Aitchison College Senior School
Weekly Syllabus Breakdown 2025-2026
Subject: IGCSE Computer Science (0478) Class: C1
Winter Term: Monday, 1st September 2025 to Sunday, 4th January, 2026
Week 1 Recap of:
1st Sep. to 1.1 Number Systems
5th Sep. The denary, binary and hexadecimal number systems
How and why computers use binary to represent all forms of data
Uses of hexadecimal numbers
Conversions between:
o Positive denary and positive binary data
o Positive denary and positive hexadecimal data
o Positive hexadecimal and positive binary data
Week 2 1.1 Number Systems
8th Sep. to Addition of two positive 8-bit binary integers
12th Sep. Concept of overflow and why it occurs in binary addition
Perform logical binary shifts (Left, Right and multiple shifts) on a positive 8-bit
binary integer and their effects
Two’s Complement of positive and negative 8-bit binary numbers
Week 3 1.2 Text, sound and images
15th Sep. to How and why a computer represents:
19th Sep. o text data and use of character sets (ASCII and Unicode)
o sound data, including effects of sample rate and sample resolution
o image data, including effects of the resolution and colour depth
Week 4 1.3 Data storage and compression
22nd Sep. to Memory units – bit, nibble, byte, kibibyte, mebibyte, gigibyte, tebibyte,
26th Sep. pebibyte, exbibyte
Calculating file size of an image file and a sound file
Need and the purpose of data compression
How files are compressed using Lossy and Lossless compression methods
Week 5 2.1 Types and methods of data transmission
29th Sep. to Structure of a data packet
3rd Oct. Process of packet switching
Methods of data transmission
o Simplex, Half duplex, Full duplex
o Serial, Parallel
The USB interface, how it is used to transmit data
2.2 Methods of error detection
Need of error checking methods
The processes involved in the following methods for detecting errors in the
data after transmission:
o Parity Check
o Checksum
o Echo check
Week 6 2.2 Methods of error detection
6th Oct. to The processes involved in the following methods for detecting errors in the
10th Oct. data after transmission:
o ARQ
o Check digit
2.3 Encryption
Need and purpose of encryption
Symmetric Encryption
Asymmetric Encryption
Week 7 8.1 Programming Concepts
13th Oct. to Declare and use variables and constants
17th Oct. Understand and use the basic data types
Input and output statements
8.1 Programming Concepts
Sequence
Selection
o IF statement
o CASE statement
Week 8 8.1 Programming concepts
20th Oct. to Use of string handling methods:
24th Oct. LENGTH, SUBSTRING, UCASE, LCASE
Use of Arithmetic, Logic and Boolean operators:
+, -, /, *, ^, MOD, DIV, =, <, <=, >, >=, <>, AND, OR, NOT
8.1 Programming concepts
Use of library routines
o MOD, DIV, ROUND, RANDOM
o Creation of maintainable program
Week 9 8.1 Programming concepts (Loops)
27th Oct. to Iteration (Loops)
31st Oct. o Count-controlled loop (FOR – NEXT)
Week 10 8.1 Programming concepts (Loops)
3rd Nov. to Iteration (Loops) continued…
7th Nov. o Pre-condition loop (WHILE – END WHILE)
o Post-condition loop (REPEAT – UNTIL)
8.1 Programming concepts
Totaling
Counting
Finding maximum, minimum and average values
Week 11 7 Algorithm design and Problem solving
10th Nov. to The program development life cycle (Analysis, Design, Coding and Testing)
14th Nov. Subsystems and decomposition of problems
Three methods to design and construct a solution to a problem:
o Flowchart
o Pseudocode
o Identifying the purpose of a given algorithm / problem
Week 12 7 Algorithm design and Problem solving (Validation and Verification)
17th Nov. to The need for validation checks:
21st Nov. range, length, type, presence, format, check digit
The need for verification checks:
visual check, double entry check
Use of suitable test data:
o normal, abnormal, extreme, boundary
7 Algorithm design and Problem solving (Trace Tables: Flowcharts & Codes)
Complete the trace table to document dry runs of algorithms
Correction and detection of errors in the given algorithms
7 Algorithm design and Problem solving
Writing algorithm for given problem statements or scenarios using:
o Pseudocode
o Program code
o Flowcharts
Week 13 10 Boolean Logic
24th Nov. to Use the standard symbols for logic gates:
28th Nov. NOT, AND, OR, NAND, NOR, XOR (Exclusive OR)
Functions of logic gates
Drawing logic circuits from a:
a) Problem statement
b) Logic expression
c) Truth table
10 Boolean Logic
Complete truth table from a:
a) Problem statement
b) Logic expression
c) Logic circuit
Write a logic expression from a:
a) Problem statement
b) Logic circuit
c) Truth table
Week 14 Revision Week
1st Dec. to Prep Leave Half –Yearly Examinations 2025: Friday, 5th December, 2025
5th Dec.
Week 15 Half–Yearly Examinations 2025: Saturday, 6th December – Friday, 19th December 2025
8th Dec. to
12th Dec.
