Cambridge National in IT – the exciting future with learning augmented reality
26 June 2026
This blog was first published in 2022 and has been updated to reflect new information and recent updates to the specification.
Vinay Thawait, Subject Advisor, Computer Science, IT and Creative iMedia
We are the first exam board in England to include the development of an augmented reality (AR) model prototype for 14-16 year old students in a Level 2 IT qualification.
In this blog, I’ll explain why we introduced this unit, and what students can gain from creating their own AR model prototype.
I’m very excited about this new, engaging, and future-focused area of learning. I also understand that learning and teaching AR content will be a new area for many teachers so we’ve designed this unit to feel accessible and practical to teach.
You’ll find this mandatory unit in our newly redeveloped Level 1/ Level 2 Cambridge National in IT (J836) qualification. The qualification includes two further mandatory units: NEA unit R060, data manipulation using spreadsheets, and the mandatory examined unit, R050, IT in the digital world.
We’ve designed this qualification to meet the Department for Education (DfE) requirements for qualifications in the Technical Award category of the 14-16 performance tables, and you’ll see it’s clearly aimed at meeting the needs of today’s students.
In this blog I also explore how AR is expanding into various areas of everyday life, the increasing demand in industry, and the opportunities this brings for students in this exciting new area.
What’s the purpose of learning AR?
Learning AR content will prepare students for the skills needed today, fuelled by an increasing demand for engaging, interactive, and user rich content experiences for personal, educational, and industry sectors.
In the Cambridge National in IT, students will learn to design, create, test, and review a high-fidelity AR model prototype to present information. It will allow your students to plan their progression path to further and higher education and help to support them into creative job roles.
The demand for AR in everyday life
The use of and demand for AR products has enjoyed exponential growth in mobile app development across almost all industries and sectors.
There’s been a surge in demand for AR devices and applications in healthcare, retail, architecture, science, education, hospitality, and e-commerce. And it’s growing in global automotive industries, aerospace and defence, energy, entertainment and gaming too.
Touchstone Research has produced a helpful infographic about how AR is used across different industries, and here are some real examples of how AR is being used today:
Businesses:
- Tamagotchi Pix uses a built-in camera allowing digital pet rearing, with a touch of AR
- The Ikea mobile app allows you to make shopping easier and more inspiring, to model the location of furniture in your home or work setting.
- Currys PC World introduced their ‘bring it home’ shopping app to their customers.
Sectors:
What are the opportunities for students?
Professional-level skills are required for careers as an AR app or product developer. These skilled roles consist of working with tools and techniques for different types of AR software development kits (SDKs), programming languages, 3D gaming engines and modelling, command over user interaction (UI), user experience (UX), graphic designing skills, networking/communication skills and problem-solving. And to work in this field students will benefit from developing some of these important skills now.
ReportLinker has released a report on the market growth, use and worldwide demand for AR products forecast to 2026. And this blog from Touchstone Research on growth between 2016 and 2020, as well as a LinkedIn report by Tom Emrich will help you understand the level of global demand for AR products. With generative AI developing quickly, we will see a further increase of AI in 3D/AR/VR product development.
AR jobs currently offer some of the best opportunities for creative professionals. Common positions held in this field include:
- AR/VR content developers
- AR/VR content strategists
- AR/VR use experience designers
- AR/VR designer, animator, or sound artist specialists
- AR/VR community managers
- AR/VR project managers
- AR operation managers
So that you can get a feel for the types of AR-related jobs that are available, I’ve linked to some “augmented reality” keyword searches on these well-known job sites. Please be mindful that the jobs linked through the list below will expire, but you will be able to reset the search using the keyword:
This shows the importance of the AR content in our redeveloped Cambridge National IT qualification.
Software development kits
As with any new qualification content and product development, to be able to succeed we all need to find out more and learn new skills.
