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The study aims to identify the effect of a flipped classroom approach designed according to the cognitive theory of multimedia learning on the academic achievements of eighth‐grade students (aged 14 years) in Saudi Arabia in computer science. To this end, a quasi‐experimental design was used, with a sample of 67 students; 33 students were assigned to the experimental group, whereas 34 comprised the control group. The experimental group was subjected to the flipped classroom approach, whereas the control group was given direct instruction. To measure student achievements, an instrument that measures cognitive skills based on Revised Bloom's taxonomy levels was designed. Findings revealed a positive effect on the experimental group's achievement levels with respect to Bloom's higher order thinking skills, that is, applying, analysing, and evaluating. No difference was found between the two groups in terms of academic achievements at the remembering and understanding levels of Bloom's taxonomy. Moreover, learners with low prior knowledge showed a higher improvement in academic achievements compared with those with high prior knowledge. This corresponds to the assumption of the cognitive theory of multimedia learning that learners with low prior knowledge would benefit from its principles more than learners with high prior knowledge. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Increasingly, K‐12 teachers around the world are using the flipped classroom approach (FCA) with their students.Previous studies have shown mixed results on the effects of flipped learning on academic achievements.Scholarly research is limited regarding the use of cognitive theory of multimedia learning (CTML) as a theoretical framework for designing instructional videos in flipped learning.Several flipped learning studies have not provided data of their outcomes or assessment as per level of cognition. What this paper adds: This study presents an improved approach for flipped learning by integrating CTML with flipped learning.A comparison was conducted for the effects of FCA designed according to CTML on the academic achievements of students with high and low prior knowledge.A proposed model has been introduced for the application of flipped learning in K‐12 education. Implications for practice and/or policy: Designing instructional videos in flipped learning should be based on a theoretical framework.Flipped learning research needs to employ Bloom's taxonomy to understand the outcomes or assessments according to cognition levels.Adopting FCA designed according to CTML may be more important for teachers whose students clearly suffer from poor academic achievements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]