--- title: "A Level Computer Science Tutor Online | AQA 7517, OCR H446" description: "A level Computer Science tutor online for UK students: the DfE core every board shares, the 10 per cent maths floor, AQA 7517 or OCR H446, and live lessons." canonical: https://learn.modernagecoders.com/a-level-computer-science-tutor-online-uk source: src/pages/a-level-computer-science-tutor-online-uk.html --- > A level Computer Science tutor online for UK students: the DfE core every board shares, the 10 per cent maths floor, AQA 7517 or OCR H446, and live lessons. What is A level Computer Science? A level Computer Science is a two-year qualification taken in Years 12 and 13. Every board's specification in England follows the Department for Education's subject content of April 2014, which lists programming, data types and structures, data representation, algorithms and their efficiency, databases, systems software, architecture, networks and programming paradigms, and requires "a minimum of 10% mathematics". At AQA 7517, Paper 1 is a 2 hour 30 minute on-screen exam worth 40 per cent, Paper 2 a written exam worth 40 per cent, and a 75-mark project the last 20 per cent. At OCR H446, two written papers with no calculators make up 80 per cent and a programming project 20 per cent. AQA says its specification is "not available to private candidates"; OCR says private candidates may enter. Modern Age Coders teaches A level Computer Science live online for both boards, in Python, with project method taught but never project work done. Where to begin ## Three courses for A level Computer Science The first card is our A level course for AQA and OCR; the other two deepen the programming and algorithms underneath. Each opens a full syllabus. [![A Level Computer Science for AQA 7517 and OCR H446 course thumbnail](/images/a-level-computer-science-aqa-ocr.webp) LCS / 01 A level Computer Science, AQA and OCR Both boards' content in Python, with paper practice for each and project method mentoring for the 20 per cent. Open the syllabus →](/courses/a-level-computer-science-course-aqa-ocr)[![Python for Teens course thumbnail](/images/python-teens.webp) LCS / 02 Python for teens For a Year 12 student who arrives with little programming and needs fluency before the theory lands. Open the syllabus →](/courses/python-complete-masterclass-teens)[![Problem Solving for Teens course thumbnail](/images/problem-solving-teens.webp) LCS / 03 Problem solving and data structures Stacks, queues, trees, graphs and search, the algorithms both boards examine, practised in code. Open the syllabus →](/courses/problem-solving-dsa-masterclass-teens) The shared core ## What does every A level Computer Science course cover? The same government list, whichever board a school chose. The DfE subject content sets out what is "common to all AS and A level specifications in computer science". | Area | What the content requires | | --- | --- | | Principles | "abstraction, decomposition, logic, algorithms and data representation" | | Programming | Fundamentals of programming; data types from primitive to complex data structures | | Algorithms | Following and writing algorithms; at A level, "the importance of the efficiency of an algorithm" and "standard algorithms" | | Data | Capturing, selecting, exchanging and managing data; at A level, databases including "database programming and producing a data model" | | Systems | Systems software; processors, storage, input, output and connectivity; networks and protocols | | Paradigms | At A level, "the need for and characteristics of a variety of programming paradigms" | | Skills | "design, write and test programs"; arguing for correctness and efficiency; modular structure; writing specifications | | Wider issues | The moral, ethical, legal and cultural opportunities and risks of digital technology | ### Why the core matters to a tutor Because most of the subject is shared, good teaching of the core serves a student on either board. Recursion, a hash table, a two's complement number or a SQL join is the same idea at AQA and at OCR. What changes between boards is how the idea is examined: on screen or on paper, in a real language or in pseudocode, inside a pre-released program or from a blank page. ### What the core leaves to boards Paper structure, timings, weightings, project rules and languages. Those come from each specification, and the board doors linked below go through them one board at a time. Outside England, check the local list. OCR's specification says H446 "is available in England" and points Wales and Northern Ireland to their own qualification lists. Source: [Department for Education, GCE