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Cambridge A Level Computer Science

Computer Science for Cambridge A Level (syllabus 9618) — what the qualification covers, and the study material Marlbridge publishes for it.

Syllabus
9618
Board
Cambridge
Qualification
A Level

At a glance

Qualification
Cambridge A Level Computer Science
Spec code
9618
Does Marlbridge teach it?
Yes
Are resources available?
Yes — 9 published
Is enrolment open?
Enquire to join — no online enrolment yet
Where was this verified?
2026-08-19, official Cambridge specification

Compiled and maintained by the Marlbridge Academic Team, checked against the official Cambridge specification on 2026-08-19.

Spotted something wrong on this page? Report an error — see the corrections policy.

The qualification

Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science (9618)

This syllabus enables learners to understand the main principles of problem-solving using computers and gives them opportunities to develop their skills in a number of programming languages, together with the skills necessary to apply this understanding to develop computer based solutions to problems. — Cambridge, official syllabus page

Valid for exams in 2026 only, a single-year series that should be re-checked for a successor when next touched. Staged: AS (sections 1-12) and A Level (adds 13-20), assessed across four papers (Theory Fundamentals, Fundamental Problem-solving and Programming, Advanced Theory, Practical).

Specifications change between examination series. Always confirm the current syllabus and assessment structure on the Cambridge syllabus page for your examination year.

Assessment structure

Staged qualification

Assessment components for Cambridge Computer Science 9618
Component Duration Marks Weighting Type
Paper 1: Theory Fundamentals 1h 30m 75 25% Written exam
Paper 2: Fundamental Problem-solving and Programming Skills 2h 75 25% Written exam
Paper 3: Advanced Theory 1h 30m 75 25% Written exam
Paper 4: Practical 2h 30m 75 25% Practical

Source: official Cambridge specification, verified 2026-08-27. Directly confirmed against the official PDF's "Assessment overview" (Syllabus overview, p.11-12): Paper 1 Theory Fundamentals (1h30/75 marks, 50% of AS / 25% of A Level) and Paper 2 Fundamental Problem-solving and Programming Skills (2h/75 marks, 50% of AS / 25% of A Level) form the AS Level; Paper 3 Advanced Theory (1h30/75 marks, 25% of A Level only) and Paper 4 Practical (2h30/75 marks, 25% of A Level only -- candidates submit complete program code and testing evidence on a computer with no internet/email access) complete the full A Level. Weighting figures recorded here are the "% of A Level" figures (25+25+25+25=100); the AS-only route uses the separate 50%/50% figures instead, not modeled as a distinct record. Calculators must not be used in any paper. All four papers externally assessed. This is a single-year syllabus edition (2026 only) that should be re-checked for a successor when next touched.

Assessment FAQs

How is Cambridge Computer Science (9618) assessed?

Cambridge Computer Science (9618) is assessed through: Paper 1 (Theory Fundamentals) — 1h 30m, 75 marks, 25% of the qualification; Paper 2 (Fundamental Problem-solving and Programming Skills) — 2h, 75 marks, 25% of the qualification; Paper 3 (Advanced Theory) — 1h 30m, 75 marks, 25% of the qualification; Paper 4 (Practical) — 2h 30m, 75 marks, 25% of the qualification. It is a staged qualification. Source: official Cambridge specification, verified 2026-08-27.

The subject

Computer Science teaching and study resources, organised by level and topic.

All Computer Science at Marlbridge

Syllabus topics

The 20 topics below are the official subject content of Cambridge International AS & A Level Computer Science (9618), for the 2026 examination series, reproduced from the Cambridge syllabus document.

A topic listed here is part of the syllabus. It does not mean Marlbridge has published material for it — topics with resources are marked. Marlbridge currently has resources for 3 of 20 topics.

AS Level

Topics 1–22. Studied in the first year, and assessed on the AS papers.

  1. AS 1 Information representation

    3 Marlbridge resources

    Data Representation · Multimedia – Graphics, Sound · Compression

  2. AS 2 Communication

    3 Marlbridge resources

    Networks including the internet

  3. AS 3 Hardware

    Syllabus topic · no resource yet

    Computers and their components · Logic Gates and Logic Circuits

  4. AS 4 Processor Fundamentals

    3 Marlbridge resources

    Central Processing Unit (CPU) Architecture · Assembly Language · Bit manipulation

  5. AS 5 System Software

    Syllabus topic · no resource yet

    Operating Systems · Language Translators

  6. AS 6 Security, privacy and data integrity

    Syllabus topic · no resource yet

    Data Security · Data Integrity

  7. AS 7 Ethics and Ownership

    Syllabus topic · no resource yet

    Ethics and Ownership

  8. AS 8 Databases

    Syllabus topic · no resource yet

    Database Concepts · Database Management Systems (DBMS) · Data Definition Language (DDL) and Data Manipulation Language (DML)

  9. AS 9 Algorithm Design and Problem-solving

    Syllabus topic · no resource yet

    Computational Thinking Skills · Algorithms

  10. AS 10 Data Types and Structures

    Syllabus topic · no resource yet

    Data Types and Records · Arrays · Files · Introduction to Abstract Data Types (ADT)

  11. AS 11 Programming

    Syllabus topic · no resource yet

    Programming Basics · Constructs · Structured Programming

  12. AS 12 Software Development

    Syllabus topic · no resource yet

    Program Development Life cycle · Program Design · Program Testing and Maintenance

A Level

Topics 23–37. Studied in addition to the AS content for the full A Level.

  1. A 13 Data Representation

    Syllabus topic · no resource yet

    User-defined data types · File organisation and access · Floating-point numbers, representation and manipulation

  2. A 14 Communication and internet technologies

    Syllabus topic · no resource yet

    Protocols · Circuit switching, packet switching

  3. A 15 Hardware and Virtual Machines

    Syllabus topic · no resource yet

    Processors, Parallel Processing and Virtual Machines · Boolean Algebra and Logic Circuits

  4. A 16 System Software

    Syllabus topic · no resource yet

    Purposes of an Operating System (OS) · Translation Software

  5. A 17 Security

    Syllabus topic · no resource yet

    Encryption, Encryption Protocols and Digital certificates

  6. A 18 Artificial Intelligence (AI)

    Syllabus topic · no resource yet

    Artificial Intelligence

  7. A 19 Computational thinking and Problem-solving

    Syllabus topic · no resource yet

    Algorithms · Recursion

  8. A 20 Further Programming

    Syllabus topic · no resource yet

    Programming Paradigms · File Processing and Exception Handling

Source: Cambridge Assessment International Education — official syllabus PDF — 2026 series. Verified 2026-08-19. Always check the current syllabus for your examination year.

Study resources

Revision material

Exam preparation

Computer Science at other qualifications

These are separate qualifications with different syllabuses and assessments — not different names for the same course. Check which one your school enters you for.

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