 2 written answers. 20 marks, about 20 to 30 minutes. Series: H446 2.2.2 · Computational methods, part 1 of 14.
WorksheetSeries · 6 partsH446 2.2.1 · Programming techniques
Includes OCR H446 2.2.1 Control structures in OCR and Python
OCR H446 2.2.1 expects students to move between OCR's exam reference language and Python, where the same loop can carry different boundaries. This worksheet builds the sequence, selection and iteration model first, makes the FOR and range boundary difference explicit, then asks students to construct control flow from a stated requirement. Students will: - identify sequence, selection and iteration in a described requirement - translate OCR exam reference language loop boundaries into the equivalent Python range - trace a timetable algorithm and record how its state changes on each pass - write Python selection that assigns values across several discrete cases - recommend a loop type when the number of attempts is not known in advance and justify it Inside: 7 explanation cells, 2 multiple-choice questions, 1 fill-in-the-blanks cell, 2 written answers, 2 Python tasks and 1 trace table. 16 marks, about 25 to 35 minutes. Series: H446 2.2.1 · Programming techniques, part 1 of 14.
WorksheetOCR H446 2.1.3 Decomposition and solution components
Part 1 · H446 2.1.3 · Thinking procedurally
Thinking procedurally, OCR H446 2.1.3, starts with breaking a system apart along defensible lines. A student-run festival system and a community equipment-loan service give students practice at giving every component one responsibility and a clear interface. Students will: - distinguish the components of a problem from the components of a solution - give each component a single responsibility with named inputs and outputs - explain the problems caused by one component doing several unrelated jobs - propose better boundaries to replace an overloaded component - decompose an unfamiliar system and state a testing or teamwork benefit that follows Inside: 7 explanation cells, 1 multiple-choice question, 1 fill-in-the-blanks cell and 3 written answers. 22 marks, about 25 to 35 minutes. Series: H446 2.1.3 · Thinking procedurally, part 1 of 2.
WorksheetOCR H446 2.1.2 Inputs, outputs and preconditions
Part 1 · H446 2.1.2 · Thinking ahead
Thinking ahead in OCR H446 2.1.2 begins with knowing exactly what data arrives, what leaves and what must already be true. A pop-up concert service and an accessible-seating allocator push students past naming input devices towards qualified data items and stated preconditions. Students will: - identify input and output data together with its meaning and format - distinguish input data from the device that captures it - state the preconditions that must hold before a process can run correctly - read the inputs, output and preconditions out of a short pseudocode function - specify a full data contract for a step-free seat allocation service Inside: 8 explanation cells, 1 multiple-choice question, 2 fill-in-the-blanks cells and 3 written answers. 25 marks, about 25 to 35 minutes. Series: H446 2.1.2 · Thinking ahead, part 1 of 2.
WorksheetOCR H446 2.1.1 Thinking abstractly: purpose and relevant detail
Part 1 · H446 2.1.1 · Thinking abstractly
OCR H446 2.1.1 treats abstraction as a purposeful filter, not simply as making something smaller. Starting from a city cycling map and ending with an event map that must serve step-free routes, this worksheet has students decide what to keep and what to leave out from a stated purpose. Students will: - define abstraction in terms of the purpose a model has to serve - decide which details to retain and which to suppress for a named user decision - explain a benefit of abstraction when developing a real system - repair a weak model with one justified removal and one justified addition - devise a model for a new context and justify an inclusion and an exclusion Inside: 7 explanation cells, 1 multiple-choice question, 2 fill-in-the-blanks cells and 3 written answers. 22 marks, about 25 to 35 minutes. Series: H446 2.1.1 · Thinking abstractly, part 1 of 2.
WorksheetSeries · 8 partsH446 1.5.2 · Moral and ethical issues
Includes OCR H446 1.5.2 Workforce and effects on different groups
OCR H446 1.5.2 rewards answers that trace how a system change reaches particular people, not broad claims that automation removes jobs. Using automated warehouse scheduling and bus dispatch, students identify the task that changes, explain the effects on different groups and judge how the change should be introduced. Students will: - identify the task changed by an automated system before explaining its effects - identify the distinct stakeholder groups affected by one workforce change - explain an opportunity and a risk for the same group without treating them as opposites - discuss the effects of an automated public service on workers, users and the wider community - recommend how a workforce change should be introduced and justify that recommendation Inside: 5 explanation cells, 1 multiple-choice question, 2 fill-in-the-blanks cells and 2 written answers. 26 marks, about 20 to 40 minutes. Series: H446 1.5.2 · Moral and ethical issues, part 1 of 9.
