Part A: Your exams

Assessment	Content	Format	Weighting
Core Paper 1	CA1 Problem solving, CA2 Introduction to programming, CA3 Emerging issues, CA4 Legislation and regulatory requirements	Written exam, 2 h 15 min, 90 marks, Sections A and B	30%
Core Paper 2	CA5 Business context, CA6 Data, CA7 Digital environments, CA8 Security	Written exam, 2 h 15 min, 90 marks, Sections A and B	30%
Employer Set Project	Synoptic: draws on all core content	Supervised project up to 14 h 30 min, 100 marks. Tasks: planning, fixing defects in code, design, development, reflective evaluation. No internet or AI tools.	40%

Both papers are set and marked by Pearson and sat under JCQ exam conditions on a date set by Pearson. Each section starts with easier questions and gets harder. Questions are short, medium and extended open response.

Assessment objectives

AO	What it rewards	Paper 1 marks	Paper 2 marks
AO1a	Knowledge: recall facts and definitions	3	10
AO1b	Understanding: explain how and why	27	21
AO2	Apply knowledge to a context or scenario	39	38
AO3a	Analyse information and issues	12	12
AO3b	Evaluate and make judgements	9	9

Command word	What you need to do
Give / state / name	Provide a response, such as a feature, a characteristic, a use or a justification. One point per mark. No explanation needed.
Identify	Select the correct answer from the context or stimulus you have been given.
Write	Write code using information from the context or stimulus.
Describe	Give points that are linked in a logical order. Say what something is or does, step by step.
Explain	Make a point, then give a linked justification. Use 'because', 'so', 'which means'.
Explain with additional justification	Point, linked justification, then a further justification of that justification. Three linked steps.
Discuss	Look at the factors that apply in this specific context, including opposing sides. A conclusion is not required.
Evaluate	Weigh up strengths and weaknesses, advantages and disadvantages, in the context given. Finish with a supported judgement.
Draw	Produce a diagram, such as an algorithm or process flow, from the scenario.
Complete	Fill in the missing information so a diagram or table is complete.

The explanation ladder

Step	Example (password policy)	Typical marks
State	Enforce a minimum password length.	1
Explain	Enforce a minimum password length so that passwords are harder to brute force.	2
Explain with additional justification	... so that passwords are harder to brute force, which means an attacker is less likely to get into staff accounts holding patient data.	3

Practise: name the command word

Each card shows what a command word asks you to do. Say the command word, then flip.

Plan your time

2 hours 15 minutes = 135 minutes

About 1.5 minutes per mark. Section B carries twice the marks of Section A.

Point-marked and levels-based questions

	Point-marked	Levels-based (marked *)
Typical command words	State, give, identify, describe, explain, write, complete	Discuss, evaluate, and some 'explain' or 'analyse' questions
How it is marked	One mark per valid point or linked justification, up to the total	The examiner reads the whole answer and places it in a level (e.g. 1–3, 4–6, 7–9), then decides the mark within the level
What gets top marks	Precise, separate points that match the number of marks	Accurate knowledge applied to the context throughout, both sides considered, a supported judgement

Structuring an extended answer

Worked example: one question, three answers

Question: A supermarket is replacing half of its staffed tills with self-service checkouts. Discuss the impact of this change on the supermarket and its customers. (6 marks)

Read each answer and decide which level it reaches before you reveal the examiner's comment.

Answer 1: Self-service checkouts are faster and cheaper. But some people don't like them and they can break. Staff could lose their jobs.

Level 1, 2 marks. Three relevant points, but none is explained or linked to the supermarket. Only one side developed. Generic.

Answer 2: The supermarket would save money on wages because fewer cashiers are needed, and queues may be shorter at busy times. However, older customers might struggle with the screens, so they may shop elsewhere. The machines also need maintenance, which costs money.

Level 2, 4 marks. Points are explained with 'because' and 'so', and both sides are considered. Application to the supermarket is there but thin; the impacts on customers are not developed.

Answer 3: Fewer cashiers are needed, so wage costs fall, which the supermarket could pass on as lower prices. Customers buying a few items can pay quickly, cutting queues at lunchtime. On the other hand, customers with low digital skills or disabilities may find the screens difficult, which is a digital inclusion issue; if they feel ignored they may move to a competitor, so keeping some staffed tills matters. 'Unexpected item' errors frustrate customers and still need a member of staff, so savings may be smaller than expected. Theft can also rise when nobody scans the items, increasing losses.

