A Level AQA Non-Exam Assessment (NEA) Companion

Comprehensive, well-structured guidance helps teachers and students get to grips with the requirements of the A Level AQA NEA: Practical Project.

Written by a vastly experienced Computer Science teacher, this companion is especially valuable to less experienced teachers as well as those who’ve not attended the AQA training sessions.

An excellent resource for teachers and students. I love how the resource breaks down each aspect of the NEA... There is clear guidance for the whole process, from choosing a project, to writing it up and presenting your algorithms, databases, etc. all the way through to testing and evaluation.

J King (peer reviewer)
  • Includes separate chapters for each stage of the marking criteria:
    • Analysis
    • Documented Design
    • Technical Solution
    • Testing
    • Evaluation
  • Tips, diagrams and examples from a number of original scenarios
  • Advice on choosing the right project and preparing work for submission

What do teachers say about this resource? (7758)

Summarises expectations, and provides supporting examples... guides them writing the project report independently, post-NEA lessons... if they don't have a clear guidance booklet to support students in completing their coursework, this is what they need

S Biletchi, HoD & Customer

The guidance given made it extremely easy to see what sections were required in the new specification's version of the project. I liked the way each section was organised...There is clear educational value as it would allow a student to work through their NEA at their own pace with just enough guidance to evidence their project...As a teacher, it is also extremely comforting to know that the guidance I am given matches with the resource provided. It's like a safety net for both teacher and student...It matches the NEA project extremely well...Really happy with the quality of this resource - looking forward to the final version.

H Pearce (peer reviewer)

A very useful resource which provides students with a practical and comprehensive step by step guide on how to engage with the written report, which their AQA A-Level non-exam assessment (NEA), will be ultimately assessed on...I particularly liked the fact that this resource provides students with practical ideas of A-Level standard projects areas they could pursue. I also very much liked the fact that the resource provides a framework students can use to engage the written report with.T his resource enhances learning because, through the guidance it provides, it allows students to focus their efforts and work to maximize their output while developing their A-level project... Presentation and layout are user friendly. The presentation and layout helps to gently deliver and support the large quantity of information provided by the resource...This resources matches the specification well - in fact, based on my experience to date - it contains more background information and guidance than is currently available to either students or teachers on this specification.

M Macaulay (peer reviewer)

This is an excellent resource to assist and guide teacher and students through a part of the course which is otherwise sadly lacking in information from the exam board etc. It's a step-by-step guide that will help take away a lot of the anxiety for a teacher dealing with A-Level coursework for the first time. I love how the resource breaks down each aspect of the coursework as this can otherwise be overwhelming for students. There is clear guidance for the whole process, from choosing a project, to writing it up and presenting your algorithms, databases etc and all the way through to testing and evaluation. Presentation and layout is very good. Lots of pictures and diagrams and lots of colour screenshots. The order is logical and the presentation of the resource actually encourages students to aim for a higher level of presentation themselves. It is a fantastic resource that ticks all the boxes needed for students to do well in A-Level computer science coursework. I have previously worked with the AQA spec and this resource matches it, ticking all the spec points and AOs.

J King (peer reviewer)

A very good resource full of tips and information... valuable to both students and teachers studying the AQA specification and helps students to understand the requirements of the NEA portfolio quickly and easily...The resource matches the AQA specification very well and refers to it through it methodical presentation. Its layout makes it very easy for staff and students to check their progress and review their learning. It also constantly explains how a student can reach the higher bands...Another thing I like about it is how the presentation is structured with clear and bold headings. I also like how there are well thought out examples of evidence that could be provided for the scenario that has been chosen for this resource. It indicates concisely the type of evidence that is required in each section of the NEA

P Ramnarain (peer reviewer)

I am really impressed with this NEA structure. It has a clear outline that follows the synoptic and assessment structure outlined by AQA... Clear sections and sub-sections support NEA brief very well... Example outline matches what AQA expect to see on the project plan. Project proposal form and alternative a great way to engage learner to think of possible solutions... Clear diagrams in design section which support a range of analysis tools... Checklists at the end of each section allows learners to see what is missing and needs to be applied - very good as it supports the assessment criteria too

L Price (peer reviewer)

I thought this resource was very useful, its something that I have been looking to find time to create for myself as I am trying to get to grips with the new curriculum. It was nicely laid out and covered all of the particular areas of the new NEA...I particularly like the tick boxes and that there are examples of each part of the assessment...It is well matched to the new NEA piece of coursework. It takes each section in turn and guides the student through it.

N Mounsey (peer review)

Very detailed – much more useful than the guide document which is supplied by the exam board. For new teachers to the subject or teachers who have not been able to attend the AQA training courses this is a very useful document which I would recommend. It is clearly written by someone who knows what they are doing and is very thorough... For teachers who are new to the course or Key Stage 5 it will definitely give them guidance and confidence in the classroom and how to guide their students through this process. It cannot be seen as a replacement for good classroom practice, but the educational value of the checklists and explanations is high.

P Scullion (peer reviewer)

It covers all the main areas of the NEA...Gives students another resource and allows them to work independently... Matches the spec perfectly.

A Dolinski (customer)