National 5 Computing Science: the 2027 exam, the assignment and practice questions

The National 5 Computing Science exam in 2027

The exam is on Thursday 27 May 2027, from 09:00 to 10:30 (2027 timetable). The structure is from the course specification, valid since session 2023 to 2024. Computing Science wasn't one of the courses given a shorter exam for 2026 to 2027. The paper counts for 67% of the course and the assignment for 33%.

Programming questions in the exam are written in Qualifications Scotland's reference language, but you can answer in any programming language: marks are for understanding, not exact syntax. The assignment is set each year by Qualifications Scotland, done in class under supervision within 6 hours (usually over several sessions, once the course is taught), open book, and marked externally.

What National 5 Computing Science covers

• Software design and development: analysing problems, design notations, programming with variables, selection, loops and arrays, standard algorithms such as input validation and running totals, testing and evaluating.
• Computer systems: binary for positive integers, floating point, extended ASCII, graphics, computer architecture, translators, environmental impact and security precautions.
• Database design and development: designing databases and writing SQL to search, sort, insert, update and delete.
• Web design and development: HTML, CSS and JavaScript.

National 5 Computing Science grade boundaries

The 2026 course report isn't published yet (as of 7 November 2026). In 2025, out of 120, an A needed 86, a B 74, a C 62 and a D 50, and 49.8% of the 6,583 candidates got an A (course report 2025). The report says the paper was slightly less demanding than intended, so the A and C boundaries were raised. Boundaries change every year.

National 5 Computing Science practice questions

We wrote these for this guide.

1. Binary to denary

Question: convert the 8-bit binary number 01101101 to denary. Answer: add the place values with a 1 under them: 64 + 32 + 8 + 4 + 1 = 109. Check it with the Number Base Converter, then try converting the other way in our Number Systems course and press Mark.

2. Input validation

Question: write code that keeps asking for an age until it's from 11 to 18. Answer: use a conditional loop, not a single IF, so the user is asked again as many times as needed. In Python:

age = int(input("Enter your age: "))
while age < 11 or age > 18:
    print("Age must be from 11 to 18")
    age = int(input("Enter your age: "))

The 2025 course report noted candidates still writing validation with a single IF statement in the assignment. Try it in the Code Editor.

3. SQL UPDATE

Question: pupil 207 has moved to Iona house and into year 4. Write the SQL to update the Pupil table. Answer:

UPDATE Pupil
SET house = "Iona", year = 4
WHERE pupilID = 207;

Both changed fields go in one SET, separated by a comma, and the WHERE stops every row being changed. The 2025 report found candidates missing the structure or one of the two values.

4. Describing concepts

Question: describe concatenation. Answer: concatenation joins two or more strings into one, for example joining a first name, a space and a surname. Use the technical word in your answer: the 2025 report said many "describe" answers lacked it.

Common National 5 Computing Science mistakes

From the 2025 course report:

• Vague "describe" and "explain" answers without technical terms or the question's context.
• Validation with a single IF instead of a conditional loop.
• Generic evaluations in the assignment. Refer to your own code when you discuss efficiency or robustness.
• SQL UPDATE statements with the wrong structure or a missing value.
• Absolute and relative addressing in web design: know the difference.

Use a daily paper as a short timed prelim

Today's National 5 Computing Science paper covers programming fundamentals, data types and structures, algorithms, binary, representing images and sound, computer systems and security, which match much of Section 1. It also includes networks, hexadecimal and logic gates, which aren't in National 5, rarely includes SQL, and doesn't cover web design. So use it for Section 1 practice, alongside the official past papers. For prelim dates, see our prelims guide.

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