Stuck for project ideas? You’re in the right place!
There are so many wonderful projects that have been submitted by students over the years that can easily meet the OCR A-Level coursework objectives. So, I thought—why not share a selection of great project ideas?
Just before we get to the ideas, keep in mind that students to not need to create something that has never been done before. It is perfectly acceptable for students to create their own take on an existing piece of software.
Here’s some ideas to help kick-start a project:
My top 5 favourites
Over the years, students have submitted some truly impressive projects. Here are five standout examples, ranked not just for their technical execution but for their creativity, challenge, and engagement.
5. Network Tetris: A beautifully polished multiplayer Tetris game. The only drawback? The student was so proficient at coding that the project lacked iterative development—a key assessment criterion. Despite this, the technical execution was flawless, and the expansion beyond the typical single-player format made it particularly interesting.
4. Site job management: A practical, database-driven project designed for logging and scheduling maintenance tasks (e.g., reporting a faulty lightbulb or scheduling an annual fire extinguisher check). This project struck a great balance between complexity and feasibility, presenting real-world challenges that made it a strong submission.
3. Tower-defence game: This project wasn’t just great—it was driven by pure enthusiasm. The student was so invested in the development process that it evolved into a genuinely fun and well-crafted game. A fantastic example of how passion can lead to an outstanding final product.
2. Chest x-ray diagnosis: An AI-powered project that utilised pre-existing machine learning libraries for medical image analysis. While the amount of original coding was initially minimal, the student demonstrated strong technical understanding and extended the project’s scope in an interesting way. A compelling use of AI in healthcare.
1. Swim Table: A full-stack web development project designed to optimise scheduling for swimming lessons. The system intelligently assigned children and staff coaches to classes based on availability, ensuring efficient scheduling. This project stood out due to its well-defined challenges, strong database integration, and real-world application.
Ideas for you to consider:
AI/ML Projects
Chest X-Ray Diagnosis (AI)
A great demonstration of AI in healthcare. This project would showcase machine learning techniques, image processing, and the ability to train and evaluate models – an excellent fit for coursework that values technical depth.
Student Face Recognition Registration System
A practical application of AI using facial recognition for attendance tracking. This project would involve database integration, image processing, and security considerations—covering key aspects of software development.
Business Projects
EPOS (Electronic Point of Sale System)
A database-driven system for processing sales, tracking stock levels, and generating receipts. This project would involve UI design, database management, and real-time data handling—making it a solid choice.
Expense Management
A finance-tracking application for businesses or individuals, integrating budgeting, analytics, and reporting. This project would involve data processing, security features, and possibly machine learning for spending pattern predictions.
Site Job Management
A job logging and scheduling system for maintenance tasks (e.g., repairs, safety checks). A great project for database management, automation, and real-world applications.
Bus Timetabling
A system that generates optimal bus schedules based on route constraints and passenger demand. This would involve algorithmic problem-solving, database integration, and possibly AI-driven route optimisation.
Restaurant Ordering
A web or app-based ordering system that handles customer orders, menu updates, and payments. This project could include user authentication, database integration, and real-time order tracking.
Swimming Timetabling
A system to allocate swimming classes based on availability of students and coaches. This would require database management, scheduling algorithms, and a user-friendly interface.
Ingredient Inventory System
A stock management system for restaurants, tracking ingredients and suggesting restock alerts. A strong database-driven project with potential AI features like demand prediction.
Resource Hire/Lending System
A system for managing rentals of books, equipment, skips, or rooms. A system for handling availability, reservations, and overdue returns. This project would require database design and transaction handling.
Education Projects
Quizzes Based Around Games
An interactive learning tool that gamifies quizzes, keeping students engaged. This would involve UI design, scoring systems, and adaptive question difficulty.
Math App for Primary School
A fun, interactive math-learning app tailored for young learners. This project could include colourful UI, progress tracking, and mini-games to reinforce key concepts.
Entertainment Projects
Film Recommendation Engine
A system that suggests movies based on user preferences and past ratings. This would involve databases, AI, and recommendation algorithms like collaborative filtering.
Game Development Projects
Chess/Not Chess
A chess game with a twist—adding unique rules or power-ups. A good project for game logic, AI opponent development, and UI design.
RPG (Role-Playing Game)
An RPG with character progression, quests, and combat mechanics. This project would involve state management, UI design, and complex game logic.
Tetris
A classic game with opportunities for extra features like multiplayer or AI opponents. A great choice for UI programming and game physics.
Multiplayer Card Game
An online or local multiplayer card game, such as Poker or Uno. This would require networking, game state management, and user authentication.
2D Racing Game
A fast-paced, arcade-style game with AI opponents or multiplayer support. A great opportunity to explore physics simulations, collision detection, and real-time rendering.
Tower Defence
A strategic game where players defend against waves of enemies using different tower types. This would involve pathfinding, AI behaviour, and real-time event handling.
2-Player Projectile Firing
A game where two players take turns launching projectiles at each other (e.g., a Worms-style game). This would involve physics calculations, trajectory prediction, and multiplayer mechanics.
Procedural Game Map Generator
A system that dynamically generates game maps based on algorithms. A strong project for procedural content generation, randomness, and algorithm design.
Personal Projects
Fitness Tracker
An app that tracks workouts, step counts, and progress. This project could involve data visualisation, user authentication, and goal setting.
Calorie Counter: Food Recipe Suggester
A system that suggests meals based on a user’s dietary goals. This could incorporate nutritional databases, user preferences, and machine learning for personalised recommendations.
Timetable App
A scheduling tool for students to manage their classes and study time. This would involve calendar integration, reminders, and UI design.
Simulation Projects
Cell Evolution
A simulation of cells evolving over generations based on rules like mutation and survival. A strong project for AI behaviour, simulation algorithms, and visualisation.
Bird Flocking Simulator
A simulation of flocking behaviour using Boid algorithms. This project would involve physics-based movement and emergent AI behaviour.
Planet Simulator
A physics-based simulation where planets orbit and interact under gravity. A great way to explore physics engines and numerical simulations.
Sports Projects
Basketball Coach Tool
An application to help coaches track player performance, manage drills, and create training plans. This project could integrate data analysis, video playback, and user authentication.
Football Tournament Manager
A system for organising football tournaments, handling fixtures, scores, and rankings. This project would involve database management, scheduling algorithms, and UI design.
Social Projects
Job Posting and Sign-Up System
A platform where employers can post jobs and users can apply. This project would require authentication, database management, and possibly AI-driven job matching. A similar system could be built for bands to offer their services to be booked by local venues.
