How is Cambridge 9618 assessed?
Four papers of 75 marks each. Paper 1 Theory Fundamentals covers syllabus sections 1 to 8. Paper 2 Fundamental Problem-solving and Programming Skills covers sections 9 to 12. Paper 3 Advanced Theory covers sections 13 to 20. Paper 4 Practical assesses the practical application of sections 19 to 20 through scenarios. AS candidates take Papers 1 and 2; A Level candidates take all four.
Is it really true that Paper 2 does not require code?
Yes, and it is stated in the syllabus. Candidates will not be required to write programming code in Paper 2, and they are provided with an Insert containing pseudocode built-in functions. Answers are expected in Cambridge pseudocode using those functions. This is the single most common reason a strong programmer underperforms on that paper.
How much do the classes cost?
A batch of five to eight students is USD 100 a month and one to one is USD 150 a month, billed in US dollars, and the figures are identical in every country we teach outside India. No enrolment fee, no minimum term, and the first class is free without a card.
Which language should we choose for Paper 4?
Choose early and then commit, because the practical paper rewards fluency under time and switching late throws away the practice already done. Python and Java are both common choices; we will discuss it against what the school teaches and what the student is heading toward, and then stay in it for the whole practical phase.
Should we take AS and A2 separately or all four in one series?
The staged route gives two years to build practical programming ability before Paper 4, and for most students that produces a better grade. Taking all four in one series compresses the practical preparation into a year that is already crowded. We will give you a straight view rather than a diplomatic one.
My child writes beautiful pseudocode and freezes at Paper 4. What now?
That is one of the two standard profiles and it is fixable, but only by writing programs that actually run, repeatedly, from scenarios, under time. Reading about programming does not close it and neither does more pseudocode. The practical phase of this course exists precisely for that student.
Do you help with the practical paper work?
We teach, question and review. We do not write code that will be submitted as a student's own. What we do instead is set scenario after scenario until producing a working program with proper test evidence is routine rather than an event.
Are the classes live?
Every class is live, one to one or in a batch of five to eight, taught from India to students worldwide. We do not sell recordings in place of classes, because a recording cannot watch a student write real syntax into a Paper 2 answer and stop them.
What if my child is coming from a UK GCSE rather than an IGCSE?
Then they are probably comfortable writing real code and unprepared for a paper that does not want it, which is the opposite profile from a Cambridge IGCSE student. The first term goes somewhere different for each, and knowing which student you have is the reason we ask about the previous qualification on the first call.
How long is the course?
About thirty-six weeks at two classes a week for the full A Level, joinable in any month. AS alone is roughly the first twenty-four. One to one is paced to the entry series, and for a student joining close to an exam we will say honestly what is achievable rather than promise full coverage.
Do you mark past papers?
Yes, against the real Cambridge mark scheme rather than against intent. On this syllabus that matters more than usual, because Paper 2 credits pseudocode written in specific conventions and a correct algorithm in the wrong form does not always score.
Which series can my child sit?
Exams are available in the June and November series. Your school or examination centre handles registration and will confirm which series applies to you, and where our advice differs from theirs on logistics, they are right.
Is the artificial intelligence content examinable?
It is in the syllabus content for the advanced sections, and it is newer, which means fewer past questions exist to practise on. That combination makes it under-prepared by most candidates and therefore one of the easier places to gain ground, so we teach it rather than skim it.
What happens in the free first class?
A diagnostic rather than a sales call. Usually one Paper 2 style design question and a short practical task, because between them they show which of the two disciplines this student is weaker at, and that determines everything about how the year should be spent.
What happens after we send the form?
A mentor calls you at a reasonable hour to arrange the free class. Nothing is charged and no card is requested. Tell us the entry series and whether the student is taking AS only or the full A Level, because those two facts change the honest recommendation more than anything else.
