Two papers, 135 minutes each
Think of a football match. You can play better if you know the rules: how long it lasts, how many players, how points are scored.
A written exam is the same. If you know how it is built, you waste no time and no marks.
This lesson shows how the two Core written exams are built. It does not show real questions.
Key words
| Word | What it means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Paper | One written exam. | Paper 1 |
| Section | A part of a paper. You answer every question in it. | Section A |
| Open response | A question with no choices. You write your own answer. | Explain why a test plan helps |
| Extended answer | A long answer with several linked points. | Evaluate a new system |
| Assessment objective | A skill the marks are given for. | AO2 apply |
| Command word | The first word of a question. It tells you what to do. | Describe |
| Marks | The points a question is worth. | 90 marks in a paper |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
The two papers side by side
| Fact | Paper 1 | Paper 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Time | 2 hours 15 minutes | 2 hours 15 minutes |
| Marks | 90 | 90 |
| Topic areas | Problem solving, introduction to programming, emerging issues, legislation and regulation | Business context, data, digital environments, security |
| Parts | Section A and Section B | Section A and Section B |
| Questions | Answer all questions in each section | Answer all questions in each section |
| Question styles | Short, medium and extended open response | Short, medium and extended open response |
| Who sets and marks it | Pearson | Pearson |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
The rules for the exam room
The specification says:
- Pearson writes the paper and Pearson marks it.
- Pearson chooses the day and the time.
- You sit it under exam conditions. Your college follows the national exam rules.
- Each section gets harder as you go on.
- You answer every question. There are no choices of question.
What the specification does not say
data-callouts.important.label
It does not say how many questions there are, how many marks each question gets, how much space you have, or what you may bring. Ask your lecturer. A past paper from your provider shows all of it.
Quick check: the facts
Have a go
Quick check: the facts
5 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.
Short, medium and extended answers
Open response means you write your own answer. There are three sizes.
A short answer can be a word, a fact or one line of code. A medium answer needs a point with a reason. An extended answer joins several points and often ends with a decision.
The first word of the question tells you which job to do. Learn the ten command words in the lesson on command words.
Our own practice questions, three sizes
| Size | Our practice question | What a good answer has |
|---|---|---|
| Short | Name one command word. | One correct fact |
| Medium | Explain why a program should check what a user types. | A point and a reason |
| Extended | Evaluate the use of a booking app for a sports club. | Good and bad points, then a decision |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.