AS and A level subject content for computer science](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/gce-as-and-a-level-for-computer-science), April 2014, reference DFE-00359-2014. Read 31 October 2026. AQA or OCR ## What is the difference between AQA and OCR A level Computer Science? Both put 80 per cent in exams and 20 per cent in a project. They part company on where code is written in the exam, and on who can enter at all. | Feature | AQA 7517 (v1.6, July 2023) | OCR H446 (v3.0, April 2026) | | --- | --- | --- | | Exam papers | Paper 1 on screen, 2 hours 30 minutes, 40 per cent; Paper 2 written, 2 hours 30 minutes, 40 per cent | Components 01 and 02, both written, 2 hours 30 minutes each, 40 per cent each | | Programming in the exam | In an Electronic Answer Document, working with a pre-released Skeleton Program | On paper; any pseudocode style whose meaning "could be reasonably inferred by a competent programmer" | | Calculators | Not stated in the summary we read | "(no calculators allowed)" on both written papers | | Project | Non-exam assessment, 75 marks, 20 per cent | Programming project, 70 marks, 20 per cent | | Languages | C#, Java, Python (not Python 2), VB.Net | Project in Python, C family, Java, Visual Basic, PHP or Delphi, with "a suitable graphical interface" | | Private candidates | "These specifications are not available to private candidates." | "Private candidates may enter for OCR assessments." | | Teaching time | Not stated in the pages we read | Total qualification time and guided learning time of 360 hours | ### For a student at school The school has already chosen. Find the board on the school's course information or exam timetable, then go to the matching page: [AQA 7517 help](/aqa-a-level-computer-science-7517-help) or [OCR H446 help](/ocr-a-level-computer-science-h446-help). For the 20 per cent project at either board, see [A level Computer Science coursework help](/a-level-computer-science-nea-help), which sets out where the marks are and what the boards say about AI. ### For a private or home-educated candidate The board may be decided for you. AQA's specification says plainly that it is not available to private candidates. OCR's says private candidates may enter, must be based in the UK, and must find an approved centre willing to host them; it adds that the centre "may charge for this facility" and recommends arranging it "early in the course". Ask any centre how it will handle the 20 per cent programming project before agreeing an entry; the exams alone are not the whole qualification. Sources: [AQA 7516/7517 specification](https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/computer-science-and-it/as-and-a-level/computer-science-7516-7517), version 1.6, sections 1 and 7.8; [OCR H446 specification](https://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/as-and-a-level/computer-science-h046-h446-from-2015/), version 3.0, sections 1, 3, 4 and 5. Cambridge 9618, taken in many international schools, is a separate qualification covered on our [Cambridge A level Computer Science page](/cambridge-a-level-computer-science-online-classes). The maths ## Do you need maths for A level Computer Science? Some, and the amount has a legal floor. The DfE content says every accredited specification "must contain a minimum of 10% mathematics", and names three topics. ### Boolean algebra Expressions in AND, OR and NOT, simplified with laws such as De Morgan's. It is the algebra of logic gates and of every if statement with more than one condition. ### Complexity of algorithms Comparing how running time or memory grows with input size, written in Big O notation. The DfE marks this topic as A level only "due to its advanced nature". ### Number bases Binary, hexadecimal and decimal, signed and unsigned integers, fixed and floating point. The DfE calls these Level 2 concepts applied in a Level 3 context. ### A level Maths is not required by the boards Neither specification we read requires A level Maths to take A level Computer Science. The maths both boards assess is the list above, which OCR lists again as topics "counted as Level 2 (or higher) mathematics", while saying candidates will be "expected to apply the skills in a Level 3 context". Schools and universities set their own entry requirements, so check those separately. ### Where students actually struggle In our view, the hard part is rarely the arithmetic. It is the reasoning: why a binary search halves the work, why a two's complement byte can be negative, why two Boolean expressions are equal. Those are the habits the worked examples below practise. Students taking [A level