Higher Computing Science
Higher Computing Science is graded out of 120 marks: an 80-mark exam and a 40-mark coursework assignment. The 2027 exam is on Thursday 27 May, from 9am to 11am.
- Question paper09:00 to 11:00
What grade is my mark?
Type a total mark to see the grade it would have got.
How the A and C boundaries have moved
Boundaries as a share of the total marks. A lower line means the papers were judged harder that year. Qualifications Scotland publishes boundaries from 2022 in this format.
| Year | Out of | A | B | C | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 120 | 84 | 72 | 60 | 48 |
| 2025 | 120 | 82 | 71 | 60 | 49 |
| 2024 | 120 | 84 | 72 | 60 | 48 |
| 2023 | 120 | 83 | 70 | 58 | 45 |
| 2022 | 120 | 79 | 66 | 53 | 40 |
How Higher Computing Science is assessed
The course has two parts. A question paper is worth 80 marks and an assignment is worth 40 marks. Together they make 120 marks, and Qualifications Scotland marks both.
The question paper lasts 2 hours. In 2027 it is on Thursday 27 May, from 9am to 11am.
| Part | Marks | Time | Share of grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Question paper | 80 | 2 hours | 67% |
| Assignment | 40 | 6 hours | 33% |
The question paper
Section 1 is compulsory and carries 55 marks. It covers software design and development, plus computer systems.
You then pick one of two sections, each worth 25 marks. Section 2 is database design and development. Section 3 is web design and development. Most schools teach one of the two, so check with your teacher which section you will answer.
Code in the paper is printed in the reference language. You do not have to write in it. Any high-level textual language is accepted, and marks go to the logic rather than the syntax.
The assignment
The assignment takes place in school once all the content has been taught. It totals 6 hours, usually split across several shorter sessions, under supervision.
It is open book. You can use your notes, textbooks, programming manuals and programs you wrote earlier in the course. The finished work is sent away for external marking.
Task 1 is software design and development and is worth 25 marks. You then do Task 2, database, or Task 3, web, for 15 marks. The choice follows the same split as the exam.
What the course covers
There are four areas of content.
- Software design and development: agile and iterative methods, pseudocode, arrays of records, parameters, file handling and three standard algorithms.
- Computer systems: two's complement, floating point, Unicode, bit-mapped and vector graphics, the fetch-execute cycle and performance.
- Database design and development: entity-relationship diagrams, data dictionaries, and SQL queries with GROUP BY, aliases and aggregate functions.
- Web design and development: wireframes, semantic HTML, validated forms, CSS layout and navigation bars, and JavaScript mouse events.
Security also sits within computer systems. It covers the Computer Misuse Act 1990, tracking cookies and denial of service attacks. It also covers public and private keys, digital certificates and digital signatures.
Lessons from the 2025 exam
The 2025 course report said candidates had become far more confident with the standard algorithms. Programming in the assignment was also a strength. Weaker answers fell into a few clear groups:
- describe and explain questions, which remain the hardest type
- mixing up digital certificates with digital signatures
- evaluation answers that were generic, rather than tied to the code in front of them
- discussing robustness and fitness for purpose at Higher level
- loose wording on computer systems topics, such as image formats
The report also told candidates to test SQL against any data, not just the sample rows. Pass only the parameters a sub-program actually needs. Check that output is correct, not merely that something prints.
Grade boundaries
In 2025 an A needed 82 out of 120, a B needed 71 and a C needed 60. A D needed 49. These figures shift each year with the difficulty of the paper.
How to revise
Use the specimen paper and recent past papers, and check each against the current mark split. Mark your answers with the marking instructions.
Write answers to the long questions in full, using the scenario given. A list of keywords rarely earns the marks. Big questions usually include easier marks as well as harder ones, so always attempt them.
Revision checklist
Tick topics as you revise. Ticks are saved on this device only.
- Confirm with your teacher whether you are taking the database or the web option
- Code linear search, find minimum and find maximum, and count occurrences from memory
- Practise programs that read records from a CSV file into an array of records
- Trace sub-programs by hand and say which parameters are passed and why
- Convert numbers to and from two's complement and work out the range for a given bit count
- Explain how mantissa and exponent size affect precision and range in floating point
- Learn the difference between a digital signature and a digital certificate
- Write SQL queries with GROUP BY, aliases and aggregate functions, then test them on new data
- For the web option, write JavaScript for onmouseover, onmouseout and onclick events
- Evaluate your own code for fitness for purpose, efficiency, usability, maintainability and robustness
- Answer describe and explain questions in full sentences that refer to the scenario
Quick answers
- When is the Higher Computing Science exam in 2027?
Thursday 27 May 2027, from 9am to 11am. The question paper lasts 2 hours.
- Is there coursework in Higher Computing Science?
Yes. The assignment is worth 40 of the 120 marks. It is done in school under supervision over 6 hours and marked by Qualifications Scotland.
- Do I have to answer both the database and web sections?
No. Section 1 is compulsory. You then answer either the database section or the web section, each worth 25 marks. The assignment works the same way.
- Which programming language can I use in the exam?
Any high-level textual language. Questions show code in the reference language, but you are not expected to write in it. Marks are for understanding, not exact syntax.
- Can I use notes during the assignment?
Yes. The assignment is open book. Notes, textbooks, programming manuals and your earlier programs are allowed.