WorksheetSeries · 4 partsH446 1.5.1 · Computing related legislation
Includes OCR H446 1.5.1 Data protection: exam model and current-law bridge
OCR H446 1.5.1 asks students to apply data-protection principles, but the specification still names the Data Protection Act 1998 while current UK practice runs on the 2018 Act and the UK GDPR. This worksheet teaches the examined model and makes that boundary explicit, so historical exam content is never presented as today's law. Students will: - apply the examined data-protection principles to a described processing activity - identify the processing action a principle engages, rather than naming the law alone - separate the examined 1998 naming from the current DPA 2018 and UK GDPR framework - correct a claim that treats the two layers as interchangeable - evaluate data-protection risks in an extended scenario and justify the principles engaged Inside: 6 explanation cells, 1 multiple-choice question, 2 fill-in-the-blanks cells and 3 written answers. 28 marks, about 45 to 60 minutes. Series: H446 1.5.1 · Computing related legislation, part 1 of 5.
WorksheetSeries · 11 partsH446 1.4.3 · Boolean algebra
Includes OCR H446 1.4.3 Boolean logic and notation
OCR H446 1.4.3 opens with notation, and students who cannot turn a sentence into variables lose marks long before they reach a Karnaugh map. This first worksheet in the series builds that translation habit and separates AND, OR, NOT and XOR in the notation OCR uses. Students will: - represent two-state conditions as 0 and 1 using OCR operator symbols - distinguish an inclusive OR from an exclusive XOR in a described situation - define suitable variables for a written scenario before writing any expression - write a Boolean expression that keeps the scope of a negation correct - recall operator meanings without an answer bank in a closed-book check Inside: 6 explanation cells, 3 multiple-choice questions, 2 fill-in-the-blanks cells and 1 written answer. 16 marks, about 35 to 45 minutes. Series: H446 1.4.3 · Boolean algebra, part 1 of 11.
WorksheetSeries · 4 partsH446 1.4.2 · Data structures
Includes OCR H446 1.4.2 Arrays, records, lists and tuples
OCR H446 1.4.2 expects students to choose between arrays, records, lists and tuples rather than reach for whichever structure is most familiar. This worksheet builds that choice from shape, meaning, mutability and the operations a program actually performs, using a creative-events app that holds seat grids, performer details, editable set lists and fixed colour values. Students will: - describe arrays, records, lists and tuples in terms of shape, access and whether values may change - choose a structure for a described requirement and reject one close alternative with reasons - explain how traversal, update, addition and removal differ across the four structures - design storage for a changing ordered collection of player records with named fields - complete closed-book sentences on structure choice without an answer bank Inside: 8 explanation cells, 3 multiple-choice questions, 1 fill-in-the-blanks cell and 2 written answers. 21 marks, about 40 to 50 minutes. Series: H446 1.4.2 · Data structures, part 1 of 14.
WorksheetSeries · 6 partsH446 1.4.1 · Data types
Includes OCR H446 1.4.1 Primitive data types and casting
OCR H446 1.4.1 asks students to choose a primitive data type from what a value represents and what the program does with it, not from how the value looks. Set in a music-event booking system, this worksheet builds that two-question method and then has students trace what casting really does to a value, including in running Python. Students will: - choose an OCR primitive type from a value's purpose and the operations needed - justify storing a fixed-format identifier as a string rather than an integer - trace the effect of a cast, including the loss of a fractional part - complete a Python function that casts supplied text, calculates a total and returns a set sentence - recall the type and casting definitions in a closed-book check Inside: 10 explanation cells, 2 multiple-choice questions, 2 fill-in-the-blanks cells, 1 written answer and 2 Python tasks. 17 marks, about 40 to 50 minutes. Series: H446 1.4.1 · Data types, part 1 of 11.
