🚧 Platform Currently in Development 🚧
Interested in early access or beta testing? Email us at enquiries@forgeclass.co.uk
GCSE Python LabComplete GCSE Computer Science teaching & assessment platform
500+ OCR-style questions aligned to the full J277 specification. Pre-built courses for mock exams, practice papers, and topic mastery—or create your own assignments from our comprehensive question banks. Everything you need for GCSE CS teaching and assessment.
- 500+ exam-style questions aligned to OCR J277 (Paper 1 & 2)
- Ready-made courses: Mock exams, practice papers, and topic sets
- Create custom assignments from question banks or build your own
- 15+ question types: coding, flowcharts, logic gates, trace tables & more
- AI-powered marking & hints with strict pedagogical guardrails
Built by a Teacher, For Teachers
GCSE Python Lab was created by a Computer Science teacher who wanted a better way to engage students and reduce marking workload.
After years of manually marking hundreds of Python exercises, trace tables, and flowchart diagrams—then watching students struggle to get timely feedback when stuck—I knew there had to be a better way.
I wanted my students to practice outside the classroom without waiting days for feedback. I wanted to see their progress in real-time, not at the end of the term. And I wanted to spend less time on repetitive marking and more time actually teaching.
So I built GCSE Python Lab: a platform with 500+ exam-style questions, interactive coding environments, and AI-powered support that guides students without giving away answers. It's designed to handle the repetitive work—auto-grading MCQs, checking trace tables, marking straightforward code—while keeping teachers in control of the important decisions.
This isn't a corporate product built by people who've never stood in front of a Year 10 class. It's built by someone who has, and who understands what teachers actually need.
Use our ready-made mock exams and topic sets, or build custom assignments from 500+ questions. Save hours of preparation.
Copy courses to your classes with one click. Set due dates, enable test mode, customize as needed. Students work at their own pace.
AI-assisted marking with exam-style rubrics. Real-time analytics show completion rates, scores, and struggling students.
What Makes GCSE Python Lab Different
Purpose-built for the reality of teaching GCSE Computer Science: time-poor teachers, diverse student abilities, and the need for both rigorous assessment and engaging practice.
500+ Questions in Ready-Made Courses
Pre-built assignments aligned to OCR J277 specification—use immediately or customize
- •Mock Exam Sets: 4 full exam-style papers (Paper 1 A/B, Paper 2 A/B) totaling 132 questions with authentic marking rubrics
- •Practice Paper Sets: 6 progressive practice papers (A/B/C for each component) with 180 questions—easy to challenge difficulty
- •Topic Mastery Sets: 11 focused assignments by specification section (245 questions)—perfect for targeted revision or weekly homework
- •One-click assignment: Copy entire courses to your classes instantly, customize due dates, enable test mode, or tweak questions
- •Your own question banks: Create and organize custom questions for reuse across classes—build your own course library
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Screenshot showing library of pre-built courses
15+ Specialized Question Types
Assess every skill from Python coding to Boolean logic with purpose-built interfaces
- •Interactive builders: Drag-and-drop flowchart creator, logic gate circuit designer, trace table interpreter
- •Python coding: Full in-browser editor with Skulpt interpreter—no server needed, instant execution
- •Data representation: Binary/denary/hex conversions with visual bit tables and step-by-step working
- •Traditional formats: MCQ, multi-select, true/false, fill-in-blanks, matching pairs, checkbox tables
- •Written answers: Short and long answer questions with AI-assisted marking using OCR-style rubrics
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Screenshot showing various question types
AI-Powered Marking & Student Support
Reduce your workload while maintaining pedagogical integrity
- •Intelligent auto-marking: Exam-style banded marking rubrics for coding questions, written answers, and complex tasks—saves hours per class
- •Four-level hint system: Students choose Low/Medium/High/Step-by-step support when stuck—AI guides without revealing solutions
- •Pedagogical guardrails: System prompts enforce no-full-solutions policy across all support levels—cannot be bypassed
- •Teacher override: Review and adjust AI marks, add manual feedback, see which questions were AI-graded
- •Rate limits: Per-user and per-submission caps prevent over-reliance on AI help
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Screenshot of AI marking and support features
Test Mode & Real-Time Analytics
From formal mocks to daily homework tracking
- •Test mode: Disable AI help for formal assessments—perfect for mock exams with controlled conditions
- •Submission tracking: See attempt counts, time spent, and completion status—identify struggling students early
- •Question-level analytics: Which questions are most difficult? Where do students need re-teaching?
- •Export evidence: Download submissions with marks and feedback for portfolios or moderation
- •Optional gamification: Enable achievements, XP, and streaks to motivate students (teacher choice)
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Screenshot of test mode and analytics dashboard
Build Your Own Assignments
Full flexibility—use our questions or create your own
- •Browse question banks: Search and filter 500+ questions by topic, difficulty, question type, or exam board
- •Mix and match: Combine questions from different topics to create custom assessments—weekly homework or end-of-unit tests
- •Create your own: Build questions from scratch using any of our 15+ question types—add to your private question library
- •Reuse across classes: Save assignments as templates, copy between classes, organize into courses
- •Clone and customize: Take our pre-built assignments and modify them—adjust marks, change questions, add your own twist
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Screenshot of assignment creation interface
Complete OCR J277 Coverage
Every topic, every skill, every question format—all originally written
- •Paper 1 (J277/01): 285 original questions aligned to Systems Architecture, Memory & Storage, Networks, Security, Software, and Ethical/Legal issues
- •Paper 2 (J277/02): 207 original questions aligned to Algorithms, Programming Fundamentals, Robust Programs, Boolean Logic, Languages & IDEs
- •Exam-authentic style: Written to match OCR format with proper command words, mark allocations, and detailed mark schemes
- •Progressive difficulty: Easy questions for foundation, medium for consolidation, hard for challenge—differentiate effortlessly
- •Regular updates: New questions added continuously—question banks grow over time
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Screenshot showing specification coverage mapping
Want to Try It?
GCSE Python Lab is currently in development. I'm looking for teachers who'd like early access to test the platform and help shape its future. If you're interested, get in touch.