Maths](/a-level-maths-tuition-online) alongside will meet logarithms there, which is where the log in O(n log n) comes from. Sources: DfE subject content, annex on mathematical skills; OCR H446 specification, section 5c, Mathematical skills. Worked examples, written by us ## What does A level Computer Science reasoning look like? Three original problems, one from each of the DfE's maths topics, worked in full. None is from an AQA or OCR paper. ### 1. One byte, two meanings What is 10110110 in decimal? As an unsigned byte: 128 + 32 + 16 + 4 + 2 = 182, which is B6 in hex. As 8-bit two's complement the top bit is worth minus 128, so the value is minus 128 + 54 = minus 74. Check: 182 minus 256 is minus 74. The bits never changed; only the agreed meaning did. ### 2. Simplify the condition Simplify (A AND B) OR (A AND NOT B). Factor out A: A AND (B OR NOT B). B OR NOT B is always true, so the whole expression is just A. In code, if (a and b) or (a and not b) can become if a. A truth table with four rows confirms it. ### 3. How many guesses? At most how many comparisons does binary search need on 1,000,000 sorted items? Each comparison halves what is left. Two to the power 19 is 524,288, too small; two to the power 20 is 1,048,576, enough. So at most 20, against up to 1,000,000 for a linear search. That gap is O(log n) against O(n). ***Example 3 in Python (ours)**Python* ``` def binary_search(items, target): """Return the index of target in sorted items, or -1. Also return how many comparisons were made.""" low, high = 0, len(items) - 1 comparisons = 0 while low <= high: mid = (low + high) // 2 comparisons += 1 if items[mid] == target: return mid, comparisons if items[mid] < target: low = mid + 1 else: high = mid - 1 return -1, comparisons data = list(range(0, 2_000_000, 2)) # 1,000,000 sorted even numbers print(binary_search(data, 1_999_998)) # last item: found in at most 20 comparisons ``` Run it and the comparison count comes back at or under 20. Change the list to ten million items and the bound rises to 24, not to ten times as many. Students learn more from changing the input and predicting the count than from reading the function. | Question (ours) | Answer | The reasoning | | --- | --- | --- | | Convert hexadecimal 3F to decimal | 63 | 3 sixteens are 48, plus 15 | | What is 11111111 as 8-bit two's complement? | Minus 1 | Minus 128 plus 127 | | Simplify NOT(NOT A) OR (A AND B) | A | Double negation gives A; A OR (A AND B) absorbs to A | | Two nested loops, each running n times: what order of time? | O(n squared) | n repetitions of n steps | | Maximum binary search comparisons on 1,000 sorted items | 10 | Two to the power 10 is 1,024 | | How many different patterns can 12 bits hold? | 4,096 | Two to the power 12 | Choosing a tutor ## What should I look for in an A level Computer Science tutor? Our checklist, which applies to us as much as anyone. The first question is the board; the last is the project. 1. Ask which board and specification code the tutor will teach to: 7517 and H446 examine the same core in different ways. 2. For AQA, ask whether they will work with the Preliminary Material and Skeleton Program in the board's language your school uses. 3. For OCR, ask how they will practise writing code on paper, in pseudocode a marker can follow. 4. Ask how they teach the maths topics, Boolean algebra, complexity and number bases, not only programming. 5. Ask where their line is on the project. The answer should be that they teach method and never write, edit or debug the student's own project code. 6. Ask for a free first lesson on a topic the student finds hard, and judge the reasoning, not the slides. ### Our line on the project We teach how to analyse a problem, design, test and evaluate, using our own example projects. We do not write, edit, debug or review any part of a student's assessed project. The detail of what each board allows, including on AI tools, is on our [coursework help page](/a-level-computer-science-nea-help). ### What we do not promise A grade, a university offer or a mark on any component. We teach the subject and the exam technique; the result is the student's. Teaching in every language. We teach in Python and introduce the board's pseudocode conventions; a student whose school uses C# or Java for AQA should tell us at the start. Across two years ## From Year 12 to the summer of Year 13 The order we teach in, built from the DfE core. Projects usually start in Year 12 and finish in Year 13; your school sets the dates. | When | Stage | Secure when | | --- | --- | --- | | Autumn of Year 12 | 1. Programming fluency | Writes and tests functions, lists, dictionaries and files without