6 topics · 72 free flashcards
GCSE Computer Science flashcards
Free revision cards for students aged 14 to 16 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, sorted by topic, with a quick quiz on every page.
About GCSE Computer Science
GCSE Computer Science covers how computers work, how to write and analyse programs, how data is stored and transmitted, and how networks and security systems operate. It also asks students to think critically about the social and ethical effects of technology. The challenge is that it combines practical programming skills with a large body of theoretical knowledge, so students need to be comfortable switching between writing code and learning abstract concepts.
Flashcards suit Computer Science particularly well because so much of the course relies on precise definitions, conversion methods and algorithm steps that must be recalled quickly and accurately. Active recall forces you to retrieve facts such as binary conversions or network protocols from memory rather than just reading them, which strengthens retention. Spaced repetition then ensures you revisit tricky topics like logic gates or encryption at exactly the right intervals to move them into long-term memory.
Flashcards by topic
12 cards · 3-question quiz
Algorithms
- · What is an algorithm?
- · What are the three fundamental building blocks of an algorithm?
- · What is a flowchart used for in algorithm design?
12 cards · 3-question quiz
Programming fundamentals
- · What is a variable in programming?
- · What is the difference between a variable and a constant?
- · Name five common data types used in programming.
12 cards · 3-question quiz
Data representation
- · What is a bit and what values can it hold?
- · How many bits are in a byte?
- · Convert the binary number 10110011 to denary.
12 cards · 3-question quiz
Computer systems
- · What is the role of the CPU in a computer system?
- · What are the three main components inside a CPU?
- · Describe the fetch-decode-execute cycle.
12 cards · 3-question quiz
Networks and cyber security
- · What is the difference between a LAN and a WAN?
- · What does a router do in a network?
- · What is a network protocol?
12 cards · 3-question quiz
Ethical, legal and environmental impacts
- · What does the Data Protection Act 2018 require organisations to do?
- · What three offences does the Computer Misuse Act 1990 make illegal?
- · What does the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 protect?
What you need to master
- Understand how to trace, write and evaluate algorithms using pseudocode and flowcharts.
- Be able to write and read programs using core constructs such as loops, conditionals and functions.
- Know how to convert numbers between binary, denary and hexadecimal.
- Understand how networks are structured and how threats like malware and phishing are countered.
- Discuss ethical and legal issues around data privacy, AI and the environmental cost of computing.
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GCSE Computer Science revision questions
Do I need to memorise code for the exam?
You do not need to memorise a specific programming language, but you must be comfortable reading and writing pseudocode and understanding programming logic. Practise writing short programs by hand, since you cannot run code in the exam. The more you code during revision, the more naturally the syntax and structure will come to you under pressure.
How much maths is involved in GCSE Computer Science?
There is a moderate amount of maths, mainly around number systems. You need to convert confidently between binary, denary and hexadecimal, perform binary addition, and understand how numbers and text are represented in memory. Logic gates also involve Boolean expressions. None of it requires advanced maths, but accuracy matters, so practise these calculations regularly until they feel routine.
What is the best way to revise algorithms?
The most effective approach is to trace through algorithms step by step on paper, tracking variable values in a table. Practise writing common algorithms such as bubble sort, merge sort and binary search from memory. Then test yourself by explaining what each algorithm does and why it is more or less efficient than alternatives, using Big O notation where required.
How do I remember all the networking and security terminology?
Group related terms together, for example all the layers of a protocol stack, or all the types of cyber attack, and learn each group as a set. Flashcards work very well here because there are many precise definitions to recall. Try to explain each term in your own words rather than copying a definition, as this shows you genuinely understand it rather than just memorising a phrase.
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Written for general GCSE revision. Exam boards and schools differ, so check your own specification for exactly what you need to know. Lerno is not affiliated with any exam board.