Why include the 1999 Level Descriptors?

The 1999 Level Descriptors form the basis of the Cayman Islands current curriculum.

The curriculum makes reference to the strands and for this reason it seemed appropriate to include these levels on the website.

However it may be useful to start looking at the 2010 level descriptors as they include a number of revisions.

End of Year Expected National Curriculum Level Ranges

ICT Level 1 Descriptors (1999)

Strand i) Finding things out
Pupils explore information from various sources, showing they know that information exists in different forms. 

Strand ii) Part 1: Developing ideas & making things happen - measurement & control
They recognise that many everyday devices respond to signals and instructions. 

Strand ii) Part 2: Developing ideas & making things happen - modelling
They make choices when using such devices to produce different outcomes. 

Strand iii) Exchanging & sharing information
They use ICT to work with text, images and sound to help them share their ideas. 

Strand iv) Reviewing, modifying & evaluating work as it progresses
They talk about their use of ICT.

ICT Level 2 Descriptors (1999)

Level 2 - Ideally most children will be working at Level 2 by the end of Year 2

Strand i) Finding things out
Pupils use ICT to organise and classify information and to present their findings. They enter, save and retrieve work.

Strand ii) Part 1: Developing ideas & making things happen - measurement & control
They plan and give instructions to make things happen and describe the effects.

Strand ii) Part 2: Developing ideas & making things happen - modelling
They use ICT to explore what happens in real and imaginary situations.

Strand iii) Exchanging & sharing information
They use ICT to help them generate, amend and record their work and share their ideas in different forms, including text, tables, images and sound. 

Strand iv) Reviewing, modifying & evaluating work as it progresses
They talk about their experiences of ICT both inside and outside school.

ICT Level 3 Descriptors (1999)

Level 3 (Ideally most children will be working at Level 3 by the end of Year 4)

Strand i) Finding things out
Pupils use ICT to save information and to find and use appropriate stored information, following straightforward lines of enquiry. 

Strand ii) Part 1: Developing ideas & making things happen - measurement & control
They use sequences of instructions to control devices and achieve specific outcomes.

Strand ii) Part 2: Developing ideas & making things happen - modelling
They make appropriate choices when using ICT-based models or simulations to help them find things out and solve problems.

Strand iii) Exchanging & sharing information
They use ICT to generate, develop, organise and present their work.

Strand iv) Reviewing, modifying & evaluating work as it progresses
They describe their use of ICT and its use outside school. 

ICT Level 4 Descriptors (1999)

Level 4 - Ideally most children will be working at Level 4 by the end of Year 6

Strand i) Finding things out
Pupils understand the need for care in framing questions when collecting, finding and interrogating information.   They add to, amend and combine different forms of information from a variety of sources.

Strand ii) Part 1: Developing ideas & making things happen - measurement & control
They use ICT systems to control events in a predetermined manner and to sense physical data.

Strand ii) Part 2: Developing ideas & making things happen - modelling
They use ICT-based models and simulations to explore patterns and relationships, and make predictions about the consequences of their decisions.

Strand iii) Exchanging & sharing information
They use ICT to present information in different forms and show they are aware of the intended audience and the need for quality in their presentations. They exchange information and ideas with others in a variety of ways, including using email.

Strand iv) Reviewing, modifying & evaluating work as it progresses
They interpret their findings, question plausibility and recognise that poor-quality information leads to unreliable results. They compare their use of ICT with other methods and with its use outside school.

ICT Level 5 Descriptors (1999)

Strand i) Finding things out
Pupils select the information they need for different purposes, check its accuracy and organise it in a form suitable for processing.

Strand ii) Part 1: Developing ideas & making things happen - measurement & control
They create sequences of instructions to control events, and understand the need to be precise when framing and sequencing instructions. They understand how ICT devices with sensors can be used to monitor and measure external events.

Strand ii) Part 2: Developing ideas & making things happen - modelling
They explore the effects of changing the variables in an ICT-based model. 

Strand iii) Exchanging & sharing information
They use ICT to structure, refine and present information in different forms and styles for specific purposes and audiences. They exchange information and ideas with others in a variety of ways, including using email. 


Strand iv) Reviewing, modifying & evaluating work as it progresses
They discuss their knowledge and experience of using ICT and their observations of its use outside school. They assess the use of ICT in their work and are able to reflect critically in order to make improvements in subsequent work.

Thanks to Saint Joseph's Catholic School, Bradford for the Level Descriptor Images.