help | | Spring of Year 12 | 2. Data and its representation | Converts bases, explains two's complement and floating point, designs a simple database | | Year 12 into Year 13 | 3. Algorithms and complexity | Traces and writes searches, sorts and graph algorithms, and compares their Big O | | Year 13 | 4. Papers and paradigms | Answers full papers in the board's format; explains object-oriented and functional ideas | ### Arriving without GCSE Computer Science It is possible, but the first term needs extra programming time. Our [Python for teens](/courses/python-complete-masterclass-teens) course closes that gap. Olympiad-minded students can try the [British Informatics Olympiad](/british-informatics-olympiad-preparation). ### After the A level Students going on to computing degrees often continue with [data structures and algorithms](/courses/data-structures-algorithms-masterclass-college). Lessons lighten around mocks and the exam season. All related courses ## Courses for sixth-form computer scientists The A level itself, the skills under it, and what follows. I ### The qualification Years 12 and 13 UK / LCSU / 01 #### A level Computer Science, AQA and OCR Both boards, in Python, with paper practice. [Open the syllabus](/courses/a-level-computer-science-course-aqa-ocr) UK / LCSU / 02 #### Cambridge 9618 For international schools on Cambridge. [Open the syllabus](/courses/cambridge-a-level-computer-science-9618-course) UK / LCSU / 03 #### IB Computer Science For diploma students instead of A levels. [Open the syllabus](/courses/ib-diploma-computer-science-course)II ### Underneath Programming and algorithms UK / LCSU / 04 #### Python for teens Fluency first, from the beginning. [Open the syllabus](/courses/python-complete-masterclass-teens) UK / LCSU / 05 #### Problem solving and DSA Data structures and algorithms in practice. [Open the syllabus](/courses/problem-solving-dsa-masterclass-teens) UK / LCSU / 06 #### Java for teens For AQA students whose school uses Java. [Open the syllabus](/courses/java-programming-masterclass-for-teens)III ### Alongside and after Maths and university UK / LCSU / 07 #### A level maths Logarithms, proof and the maths behind complexity. [Open the syllabus](/courses/a-level-maths-course-pure-mechanics-statistics) UK / LCSU / 08 #### University DSA The next step for computing degrees. [Open the syllabus](/courses/data-structures-algorithms-masterclass-college) How lessons run ## Live code, in the board's format Weekdays or weekends, flexible: choose your batch, or for a very personalised plan choose 1-on-1 at your convenience, weekend mornings or weekdays. Our teachers work from India; India time is four and a half hours ahead of UK time in summer and five and a half in winter, and every lesson is booked in UK time. After school The usual slot in Years 12 and 13. Weekend morning Long enough for a full paper. Holidays Revision blocks before mocks and summer exams. ### Code you run Every idea written and run in Python during the lesson. ### Board format On-screen practice for AQA, on-paper pseudocode for OCR. ### Maths topics Boolean algebra, complexity and bases taught as reasoning. ### Project method Taught on our examples; your project stays yours. ### Group or 1-on-1 A batch of 15 to 20 at one stage, or a teacher for one student. ### No promises We teach; grades and offers are the student's. Student work ## Projects our students built Work made in our classes, none of it assessed coursework. More on [student labs](/student-labs). ![NutriLife AI nutrition coach project screenshot](/images/projects/nutrilife.webp) AI and ML #### NutriLife An AI nutrition coach that reads what you eat and works you toward a target. by Bhavya · [Open it](https://nutrilife-bhavya.lovable.app) ![Misti AI chatbot for maths and coding screenshot](/images/projects/misti.webp) AI and ML #### Misti A chatbot that answers mathematics and programming questions, built and deployed by a student. by Harshit · [Open it](https://misti.modernagecoders.com) ![GuardianX AI internet safety assistant screenshot](/images/projects/guardianx.webp) AI and ML #### GuardianX An assistant that helps a young person recognise unsafe situations online. by Vivaan · [Open it](https://guardianx-cybersaver.lovable.app) ![SkyCast weather forecast application screenshot](/images/projects/skycast.webp) Web app #### SkyCast A weather forecasting site with live conditions for any location. by Krish Fees ## Fees for A level Computer Science One monthly fee, shown in the currency we use for UK families, with nothing to sign for the year. The first lesson is free. Free first class USD 0 no card required - A lesson