Information and Communication Technology 4IT1 | Paper 2 Mock 01 | Written Paper 2
Question 1 Report
Fig. 1 shows a newsletter page made by a youth rowing club. The page will be emailed to members and printed for the clubhouse. It contains a title, a photograph of a boat, a report on a race, a list of future training dates and a sponsor logo. The photograph is much wider than the text column, which leaves a narrow strip of text beside it. The training dates are embedded within a long paragraph, and the sponsor logo is larger than the club title. The editor wants to create a balanced layout that gives priority to club information rather than advertising.
(a) Identify two layout problems shown in Fig. 1. [2]
(b) Create three changes that improve the treatment of the race photograph. [3]
(c) Use two formatting methods to make future training dates easy to scan. [2]
(d) Explain one reason why the sponsor logo should be smaller than the club title. [1]
(e) Give two items of evidence that the editor could check before resaving the document. [2]
(a) Two problems are that the photograph is so wide that it leaves a narrow, difficult-to-read text column, and that the training dates are hidden inside a long paragraph. The oversized sponsor logo and unclear visual hierarchy are further valid problems. [2]
(b) Resize the race photograph proportionally so it is not distorted, crop unnecessary areas, and place it above or below the text rather than forcing a narrow column beside it. Suitable text wrapping, a caption, and white space around the image are also valid improvements. Any three gain the marks. [3]
(c) Put the training dates under a separate heading and use a bulleted list, with one date per line. A table or bold dates would also make the information scannable. Any two methods gain the marks. [2]
(d) The club title should be larger because it is the main identity and purpose of the newsletter. A larger sponsor logo would distract from the club information. [1]
(e) Check spelling and grammar, and verify that dates and times are accurate. Image permission and working links or contact details are also appropriate checks. Any two gain the marks. [2]
Answer Details
(a) Two problems are that the photograph is so wide that it leaves a narrow, difficult-to-read text column, and that the training dates are hidden inside a long paragraph. The oversized sponsor logo and unclear visual hierarchy are further valid problems. [2]
(b) Resize the race photograph proportionally so it is not distorted, crop unnecessary areas, and place it above or below the text rather than forcing a narrow column beside it. Suitable text wrapping, a caption, and white space around the image are also valid improvements. Any three gain the marks. [3]
(c) Put the training dates under a separate heading and use a bulleted list, with one date per line. A table or bold dates would also make the information scannable. Any two methods gain the marks. [2]
(d) The club title should be larger because it is the main identity and purpose of the newsletter. A larger sponsor logo would distract from the club information. [1]
(e) Check spelling and grammar, and verify that dates and times are accurate. Image permission and working links or contact details are also appropriate checks. Any two gain the marks. [2]
Question 2 Report
A veterinary clinic is creating a worksheet for vaccination appointments. The receptionist enters animal type, owner postcode, appointment date, fee, and whether payment has been made. The clinic manager needs a formula that applies a 10% discount to the fee for rescue animals only. The result must be copied down without changing the cell holding the discount rate, which is stored in H1. The manager also wants to filter the information to display unpaid appointments for one chosen date.
(a) Create an IF formula for F2 that applies the discount when E2 contains "Rescue" and otherwise keeps the original fee in D2. [3]
(b) Use an absolute cell reference for the discount rate in H1 in your formula. [1]
(c) Create a filter that displays unpaid appointments on 12 October 2026. [2]
(d) Give one reason why filtering is preferable to deleting the other records. [2]
(a) Use =IF(E2="Rescue",D2*(1-$H$1),D2) [3]. A rescue animal receives the fee reduced by the discount rate; any other animal retains the original fee.
(b) The absolute reference is $H$1 [1]. Dollar signs lock both the column and row, so copying the formula down does not change the discount-rate cell.
(c) Filter Payment status to Unpaid and Appointment date to 12 October 2026 [2]. Both conditions must be applied to show only the required appointments.
(d) Filtering retains all records and can be removed or changed to show all information again [2]. Deleting the other records would permanently remove useful appointment data.
Answer Details
(a) Use =IF(E2="Rescue",D2*(1-$H$1),D2) [3]. A rescue animal receives the fee reduced by the discount rate; any other animal retains the original fee.
(b) The absolute reference is $H$1 [1]. Dollar signs lock both the column and row, so copying the formula down does not change the discount-rate cell.