Level 3, 6 marks. Accurate, developed points linked to the supermarket and its customers throughout. Balanced, with clear chains of reasoning. A conclusion isn't required for 'discuss'.

Code questions (Paper 1)

• Trace, then answer. Draw a trace table in the space provided before writing the output.
• Indent consistently. Indentation is part of Python's syntax; examiners need to see which lines are inside a loop or if.
• Small errors still cost marks. Check colons, brackets, == vs =, and converting input() to int or float.
• Answer what is asked. 'Identify the error' wants the line and the problem. 'Correct the error' wants the fixed line of code.
• Use meaningful names in any code you write. It makes your logic easier for the examiner to follow and credit.

Exam reminders: habits that pick up marks

Habit	What to do
Read the stem twice	Underline the command word, the number of marks and any context words before you start writing.
Match the marks	A 4-mark 'explain two' question wants two points, each with a linked reason. Separate them clearly.
Name the scenario	In Section B, use the organisation's name and details in every answer. Generic answers are capped.
Explain, don't list	Use 'because', 'so' and 'which means' to turn a point into an explanation.
Trace before you answer	For output questions, draw a quick trace table. It catches loop and condition errors.
Check the code basics	Colons, brackets, indentation, == versus =, and converting input() to int or float.
Balance discuss answers	Give both sides. A conclusion isn't needed for 'discuss', but it is for 'evaluate'.
Judge with reasons	For 'evaluate', finish with a clear judgement and the reason it outweighs the other side.
Watch the clock	About 1.5 minutes per mark. Move on if you're stuck and come back at the end.
Use correct terms	Write 'validation', 'authentication', 'latency' rather than everyday words. Precise terms earn marks.
Leave nothing blank	A sensible attempt can still earn a mark. A blank space never does.
Cross out cleanly	Draw a single line through work you don't want marked and write the replacement clearly.

T Level exams follow the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) rules for conducting exams. This is a summary written for this guide. Your centre will display the official JCQ notices, and your invigilator's instructions always take priority.

Exam day checklist

• Two or more black pens and a pencil, in a clear pencil case
• Candidate number written down
• Water in a clear bottle with the label removed (if your centre allows it)
• Phone and smartwatch switched off and left in your bag or handed in
• Know the room and arrive 15 minutes early
• Breakfast or lunch eaten

Mix Paper 1 and Paper 2 content each week (interleaving) and come back to topics you revised earlier (spaced retrieval). Tick each box when done.

Week	Paper 1 focus	Paper 2 focus	Checklist rated	Questions done	Marked
1	CA1 Problem solving	CA5 Business context
2	CA2.1–2.6 Data types to actions	CA6.1–6.6 Data and formats
3	CA2.7–2.12 Functions to testing	CA6.7–6.12 Data systems and models
4	CA3 Emerging issues	CA7.1–7.3 Hardware, software, networks
5	CA4 Legislation	CA7.4–7.6 Virtual, cloud, resilience
6	CA1 + CA2 retrieval quiz (use the flashcards)	CA8 Security
7	Mock Paper 1 (timed)	Mock Paper 2 (timed)
8	Re-do weakest questions	Re-do weakest questions

Techniques that work

Technique	How
Retrieval practice	Close the guide and write down everything you know about a topic, then check. Use the Quick check boxes, the covered Quick recall boxes and the flashcards.
Spaced practice	Revisit topics after 1 day, 1 week and 1 month.
Interleaving	Mix topics in one session rather than doing one topic for hours.
Exam questions	Answer timed questions, mark them with the mark scheme, then rewrite the weakest answer.
Teach it	Explain a topic to someone else in two minutes without notes.
Code it	For CA2, type and run the code examples, then change them and predict the output.

These are the Python commands named in the specification. Exam code uses Python 3.10 or later.

Group	Commands
Input, output, conversion	input() print() int() str() float() bool()
Selection	if elif else match/case try/except
Iteration	while for
Functions	def return
Standard libraries	import math.floor() math.ceil() math.trunc() math.sqrt() math.pow() math.pi random.random() random.randint() random.uniform() random.sample()
Built-in functions	range() round() max() min() count() chr() ord() len()
String handling	isupper() islower() upper() lower() isalpha() split() find() index() isalnum() isdigit() replace() strip() format() +
Data structures	index() append() insert() remove() count() pop() sort() in not in len()
Text files	open() write() close() read() readline() readlines() line.strip() line.split()
Dates and times	datetime.now() strftime() strptime()
Employer Set Project only	pandas (import CSV, data frames, totals, averages, counts, trends); matplotlib (graphs with labels and legends)

Flowchart symbols