on a topic the student finds hard - An honest view of where they stand - A phone number is enough Book it Group batch USD 100 a month, billed in US dollars - 15 to 20 students at one stage - One teacher through Years 12 and 13 - Board-format paper practice - Project method on our examples Start here One to one USD 150 a month, billed in US dollars - One student, one teacher - Paced to the school's board and dates - Useful for a private candidate Enquire What families say ## Rated 4.9 across 547 Google reviews From parents and students on our Google profile, unedited. ★★★★★ "The one step solution for my son. Modern Age Coders make learning coding so simple that kids love it. The teachers explain complex concepts clearly with practical exercises and interactive content." Ria Mukherjee Parent ★★★★★ "Modern Age Coders has been a game-changer for me. I struggled to grasp IT concepts and coding before joining, but their classes transformed everything. I can now confidently write complex programs with ease." Samriddha Mondal Student ★★★★★ "One of the most wonderful education centres out there. Education is not limited to school syllabus but focuses on skill development." Vansh Agarwal Student ★★★★★ "My child Dhairya is really enjoying the Modern Age Coders classes. This is his first online class and he eagerly looks forward to it. I can already see his improvement, and the teachers are very cooperative." Sonam Oswal Parent of Dhairya ★★★★★ "Modern Age Coders have wonderful teachers who teach in a clear, easy and practical way. The teacher boosts students' confidence and inspires them to learn without hesitation." Sonu Goyal Parent ★★★★★ "I highly recommend this computer coding class! The teachers are incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about coding." Ritu Kedia Parent A level Computer Science questions ## What students and parents ask ### What do you study in A level Computer Science? The DfE core shared by every board: programming, data structures, data representation, algorithms and their efficiency, databases, systems software, architecture, networks, programming paradigms and the wider issues of digital technology, with at least 10 per cent mathematics. ### Is AQA or OCR A level Computer Science harder? Neither board publishes a comparison and we will not invent one. AQA sets its programming paper on screen with a pre-released Skeleton Program; OCR sets two written papers with code in pseudocode. Some students prefer one format to the other. ### Do I need A level Maths for A level Computer Science? The AQA and OCR specifications we read do not require it. Every specification must contain at least 10 per cent maths: Boolean algebra, complexity of algorithms and number bases, applied at A level standard. ### Can I take A level Computer Science as a private candidate? With OCR, yes, if you are based in the UK and an approved centre agrees to host you; the centre may charge. AQA says its 7517 specification is not available to private candidates. ### How is AQA A level Computer Science assessed? Paper 1 is a 2 hour 30 minute on-screen exam worth 40 per cent, Paper 2 a 2 hour 30 minute written exam worth 40 per cent, and the non-exam assessment is 75 marks and 20 per cent. ### How is OCR A level Computer Science assessed? Two written papers, Computer systems and Algorithms and programming, each 2 hours 30 minutes and 40 per cent with no calculators, plus a 70-mark programming project worth 20 per cent. ### Which programming language should I use? The one your school uses for the exam. AQA supports C#, Java, Python and VB.Net; OCR accepts several languages for the project. We teach in Python and introduce each board's conventions. ### Will you help with my NEA or programming project? We teach project method on our own examples. We never write, edit, debug or review any part of a student's assessed project. ### When are lessons? Weekdays or weekends, flexible: choose your batch, or for a very personalised plan choose 1-on-1 at your convenience, weekend mornings or weekdays. All times are in UK time. ### Is there a free trial lesson? Yes. The first lesson is free, on a topic the student finds hard, and afterwards we tell you honestly what we saw. Related pages ## More for A level computer scientists The board doors, the project, and the routes around them. ### [AQA A level Computer Science 7517](/aqa-a-level-computer-science-7517-help) The on-screen paper and the Skeleton Program. ### [OCR A level Computer Science H446](/ocr-a-level-computer-science-h446-help) Two written papers and a free-choice project. ### [A level Computer Science coursework](/a-level-computer-science-nea-help) Where