(c) Filter Payment status to Unpaid and Appointment date to 12 October 2026 [2]. Both conditions must be applied to show only the required appointments.
(d) Filtering retains all records and can be removed or changed to show all information again [2]. Deleting the other records would permanently remove useful appointment data.
Question 3 Report
Read the information below about a college newsletter team. Students create a monthly document containing text, a logo, photographs and a chart from a spreadsheet. The editor receives files through a shared cloud folder. In April, a student deleted the final logo and another student printed an earlier newsletter because both files were called newsletter final. For the May issue, the editor has asked you to set up the file area before task A1 begins. The team must be able to locate approved material, keep drafts separate, save work safely and provide clear evidence of the final version.
(a) Create a main folder structure for the May newsletter. Include folders for received files, working drafts, approved assets, spreadsheet/chart files, final output and archive material. [6]
(b) Create suitable filenames for the following: the first draft of the newsletter document, an approved logo image, the spreadsheet used for the chart, and the PDF ready to print. [6]
(c) Use the shared folder permissions to give the editor, student writers and guest photographer appropriate access. Explain the access given to each user type. [6]
(d) Create a method for the editor to show which newsletter file is the final approved version before it is printed. [4]
(e) Give two checks that should be made before the final PDF is copied to the archive folder and the task is marked complete. [2]
(a) Create this structure [6]:
May_Newsletter/ ├── Received_Files/ ├── Working_Drafts/ ├── Approved_Assets/ ├── Spreadsheet_Charts/ ├── Final_Output/ └── Archive/
Drafts and received material remain separate from approved assets and the final output, preventing an unapproved item being printed.
(b) Suitable filenames are May2026_Newsletter_Draft_v01.docx, May2026_Logo_Approved.png, May2026_ChartData_v01.xlsx and May2026_Newsletter_FINAL.pdf [6]. They contain an issue identifier, communicate status where needed, and use extensions that match the intended file types.
(c) Give the editor edit, manage and delete permissions because they must approve, organise, resave and archive files [6]. Give student writers permission to create and edit working drafts, but not to delete approved/final files or change permissions. Give the guest photographer upload/contribute access to Received_Files, without permission to edit or delete newsletter documents or access unnecessary folders.
(d) Place the approved document in Final_Output with a clear filename such as May2026_Newsletter_FINAL.pdf [4]. The editor checks it against the approved content, then makes it read-only or restricts editing, or records approval in a log. This provides clear evidence of which copy is authorised for printing.
(e) Before archiving, confirm that the correct final version/date has been used and open the PDF to check that text, images and the chart appear correctly [2]. Also confirm that the archived copy was successfully copied and can be opened.
Answer Details
(a) Create this structure [6]:
May_Newsletter/ ├── Received_Files/ ├── Working_Drafts/ ├── Approved_Assets/ ├── Spreadsheet_Charts/ ├── Final_Output/ └── Archive/
Drafts and received material remain separate from approved assets and the final output, preventing an unapproved item being printed.
(b) Suitable filenames are May2026_Newsletter_Draft_v01.docx, May2026_Logo_Approved.png, May2026_ChartData_v01.xlsx and May2026_Newsletter_FINAL.pdf [6]. They contain an issue identifier, communicate status where needed, and use extensions that match the intended file types.
(c) Give the editor edit, manage and delete permissions because they must approve, organise, resave and archive files [6]. Give student writers permission to create and edit working drafts, but not to delete approved/final files or change permissions. Give the guest photographer upload/contribute access to Received_Files, without permission to edit or delete newsletter documents or access unnecessary folders.
(d) Place the approved document in Final_Output with a clear filename such as May2026_Newsletter_FINAL.pdf [4]. The editor checks it against the approved content, then makes it read-only or restricts editing, or records approval in a log. This provides clear evidence of which copy is authorised for printing.
(e) Before archiving, confirm that the correct final version/date has been used and open the PDF to check that text, images and the chart appear correctly [2]. Also confirm that the archived copy was successfully copied and can be opened.
Question 4 Report
A village council is preparing a formal letter to residents about repairs to a footbridge. The letter needs the council logo, date, recipient address, subject line, explanation of the closure, alternative route information and a named contact. It may be printed on headed paper or emailed as an attachment. The clerk has copied text from a contractor's report, but some sentences are long and use technical terms. Residents need to understand the reason for the closure and when work is expected to finish. The clerk must create a professional layout without using bright colours or informal language.