Week 16 Half–Yearly Examinations 2025: Saturday, 6th December – Friday, 19th December 2025
15th Dec. to Paper Review: Saturday, 20th December 2025
19th Dec.
Week 17
Winter Break: Sunday, 21st December, 2025 to Sunday, 4th January, 2026
22nd Dec. to
26th Dec.
Week 18
29th Dec.to Winter Break: Sunday, 21st December, 2025 to Sunday, 4th January, 2026
2nd Jan.
Spring Term: Monday 5th January 2026 to Monday, 23rd March, 2026
Week 19 3.1 Computer Architecture
5th Jan. to Role of Central Processing Unit (CPU)
9th Jan. The purpose of the components in a CPU, in a computer that has a Von
Neumann Architecture (ALU, CU, system buses and registers)
Process of Fetch-Decode-Execute cycle
Core, Cache, Internal Clock and how they affect the performance of a CPU
Use of an instruction set for a CPU
Purpose and characteristics of embedded system
Week 20 3.2 Input and Output Devices
12th Jan. to Understand what is meant by an input device and why it is required:
16th Jan. (Barcode Scanner, QR Code Scanner, Digital Camera, Keyboard,
Microphone, Optical Mouse, Touch Screen (resistive, capacitive and infra-red)
and 2D and 3D Scanners)
Understand what is meant by an output device and why it is required:
(Actuators, DLP and LCD Projector, printers (inkjet, laser, 3D), LED and LCD
screen, Speaker)
The purpose of sensors:
(Acoustic, accelerometer, flow, gas, humidity, infra-red, level, light, magnetic
field, moisture, pH, pressure, Proximity, temperature)
Week 21 3.3 Data Storage
19th Jan. to Role of primary storage
23rd Jan. o RAM and ROM
The operations of secondary storage
o Magnetic, Optical, Solid state storage
Virtual memory – how it is created and used
Cloud Storage, the advantages & disadvantages of storing data on the cloud
Week 22 3.4 Network hardware
26th Jan. to Need of a Network Interface Card (NIC)
30th Jan. Structure and purpose of the Media Access Control (MAC) Address
Purpose of the Internet Protocol (IP) Address
o Static and dynamic IP address
Characteristics of IPv4 and IPv6
Role of Router in a network
Week 23 Qualifying Test for the Cambridge Examinations May-June 2025
2nd Feb. to 2nd Teacher Parent Meeting: Tuesday, 3rd February - Wednesday, 4th February, 2026
6th Feb.
Week 24 Rehearsals and Founders’ Day Sports Day 1 & 2 2026
9th Feb. to
13th Feb.
Week 25 8.2 Arrays (1-D)
16th Feb. to Declaration of one-dimensional array
20th Feb. Filling/storing data in one-dimensional array
Printing data from one-dimensional array
8.2 Programming Concepts
Use of nested statements
Week 26 Prep Leave Annual Examinations of C1 and Compulsory Mock Examinations 2026 0f (C1
23rd Feb. to Pakistan Studies & Islamiyat), C2, H1 & H2: Thursday, 26th February 2026
27th Feb.
Week 27 Annual Examinations of C1 and Compulsory Mock Examinations 2025 0f (C1 Pakistan
2nd March to Studies & Islamiyat), C2, H1 & H2 Friday, 27th February – Friday, 13th March 2026
6thMarch
Week 28
9th March to Annual Examinations of C1 and Compulsory Mock Examinations 2025 0f (C1 Pakistan
13th March Studies & Islamiyat), C2, H1 & H2 Friday, 27th February – Friday, 13th March 2026
Week 29 Spring Break and Eid ul Fitr Holidays: Saturday, 14th March, 2026 to Monday, 23rd March,
16th March to 2026
20th March
Week 30 Revision:
23rd March to Programming Concepts (Loops and 1-D Arrays)
27th March
Week 31 Founders’ Day Academics – 2026, Friday, 3rd April, 2026
30th March to Orientation of Pre_C1 in Senior School, Saturday 4th April 2026
3rd April
Summer Term: Tuesday, 24th March 2026 Monday, 25th May 2026
Week 32
6th April to Arrival of Pre_C1 in Senior School Monday 6th April 2026
10th April Regular School for C1 Students
Prep Leave for C2, H1 & H2 Students
Week 33 Revision:
13th April to Number Systems, Data Transmission, Hardware
17th April
Week 34 Prep Leave for C1 Students
20th April to
24th April
Week 35 3rd Teacher Parent Meeting only for Pre-C1 Students: Thursday, 30th April, 2026
27th April to
1st May
Week 36 Revision:
4th May to Algorithm design and Problem solving, Programming Concepts, Boolean Logic
8th May
Week 37 Term Tests for Pre-C1 (Regular Classes after Term Tests for Pre-C1 Students)
11th May to C1’s to resume School after CAIE (Regular School)
15th May
Week 38 Term Tests for Pre-C1 (Regular Classes after Term Tests for Pre-C1 Students)
18th May to
22nd May
Week 39
25th May to Eid ul Adha 2026: Tuesday, 26th May – Thursday 28th May 2026
29th May
HOD Asim Pervaiz
------------------------------------------ Headmistress Senior School
