There is no expectation that students purchase any of the below books; they are all stocked in the department and some are available in the College library.
However, students may wish to use some of the texts to enhance and enrich their understanding by making notes in the books. The list below is therefore intended to give a flavour of the course and provide a reference point if any topics prove particularly challenging.
- ++ Provided either in paper or electronic form by the department
- ** These books are highly recommended.
- ## Excellent for the Independent Project and learning how to make Graphical User Interface in various languages
- **OCR AS and A level Computer Science, PM Heathcote and RSU Heathcote, PG Online. ISBN: 978-1-910523-05-6
- ++OCR A level Computer Science, George Rouse, Jason Pitt & Sean O’Byrne, Hodder Education. ISBN: 978-1471-83976-4
- Head First Design Patterns, Eric Freeman & Elisabeth Robson. ISBN: 978-0-596-00712-6
- Head First Java, Kathy Sierra & Bert Bates. ISBN: 978—596-00920-5
- Head First Object-Oriented Analysis & Design, Brett D McLaughlin, Gary Police & David West. ISBN: 978-0-596-00867-3
- **Learning to Program in Python, PM Heathcote, PG Online. ISBN: 978-1-910523-11-7
- **OCR A Level Computer Science, My revision notes, George Rouse, Sean O’Byrne & Jason Pitt, Hodder Education. ISBN: 978-1-4718-6583-1
- **Essential Maths Skills for AS/A level Computer Science, Gavin Craddock & Victoria Ellis, Hodder Education. ISBN: 978-1-4718-6357-8
- Python Programming, Third Edition, Michael Dawson, Cengage Technology. ISBN: 978-1-4354-5500-9
- ##More Python Programming, Third Edition, Michael Dawson, Cengage Technology. ISBN: 978-1-4354-5980-9
- Monkey game development: Beginners Guide, Michael Hartlef, Packt Publishing. ISBN: 978-1849692038
Media
Key to success on most A Level courses is keeping up with new developments. Engaging with a variety of media and different products builds a deeper understanding of a subject.
Small habits make a major difference, such as checking the latest Computer Tweets or choosing to listen to a podcast on the bus. Below are some websites, Twitter feeds and podcasts that can help. These suggestions a starting point.
X (Twitter) feeds
- @craigndave1
- @SmallpeiceTrust
- @w3c
- @astro_pi
- @computermuseum
- @tnmoc
- @Computing_News
- @arduino
- @ocr_ict
- @ictinfouk
- @WIRED
- @BBCTech
- @guardiantech
Websites
The computer science section of the College VLE is updated with lesson material and independent research material.