(a) Create a suitable order for the main parts of the letter. [3]
(b) Use two edits to make the contractor's text easier for residents to understand. [2]
(c) Explain two reasons why the subject line should be clear and specific. [2]
(d) Give one reason for including the council logo. [1]
(e) Identify two checks to make before sending the letter as an attachment. [2]
(a) A suitable letter order is: date and recipient address, then a clear subject line, then the explanation of the closure, followed by alternative-route information, and finally the named contact and sign-off. This gives readers the purpose before the detail and tells them what action or route to use. Any three correctly ordered elements gain the marks. [3]
(b) Replace technical terms from the contractor’s report with plain language and shorten long sentences. Splitting text into short paragraphs or using bullet points for the route details would also improve readability. Any two edits gain the marks. [2]
(c) A specific subject line lets residents identify the purpose of the letter quickly. It also makes the letter easier to file or search for and reduces confusion with other correspondence. [2]
(d) The council logo shows that the letter is official and provides a consistent council identity. [1]
(e) Before sending, check that the recipient email address is correct and that the attachment is the final version. Also check that the file opens correctly and that any personal information is appropriate to send. Any two checks gain the marks. [2]
Answer Details
(a) A suitable letter order is: date and recipient address, then a clear subject line, then the explanation of the closure, followed by alternative-route information, and finally the named contact and sign-off. This gives readers the purpose before the detail and tells them what action or route to use. Any three correctly ordered elements gain the marks. [3]
(b) Replace technical terms from the contractor’s report with plain language and shorten long sentences. Splitting text into short paragraphs or using bullet points for the route details would also improve readability. Any two edits gain the marks. [2]
(c) A specific subject line lets residents identify the purpose of the letter quickly. It also makes the letter easier to file or search for and reduces confusion with other correspondence. [2]
(d) The council logo shows that the letter is official and provides a consistent council identity. [1]
(e) Before sending, check that the recipient email address is correct and that the attachment is the final version. Also check that the file opens correctly and that any personal information is appropriate to send. Any two checks gain the marks. [2]
Question 5 Report
A festival organiser is preparing a costs spreadsheet for a small lantern parade. Column B contains the number of items ordered, column C contains the unit cost, and column D calculates each line cost. The organiser has a budget of £1200 and wants a warning when the combined costs are too high. Some unit costs are entered in pence, so the organiser must ensure that all displayed money values are suitable for the document sent to sponsors.
(a) Create a formula in D2 to calculate the line cost. [2]
(b) Create a function to calculate the total of D2 to D18. [2]
(c) Use a suitable number format for the unit cost and line-cost columns. [1]
(a) Enter =B2*C2 in D2 [2]. It multiplies the quantity ordered by the unit cost to calculate that line’s cost.
(b) Use =SUM(D2:D18) [2] to add all line costs.
(c) Apply a £ currency format with two decimal places to the unit-cost and line-cost columns [1]. Money should be displayed consistently, for example £4.50 rather than an unformatted number.
Answer Details
(a) Enter =B2*C2 in D2 [2]. It multiplies the quantity ordered by the unit cost to calculate that line’s cost.
(b) Use =SUM(D2:D18) [2] to add all line costs.
(c) Apply a £ currency format with two decimal places to the unit-cost and line-cost columns [1]. Money should be displayed consistently, for example £4.50 rather than an unformatted number.
Question 6 Report
Read the information below about an online campaign for a town's night bus service. The campaign team needs a web page that persuades residents to respond to a consultation. It will include a heading, short text, a route-map image, a response form and links to the transport authority. The team wants the page to load quickly because many users will access it using mobile data. A volunteer suggests placing all styling inside every HTML element and using a large animated image as the page background. Another volunteer suggests one external stylesheet, clear headings, optimised images and a simple form. The campaign coordinator must choose the more suitable approach and create the page structure.
