Focus on the prize

Recognise and explore digital systems (hardware and software components) for a purpose

Recognise and explore patterns in data and represent data as pictures, symbols and diagrams

Collect, explore and sort data, and use digital systems to present the data creatively

Follow, describe and represent a sequence of steps and decisions (algorithms) needed to solve simple problems

Explore how people safely use common information systems to meet information, communication and recreation needs

Create and organise ideas and information using information systems independently and with others, and share these with known people in safe online environments

Identify and explore a range of digital systems with peripheral devices for different purposes, and transmit different types of data

Recognise different types of data and explore how the same data can be represented in different ways

Collect, access and present different types of data using simple software to create information and solve problems

Define simple problems, and describe and follow a sequence of steps and decisions (algorithms) needed to solve them

Implement simple digital solutions as visual programs with algorithms involving branching (decisions) and user input

Explain how student solutions and existing information systems meet common personal, school or community needs

Plan, create and communicate ideas and information independently and with others, applying agreed ethical and social protocols

Examine the main components of common digital systems and how they may connect together to form networks to transmit data

Examine how whole numbers are used to represent all data in digital systems

Acquire, store and validate different types of data, and use a range of software to interpret and visualise data to create information

Define problems in terms of data and functional requirements drawing on previously solved problems

Design a user interface for a digital system

Design, modify and follow simple algorithms involving sequences of steps, branching, and iteration (repitition)

Implement digital solutions as simple visual programs involving branching, iteration (repitition)

Explain how student solutions and existing information systems are sustainable and meet current and future local community needs

Plan, create and communicate ideas and information, including collaboratively online, applying agreed ethical, social and technical protocols

Investigate how data is transmitted and secured in wired, wireless and mobile networks, and how the specifications affect performance

Investigate how digital systems represent text, image and audio data in binary

Acquire data from a range of sources and evaluate authenticity, accuracy and timeliness

Analyse and visualise data using a range of software to create information, and use structured data to model objects or events

Define and decompose realworld problems taking into account functional requirements and economic, environmental, social, technical and usability constraints

Design the user experience of a digital system, generating, evaluating and communicating alternative designs

Design algorithms represented diagrammatically and in English, and trace algorithms to predict output for a given input and to identify errors

Implement and modify programs with user interfaces involving branching, iteration and functions in a generalpurpose programming language

Evaluate how student solutions and existing information systems meet needs, are innovative, and take account of future risks and sustainability

Plan and manage projects that create and communicate ideas and information collaboratively online, taking safety and social contexts into account

Investigate the role of hardware and software in managing, controlling and securing the movement of and access to data in networked digital systems

Analyse simple compression of data and how content data are separated from presentation

Develop techniques for acquiring, storing and validating quantitative and qualitative data from a range of sources, considering privacy and security requirements

Analyse and visualise data to create information and address complex problems, and model processes, entities and their relationships using structured data

Define and decompose realworld problems precisely, taking into account functional and non-functional requirements and including interviewing stakeholders to identify needs

Design the user experience of a digital system by evaluating alternative designs against criteria including functionality, accessibility, usability, and aesthetics

Design algorithms represented diagrammatically and in structured English and validate algorithms and programs through tracing and test cases

Implement modular programs, applying selected algorithms and data structures including using an object-oriented programming language

Evaluate critically how student solutions and existing information systems and policies, take account of future risks and sustainability and provide opportunities for innovation and enterprise

Create interactive solutions for sharing ideas and information online, taking into account safety, social contexts and legal responsibilities

Plan and manage projects using an iterative and collaborative approach, identifying risks and considering safety and sustainability