WorksheetSeries · 6 partsH446 1.3.4 · Web technologies
Includes OCR H446 1.3.4 HTML structure, content and forms
H446 1.3.4 expects students to read and write HTML using the language named in the specification's appendix, so this worksheet works from nested source to rendered page and back again. Students repair broken elements and attributes first, then write a complete page of their own. Students will: - read a nested HTML document and connect its elements to the regions a browser displays - repair misused attributes and missing container elements, explaining each repair - use named form controls for text, password and submit inputs - write a complete page with a heading, image, link, list and form, indented to show the nesting Inside: 5 explanation cells, 1 multiple-choice question, 2 fill-in-the-blanks cells and 2 written answers. 29 marks, about 40 to 50 minutes. Series: H446 1.3.4 · Web technologies, part 1 of 8.
WorksheetSeries · 8 partsH446 1.3.3 · Networks
Includes OCR H446 1.3.3 Network purpose, protocols, standards, LANs and WANs
OCR H446 1.3.3 puts network purpose, protocols, standards and network scope within a few lines of each other, and students routinely blur them. This worksheet keeps the four ideas apart, then asks for benefits argued from an organisation's actual situation rather than from a memorised list. Students will: - separate a protocol from a standard, and both from the purpose of a network - describe LAN and WAN as questions of geographical scope and ownership of infrastructure - explain benefits of networking for a named single-site organisation without falling back on a LAN and WAN comparison - recommend a network scope for contrasting organisations and name a cost, management or security limitation for each Inside: 5 explanation cells, 1 multiple-choice question, 2 fill-in-the-blanks cells and 2 written answers. 21 marks, about 35 to 45 minutes. Series: H446 1.3.3 · Networks, part 1 of 10.
WorksheetSeries · 11 partsH446 1.3.2 · Databases
Includes OCR H446 1.3.2 Database foundations, tables and keys
OCR H446 1.3.2 opens with the vocabulary everything else depends on: database, table, field, record, and the primary, foreign and secondary keys that link them. This worksheet builds that model from a ticket-booking scenario so students can justify a key choice rather than recite a definition. Students will: - distinguish a flat file design from a set of linked relational tables - identify primary, foreign and secondary keys from where a field appears in a schema - explain the job each key does in the table it sits in - propose tables and keys for an unfamiliar equipment-loan scenario - recall the core definitions from memory with no answer bank available Inside: 7 explanation cells, 2 multiple-choice questions, 2 fill-in-the-blanks cells and 3 written answers. 27 marks, about 25 to 35 minutes. Series: H446 1.3.2 · Databases, part 1 of 13.
WorksheetSeries · 5 partsH446 1.3.1 · Compression, encryption and hashing
Includes OCR H446 1.3.1 Compression need, lossy and lossless choice
H446 1.3.1 asks not which method makes the smaller file but what a use case needs once the data is reconstructed. This worksheet builds that reconstruction test and applies it to lossy and lossless choices across contexts where the right answer changes. Students will: - explain why storage, bandwidth and transfer time make compression worthwhile - describe what happens to data across its original, compressed and reconstructed states - identify a use that clearly requires exact reconstruction - compare lossy and lossless compression using the same criterion on both sides - recommend a method for a medical scan, speech over a slow link and a configuration file, with reasons Inside: 5 explanation cells, 1 multiple-choice question, 2 fill-in-the-blanks cells and 2 written answers. 29 marks, about 35 to 45 minutes. Series: H446 1.3.1 · Compression, encryption and hashing, part 1 of 7.
WorksheetSeries · 8 partsH446 1.2.4 · Types of programming language
Includes OCR H446 1.2.4 Paradigms, language levels and contextual choice
OCR H446 1.2.4 treats language level and programming paradigm as two separate classifications, but examination answers often collapse them into a vague claim that high-level languages are easier. This worksheet keeps the two questions apart and builds matched comparisons that tie a mechanism to its consequence. Students will: - separate the question of language level from the question of paradigm - judge whether a statement about language level is accurate - compare assembly and high-level code using the same criteria on both sides - recommend a language level and organisational approach for a portable app, memory-limited firmware and a large team-maintained simulation - justify each recommendation from the stated project constraints Inside: 5 explanation cells, 1 multiple-choice question, 2 fill-in-the-blanks cells and 2 written answers. 21 marks, about 30 to 40 minutes. Series: H446 1.2.4 · Types of programming language, part 1 of 10.
