Cambridge Starter Awards in Information & Communications Technology (ICT)

Target Group: Ages 6 -16

The scheme is competence-based and concentrates on the development of a competent ICT user.

 The ICT Starter Awards are designed to introduce students to ICT and to provide a framework in which ICT skills and knowledge can be acquired and developed, in an environment that suits their age and surroundings.  It allows students to develop the ICT knowledge and skills they require which may then support learning in a range of subject areas such as Math, Language, Social Science and Social Studies.

The scheme of assessment uses as its basis the UK National Curriculum levels in Information Technology         ( IT).  At each stage of the scheme of assessment, students will use ICT to:

This scheme operates at three levels of Cambridge International Examinations ( CIE ) Framework for qualifications:

 §         INITIAL STEPS

Students will be taught to use IT equipment and software confidently and purposefully to communicate

and handle information, and to support their problem solving, recording and expressive work. They will

The Initial Steps Award requires 6 Core Modules

§            NEXT STEPS

Students will be taught to extend the range of IT tools they use for communication, investigation and

control; they should use ICT to select information, sources and media as suitable for their purpose and

assess the value of ICT in their work.

The Next Steps Award requires 6 Core and 4 Optional Modules

§         ON TRACK

Students will be taught to become critical and largely autonomous users of ICT, aware of the ways in

which IT tools and information sources can help them in their work, understand the limitations of such tools and of the results they produce, and use the concepts associated with IT systems and software and the  associated technical terms.

The On Track Award requires 6 Core and 4 Optional Modules

At each of the three levels (Initial, Next and On Track) students will develop key IT skills on a range of applications including Word-processing, database, spreadsheets, electronic communication, and computer graphics to demonstrate their ability to find, prepare, combine and present information in both electronic and paper-based form.

 Certification from University of Cambridge is available on completion of the full Award at each level.