Creating opportunities for every student
In Natalie Noone’s classroom in St. Aidan’s Comprehensive School, ICDL is about far more than certification. It is a structured programme designed to help students develop practical digital skills, build confidence, and take ownership of their own learning.
The school has a long-standing commitment to digital education. Alongside ICDL, students engage with coding, Digital Media Literacy, Computer Science and initiatives such as Dream Space Ambassadors, creating a strong ecosystem of digital learning throughout the school.
This ongoing commitment has produced exceptional results.
Over the 2025/26 academic year, several students exceeded the 10-module milestone, with one student, Matas Sidkovas, completing an outstanding 17 ICDL modules.
At a glance
School: St. Aidan’s Comprehensive School
ICDL Coordinator: Natalie Noone
Programme: Transition Year ICDL Programme
Highest Achievement: Matas Sidkovas, 17 ICDL Modules Completed
Delivery Model: Two timetabled classes per week, supported by e-learning and supervised certification testing in school.
A flexible approach that meets students where they are
One of the key strengths of St. Aidan’s ICDL programme is flexibility.
Students attend two ICDL classes each week throughout Transition Year, but learning does not stop when class ends. Through ICDL’s e-learning platform, students can continue their progress outside school, allowing motivated learners to move beyond the standard programme and achieve additional certifications.
Students are encouraged to work at their own pace while maintaining high standards.
Before sitting a certification exam, students must complete the e-learning materials and diagnostic assessments, ensuring they have developed real understanding rather than simply progressing through modules. All certification tests are completed in school under teacher supervision.
This approach allows students of differing abilities and experience levels to engage with ICDL while providing additional challenges for high achievers.
Healthy competition driving exceptional results
While structure and support are important, Natalie believes this year’s success has also been driven by the students themselves.
Over the course of the year, a friendly sense of competition developed among the group, with students encouraging each other to continue progressing through modules and achieve new milestones.
As students reached the 10-module mark, their achievements were shared through school communications and social media channels. This recognition created additional momentum, inspiring other students to push themselves further and demonstrating what could be achieved through consistent effort.
The result was a cohort of students who not only met expectations but significantly exceeded them.
Beyond certification: real digital skills
Despite growing up surrounded by technology, many students arrive at school with limited experience using traditional desktop and laptop environments. Skills such as managing files, working with productivity software, or even logging in and out of a computer system can no longer be taken for granted.
ICDL helps address these gaps by providing students with structured, practical experience across a broad range of digital competencies.
The programme’s combination of computer essentials, online essentials, productivity tools, databases, cybersecurity and emerging technologies helps ensure students develop skills that are directly relevant to further education and the workplace.
Preparing students for an AI-driven future
As digital technology continues to evolve, St. Aidan’s is also helping students navigate the opportunities and challenges presented by artificial intelligence.
Students are increasingly using AI-powered tools in their daily lives, and St. Aidan’s sees digital literacy as extending beyond simply using these technologies. Students are encouraged to question AI-generated content, verify information sources, and think critically about the outputs they receive.
This focus on critical thinking aligns closely with ICDL’s evolving module portfolio, particularly the recently released AI Essentials module which equips students with essential knowledge and skills to understand AI concepts, recognise practical uses, address risks and ethical considerations, and use AI tools responsibly and effectively.
Looking ahead
As St. Aidan’s continues to refine and evolve its ICDL programme, the focus remains the same: providing students with meaningful digital skills and creating opportunities for every learner to achieve their full potential.
For students like Matas Sidkovas and his classmates, ICDL has become much more than a certification programme. It has become a platform for achievement, confidence building, and future success. And if this year’s results are anything to go by, the future for digital skills education at St. Aidan’s looks exceptionally bright.
Key results
- Highest individual achievement: 17 ICDL modules completed
- Multiple students achieved 10+ ICDL modules
- Two dedicated ICDL classes per week throughout TY
- Flexible e-learning enabling learning beyond the classroom
- Structured approach combining student independence with teacher support and supervised certification testing
- Strong integration with wider digital initiatives including coding, Computer Science and Dream Space Ambassadors
The opportunity is there for students to achieve as highly as they want. Depending on their ability and work ethic, students can progress beyond the standard programme and continue building valuable digital skills.”
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