(a) Explain four reasons why an external CSS file is more suitable than repeated inline styling for this campaign site. [4]
(b) Create the HTML structure for the main content of the page. Use a main heading, two second-level headings called Why the night bus matters and Send your response, and a paragraph under each heading. [4]
(c) Create HTML for a response form containing a labelled text area for a comment and a submit button labelled Send response. The comment must be required. [4]
(d) Explain five decisions the team should make about the route-map image, animation and page content to improve loading time, accessibility and clarity. [5]
(a) An external CSS file keeps presentation separate from the HTML content. It can be reused by every page, giving the campaign a consistent appearance. A change, such as the heading colour or font, is made once in the stylesheet rather than in every element. It also avoids repeated styling code, keeps the HTML clearer, and may load faster on later visits because the browser can cache the stylesheet. Any four of these explained points gain credit. [4]
(b) The structure needs one main-content area, with the page title as an h1 and each major section as an h2. A valid model is:
<main>
<h1>Night bus consultation</h1>
<h2>Why the night bus matters</h2>
<p>The night bus helps residents travel safely after evening services end.</p>
<h2>Send your response</h2>
<p>Tell the transport authority what you think about the service.</p>
</main>This gains credit for the h1, both exact required h2 headings with paragraphs, and sensible nesting in main. [4]
(c) A visible label must be programmatically connected to the text area: its for value matches the text area’s id. The required attribute prevents an empty response being submitted.
<form>
<label for="comment">Your comment</label>
<textarea id="comment" name="comment" required></textarea>
<button type="submit">Send response</button>
</form>This includes the linked label, text area, required validation and correctly labelled submit button. [4]
(d) The route map should be compressed or otherwise optimised and displayed at appropriate dimensions, reducing mobile-data download time. It needs descriptive alternative text, and route details should also be available as text because a map must not be the only source of information. The team should avoid a large unnecessary animated background, particularly flashing or distracting movement. Short, clear text organised with headings helps users find the consultation information quickly. Testing on a mobile device or mobile-data connection checks that these decisions work for the intended users. Any five valid decisions gain credit. [5]
Exam focus: distinguish page content and structure in HTML from visual presentation in CSS; use semantic headings and accessible form labels.
Answer Details
(a) An external CSS file keeps presentation separate from the HTML content. It can be reused by every page, giving the campaign a consistent appearance. A change, such as the heading colour or font, is made once in the stylesheet rather than in every element. It also avoids repeated styling code, keeps the HTML clearer, and may load faster on later visits because the browser can cache the stylesheet. Any four of these explained points gain credit. [4]
(b) The structure needs one main-content area, with the page title as an h1 and each major section as an h2. A valid model is:
<main>
<h1>Night bus consultation</h1>
<h2>Why the night bus matters</h2>
<p>The night bus helps residents travel safely after evening services end.</p>
<h2>Send your response</h2>
<p>Tell the transport authority what you think about the service.</p>
</main>This gains credit for the h1, both exact required h2 headings with paragraphs, and sensible nesting in main. [4]
(c) A visible label must be programmatically connected to the text area: its for value matches the text area’s id. The required attribute prevents an empty response being submitted.
<form>
<label for="comment">Your comment</label>
<textarea id="comment" name="comment" required></textarea>
<button type="submit">Send response</button>
</form>This includes the linked label, text area, required validation and correctly labelled submit button. [4]
(d) The route map should be compressed or otherwise optimised and displayed at appropriate dimensions, reducing mobile-data download time. It needs descriptive alternative text, and route details should also be available as text because a map must not be the only source of information. The team should avoid a large unnecessary animated background, particularly flashing or distracting movement. Short, clear text organised with headings helps users find the consultation information quickly. Testing on a mobile device or mobile-data connection checks that these decisions work for the intended users. Any five valid decisions gain credit. [5]
Exam focus: distinguish page content and structure in HTML from visual presentation in CSS; use semantic headings and accessible form labels.
Question 7 Report
The diagram in Fig. 1 shows a draft invitation created for a school astronomy evening. The event details have been typed, but the text is hard to scan because every line is centred. The organiser has inserted a telescope image at its original size. A reply slip must remain at the bottom of the same sheet so parents can cut it off. The organiser needs to create a clearer invitation while keeping all the factual information, including the date, start time and room number. The completed document should be saved before a copy is printed.
