The same approach that works for every learner I have ever taught — visual first, exam second.
Every algorithm is shown visually before any pseudocode. You cannot write what you cannot picture.
We work through past OCR questions in every session — not textbook exercises. Exam language from day one.
I show exactly what earns marks and what loses them. You leave knowing the difference.
Same topic, different questions, until it sticks. No moving on until the last session made sense.
One hour. One algorithm type. Complete understanding.
Step through an algorithm row by row. Understand what each variable holds at each point. The most common exam question type.
Write pseudocode correctly — OCR syntax, structure, and common pitfalls. Readable by an examiner in under 10 seconds.
Linear search and binary search — when to use each, how to trace them, how to explain them in an exam.
Bubble sort and merge sort with full trace table practice. Efficiency comparisons explained simply.
No. Sessions start from where your learner is, not where the syllabus assumes they should be. Complete beginners are very welcome.
Most students need two to three sessions to feel genuinely confident — one on searching, one on sorting, and one on mixed exam question practice.
Algorithms appear in all GCSE CS specifications. While Dee's examiner experience is OCR-specific, the content is relevant to AQA and Eduqas students too.
Book a session and work through algorithms with someone who marks the actual papers.