the project marks are, and AI rules. ### [Cambridge A level Computer Science](/cambridge-a-level-computer-science-online-classes) The 9618 route in international schools. ### [CCEA Software Systems Development](/ccea-a-level-software-systems-development-help) The Northern Ireland A level route. ### [Coding classes in the UK](/coding-classes-in-united-kingdom) Our hub for every UK page. ## Related pages in this guide Part of the guide: [UK university admissions: maths tests and computing applications](/uk-university-admissions-maths-and-computing-guide) ### Computer science applications - [Computer science personal statement projects](/computer-science-personal-statement-projects-uk) - [AQA A-level Computer Science 7517 help](/aqa-a-level-computer-science-7517-help) - [OCR A-level Computer Science H446 help](/ocr-a-level-computer-science-h446-help) - [A-level Computer Science coursework help](/a-level-computer-science-nea-help) - [EPQ computer science artefact mentoring](/epq-computer-science-artefact-mentoring) - [BTEC IT programming unit help](/btec-it-programming-unit-help) ### Admissions tests and interviews - [TMUA preparation](/tmua-preparation) - [STEP maths preparation](/step-maths-preparation) - [ESAT maths preparation](/esat-maths-preparation) - [Oxford MAT preparation](/oxford-mat-preparation) - [Oxbridge maths interview preparation](/oxbridge-maths-interview-problem-solving) More guides: [UK maths exam boards and specification codes](/uk-maths-exam-boards-and-specification-codes) · [UK maths year by year, Reception to Year 11](/uk-maths-year-by-year-guide) · [UK selective school maths tests: 7+, 11+, 13+ and 16+](/uk-selective-school-maths-tests-guide) · [UK maths enrichment, competitions and able pupils](/uk-maths-enrichment-and-competitions-guide) Start here ## Book a free A level lesson Tell us your board, your year and the topic that worries you most. We teach that topic, live, and then tell you what we saw. Reading first? Each [course page](/courses) has its syllabus, and [how we teach](/how-we-teach) explains our method. [WhatsApp us](https://wa.me/919123366161?text=Hello%20Modern%20Age%20Coders%2C%20I%20would%20like%20a%20free%20A%20level%20Computer%20Science%20lesson.) · [+91 91233 66161](tel:+919123366161) · [connect@modernagecoders.com](mailto:connect@modernagecoders.com) WhatsApp reaches us quickest and is free from a UK phone. Replies come from India, on a number starting +91. ### Want a class sooner? Book a priority demo A priority demo is a full class of about 45 to 60 minutes. After the class the mentor sends a written skill report and a personal learning roadmap on WhatsApp. If you enrol, the demo fee is adjusted against your first month's fee. Share your demo Order ID with us on WhatsApp and we take it off. [Book a priority demo](/book-demo) ## Keep exploring Modern Age Coders ### More maths tuition - [WJEC A Level Maths Help (Wales): Units, UMS and A*](/wjec-a-level-maths-help-wales) - [AQA A Level Further Maths 7367 Help: Papers and Options](/aqa-a-level-further-maths-7367-help) - [UKMT Maths Challenge Tutoring](/ukmt-maths-challenge-tutoring) - [AQA A Level Maths 7357 Help: Papers, Topics and Calculator](/aqa-a-level-maths-7357-help) - [AQA GCSE Maths 8300 Help](/aqa-gcse-maths-8300-help) - [AQA Level 2 Further Maths 8365 Help](/aqa-level-2-further-maths-8365-help) - [Reception Maths Online UK](/reception-maths-online-uk) - [Common Entrance Maths Tuition](/common-entrance-maths-tuition) - [Online Maths Tuition for Kids in the UK](/online-maths-tuition-for-kids-in-uk) ### Learn more - [The Course Atlas: Every Coding, AI & Mathematics Course (Kids, Teens](/course-atlas) - [A Level Further Maths: Core Pure and Applied Options](/courses/a-level-further-maths-course) - [JEE Aspirant Coding Track: Python & Computational Maths for](/jee-aspirant-coding-track) - [AQA vs Edexcel vs OCR GCSE Maths: How the Boards Differ](/aqa-vs-edexcel-vs-ocr-gcse-maths) ### From the blog - [Maths Learning Guides](/blog/topic/maths) - [Data Science, AI, and Math: Skills Every Tech Professional Must Learn](/blog/data-science-ai-math-skills-professionals) - [Does Online Maths Tuition Really Work? An Honest 2026 Answer](/blog/does-online-maths-tuition-work) - [How Coding and Mathematics Work Together in Engineering & Science](/blog/coding-mathematics-engineering-science) ### Start here - [Real projects built by Modern Age Coders students](/student-labs) - [Browse every live course at Modern Age Coders](/courses) Free class[Priority demo](/book-demo)[Call us](tel:+919123366161) --- *Canonical: https://learn.modernagecoders.com/a-level-computer-science-tutor-online-uk*