WorksheetSeries · 5 partsH446 1.2.3 · Software development
Includes OCR H446 1.2.3 Waterfall lifecycle and spiral model
H446 1.2.3 asks not what waterfall and spiral are called but what their movement changes for a project. This worksheet traces a linear route and a risk-driven cycle against contrasting briefs, so iteration, risk and change are argued as consequences rather than as labels. Students will: - follow the stages of a waterfall lifecycle and the repeating structure of a spiral cycle - explain a benefit and a drawback of waterfall for a project with fixed, signed-off rules - design a first spiral cycle with an objective, a major risk and a risk-reduction activity - explain how evidence from one cycle changes the plan for the next - compare both routes for a project carrying safety and integration risk, then recommend one Inside: 6 explanation cells, 1 multiple-choice question, 2 fill-in-the-blanks cells and 4 written answers. 36 marks, about 45 to 55 minutes. Series: H446 1.2.3 · Software development, part 1 of 6.
WorksheetSeries · 5 partsH446 1.2.2 · Applications generation
Includes OCR H446 1.2.2 Applications and utilities
OCR H446 1.2.2 expects students to tell application, system and utility software apart by what each one is for, not by how familiar it looks. This worksheet builds a purpose-first selection chain, running from a task to the functions it requires and then to a software type, so students can justify a choice in a context they have never met. Students will: - classify a piece of software as application, system or utility from its purpose - work from a described task to its required functions and then to a software type - select application types for a mixed brief and defend each against those functions - state the precise purpose of a utility and the consequence it delivers on a given device - correct loose claims such as treating any useful program as a utility Inside: 5 explanation cells, 1 multiple-choice question, 3 fill-in-the-blanks cells and 4 written answers. 39 marks, about 35 to 45 minutes. Series: H446 1.2.2 · Applications generation, part 1 of 7.
WorksheetSeries · 12 partsH446 1.2.1 · Systems software
Includes OCR H446 1.2.1 Operating system purpose and functions
The opening worksheet for H446 1.2.1 sets out what an operating system is for: hardware with very different jobs, many programs wanting it at once, and one managed layer coordinating the requests. It moves students from naming a function to explaining the mechanism behind it and the consequence for the user. Students will: - explain why a general-purpose computer needs an operating system at all - identify which operating-system function a described user action engages - describe memory, file, process, user and peripheral management with the purpose of each - explain how resource management keeps several open applications responsive - give two reasons applications reach hardware through the operating system rather than directly Inside: 5 explanation cells, 5 multiple-choice questions, 2 fill-in-the-blanks cells and 3 written answers. 30 marks, about 35 to 45 minutes. Series: H446 1.2.1 · Systems software, part 1 of 12.
WorksheetSeries · 4 partsH446 1.1.3 · Input, output and storage
Includes OCR H446 1.1.3 Device roles and contextual selection
OCR H446 1.1.3 does not ask for the internal workings of a device, it asks students to pick one that fits the situation and say why. This worksheet builds that habit by classifying input, output and storage devices by the role they play in the flow of data, then justifying each choice from the exact data captured or effect produced. Students will: - classify a device as input, output or storage by the role it plays in a system - name the exact data captured or the effect produced by a chosen device - recommend an input and an output device for a described user and environment - explain why a technically true statement about a device can still be a poor recommendation - justify device choices in unfamiliar contexts, including noisy and weather-exposed settings Inside: 5 explanation cells, 1 multiple-choice question, 2 fill-in-the-blanks cells and 3 written answers. 28 marks, about 40 to 55 minutes. Series: H446 1.1.3 · Input, output and storage, part 1 of 6.
WorksheetSeries · 3 partsH446 1.1.2 · Types of processor
Includes OCR H446 1.1.2 CISC and RISC differences and uses
OCR H446 1.1.2 treats CISC and RISC as contrasting models rather than absolute rules about real chips, and this worksheet keeps that qualification visible throughout. Students build the instruction level difference, compare one criterion at a time, then apply the model to devices carrying genuine power and software constraints. Students will: - describe how one operation can be one complex instruction or a longer sequence of simpler ones - compare CISC and RISC using the same criterion on each side - qualify claims about cycles, pipelining and speed instead of stating them as universal rules - justify a processor choice from power, cooling and software compatibility - explain the code size and compiler consequences of the two instruction set models Inside: 6 explanation cells, 1 multiple-choice question, 2 fill-in-the-blanks cells and 4 written answers. 35 marks, about 55 to 70 minutes. Series: H446 1.1.2 · Types of processor, part 1 of 5.