ANDREI IRIMIA (Year 12 Elm)
From my first GCSE Computer Science taster day in Year 9, I was immediately hooked into learning all about how computers and technology works – being shocked with the realisation of the sheer power that computers have which allow them to be able to complete billions of instructions per second! After this, I knew that I had to study Computer Science; I wanted to learn all about the life behind the plastic housing of our smartphones and computers.

Taking part in Computer Science has allowed me to develop as an individual, both in my private and my student life. I have had the opportunity to create multiple projects, allowing me to showcase my creativity and skills in a subject that I am passionate about. Group projects have provided me with the necessary experience to be an effective communicator and leader by working together with classmates to achieve the project goal. Being able to integrate these essential skills into my daily life has made me a more communicative and confident person.

Currently I am working on a project which consists of programming a complex probability calculator that will allow the user to increase the odds of winning in a game. The program is aimed at new players with the intention of using the program as a gateway to understand and learn its rules. I have decided to do this project because of my interest in computer databases and artificial intelligence, finding this aspect of technology extremely fascinating. So far I am really enjoying working on this program and I am very excited to continue developing my software skills in order to conclude my project successfully, hoping to reach a grade, worthy of my hard work.

I would highly recommend the study of Computer Science due to its captivating content and advancing nature, not to mention the huge potential and always-rising demand that is part of this profession. I believe that being able to understand how technology works, especially technology present in our day-to-day lives, is extremely important to evolving the nature of humans and leading to a more developed, informed and progressive world.

ZEAL RATHOD (Mable)
What attracted me to computer science was the ability to solve a wide variety of problems and that’s still the most appealing characteristic to me.

Computer science gives you a flexible toolset that can be applied to almost every other field’s problems. While mathematics gives you the tools to solve problems, computer science gives you the tools to apply those solutions to real life problems and directly see the results.

Computer science explains how all of the technology we take for granted works. There are a variety of topics which range from how a computer actually works and executes programs, to how major companies like Facebook and Google work. There’s a lot you can learn about the modern world that most people aren’t really aware of in their daily lives.

There’s a horribly ironic cycle revolving around women in STEM occupations, and because society implies that girls would be better suited for other careers girls tend to stay away from these fields. So a huge reason that women aren’t going into tech is because they have a lower amount of female models to look up to. Women are also more likely to experience imposter syndrome, even though they have a bigger skill set than their male colleagues as they lack the confidence, or feel like they don’t belong.

I have always strongly felt this should not be a reason or an obstacle to shy away from the power of Computer Science, hence pursuing the subject since GCSE has now given me the strength and ability to “role-model” the need for more girls in Computer Science to help bridge the gender gap.

Overall, my gcse and a-level computer science experience has been a steep learning curve, however it is one of my most enjoyable subjects and I would definitely advise younger people to choose and delve deeper into the subject and find an aspect they enjoy and are interested in.