(a) Identify one item of information that should be placed in the reply slip. [1]
(b) Use two improvements to the alignment or spacing of the event details. [2]
(c) Create one change to the telescope image that helps the reply slip remain on the sheet. [1]
(d) Explain why a horizontal line above the reply slip would improve the document. [1]
(a) A reply slip can request a pupil name, parent/carer name, number attending, contact number or signature. Any one of these is suitable because it provides information needed to process the response. [1]
(b) Left-align the detailed event information rather than centring every line, and use consistent spacing between sections. Other valid improvements include a clear heading and subheadings, grouping date, time and room together, or using bullet points for key details. Any two gain credit. [2]
(c) Reduce or resize the telescope image so the reply slip remains on the same sheet. [1]
(d) A horizontal line clearly separates the detachable reply section and shows parents where to cut. [1]
Answer Details
(a) A reply slip can request a pupil name, parent/carer name, number attending, contact number or signature. Any one of these is suitable because it provides information needed to process the response. [1]
(b) Left-align the detailed event information rather than centring every line, and use consistent spacing between sections. Other valid improvements include a clear heading and subheadings, grouping date, time and room together, or using bullet points for key details. Any two gain credit. [2]
(c) Reduce or resize the telescope image so the reply slip remains on the same sheet. [1]
(d) A horizontal line clearly separates the detachable reply section and shows parents where to cut. [1]
Question 8 Report
A property agency is changing from paper records to a shared digital system. Each house listing has photographs, an energy certificate, a floor-plan image, a text document for the description and a spreadsheet used to calculate advertising cost. Staff currently save files on the office desktop. This means that a colleague cannot always identify the newest document, and a listing may be removed from the website while its files remain on the computer. The office manager wants a file-management procedure that can be used by every branch.
(a) Create a folder structure for one property listing. It must show how active listings, withdrawn listings, images, legal documents and marketing documents will be stored. [6]
(b) Use a consistent filename format for the document and image files of a property at 18 Willow Mews. Give three example filenames, including a version number where appropriate. [5]
(c) Create a procedure for moving a withdrawn listing from the active area to an archive. Include checks that prevent staff from losing information or using an out-of-date document. [6]
(d) Identify two file-management permissions that should be different for a trainee and for the office manager. [4]
(a) A suitable structure is [6]:
Property_Listings/ ├── Active/ │ └── 18_Willow_Mews/ │ ├── Images/ │ ├── Legal/ │ └── Marketing/ └── Withdrawn_Archive/
The property-specific folder keeps all files for one listing together, while the active and archive areas make the listing status clear.
(b) Suitable examples are 18WillowMews_Description_v03.docx, 18WillowMews_FrontElevation_01.jpg and 18WillowMews_FloorPlan_v01.png [5]. The same property identifier is used consistently; extensions match the file type, and the revisable description has a version number.
(c) First confirm the listing identifier and that the property has been withdrawn [6]. Check that every required image, legal document and marketing document is present. Move or copy the whole property folder, retaining its subfolders and filenames, to Withdrawn_Archive. Update the status in the index or spreadsheet, and restrict or clearly mark old marketing documents so they cannot be used as current material.
(d) Suitable differences include [4]: a trainee may have read-only access while the manager can edit; a trainee may be unable to delete while the manager can delete or archive; a trainee may not change permissions while the manager can; and a trainee may be denied legal/confidential files that the manager can access.
Answer Details
(a) A suitable structure is [6]:
Property_Listings/ ├── Active/ │ └── 18_Willow_Mews/ │ ├── Images/ │ ├── Legal/ │ └── Marketing/ └── Withdrawn_Archive/
The property-specific folder keeps all files for one listing together, while the active and archive areas make the listing status clear.
(b) Suitable examples are 18WillowMews_Description_v03.docx, 18WillowMews_FrontElevation_01.jpg and 18WillowMews_FloorPlan_v01.png [5]. The same property identifier is used consistently; extensions match the file type, and the revisable description has a version number.
(c) First confirm the listing identifier and that the property has been withdrawn [6]. Check that every required image, legal document and marketing document is present. Move or copy the whole property folder, retaining its subfolders and filenames, to Withdrawn_Archive. Update the status in the index or spreadsheet, and restrict or clearly mark old marketing documents so they cannot be used as current material.
(d) Suitable differences include [4]: a trainee may have read-only access while the manager can edit; a trainee may be unable to delete while the manager can delete or archive; a trainee may not change permissions while the manager can; and a trainee may be denied legal/confidential files that the manager can access.