Developing an AR model prototype requires students, as well as teachers, to become an effective user of AR software development kits (SDKs). Once you have developed these skills these will enable you to design, create, test, and review a high-fidelity AR model prototype to present information.
We have looked at free and paid versions of the AR SDKs that are suitable for educational and personal use. The suggested SDKs should enable candidates to secure the full range of marks available.
We reviewed and updated AR SDKs in our previous blog post, Teaching augmented reality in our redeveloped Cambridge National in IT, and I have updated the list again so you can review and use one that you find most appropriate for you and your students. Please download our AR software recommendations document to get to know which software is best for your school and students.
SDKs suitable for use now:
As with all software, new SDKs may become available in the future and some recommended SDKs may change from a free to a paid-for subscription or may be discontinued.
To continue to support our teachers, we will regularly monitor and update our information about SDKs. We’d also appreciate your feedback about the AR SDKs shared in this blog, so we can use these to plan our ongoing support.
Using alternative software
We have recently updated the specification, NEA task evidence requirements, sample assessment materials (SAM) and support materials with new guidance for teachers and students.
It is no longer compulsory to use an AR SDK to create the AR model prototype. Students can now use alternative software such as presentation software to create a simulated AR experience.
A simulated AR experience must show what it would look like when it is working. This means using things that move or change such as simple animation, clicking or tapping to make something happen and visual effects including making objects appear closer or further away to look like they are in the same space as the real world. The simulated AR experience must include the illusion of depth.
When an AR model prototype is made using an AR SDK, animation may be applied through built‑in functionality (e.g. via software tools). When using alternative software, such as presentation software, students must create these effects using tools like animations, layers, size changes and slide transitions. In both cases, the aim is to show how virtual objects would look and behave in AR, not just to create a set of static slides.
Alternative software can include, but isn’t limited to, presentation software (e.g. PowerPoint, Google Slides and Canva).
More support for teachers
On the qualification webpage we provide:
- a suggested curriculum planner
- schemes of work with suggested activities
- content mapping guides
- switching guides
- sample assessment materials
- candidate style answers for examined unit R050
- a guide to understanding the assessment
- and a student guide to NEA assignments.
We’ll also be running professional development to support you with the delivery and assessment of this qualification. Check for upcoming events on our professional development website.
The student textbook and learning and teaching resources are available from from publishers including Cambridge University Press and Hodder Education. Keeping up to date can feel daunting, but by taking steps early you can be confident that you will be on top of your planning and preparation for this new and exciting IT qualification.
Stay connected
We have a dedicated customer support page for Cambridge National in IT and we update the FAQs section regularly.
We are here to support you, so if you have any questions please email us at vocational.qualifications@ocr.org.uk or support@ocr.uk or call us on 01223 553998.
You can about resources and support. If you are not already registered, please sign up to receive subject emails for the latest news, updates and resources.
If you are considering teaching any of our qualifications, use our online form to let us know, so that we can help you with more information.
About the author
Vinay joined Cambridge OCR in July 2014 to support the GQ reform and development of the AS and A Level Computer Science qualifications. Since then, he has been involved in the development of the reformed GCSE (9-1) Computer Science, Entry Level Computer Science, Cambridge National in IT, Level 3 Cambridge Advanced National (AAQ) in IT: Data Analytics, Level 3 Cambridge Advanced National (AAQ) in Computing: Application development and Cambridge Advanced National (AAQ) in Cyber security and Networks qualifications.
Before joining Cambridge OCR, Vinay spent more than 25 years in IT and Computer Science teaching and leadership roles, working for several schools as well as local authorities educational support team. He was the National Bid Lead for the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) initiative within Capita IT, and also the Head of Operations for an audio-visual educational software development company.
Vinay has a degree, three post-graduate masters and NPQH from Warwick, Coventry, and Nottingham Universities. Outside work, he takes part in karate, cricket, and badminton. He doesn’t believe in ‘just sitting down and watching TV’.