School of the Year 2024
Donna Hay Award for Impact 2024: Recognising the impact of outstanding schools
School of the Year Award 2024
This year's School of The Year award goes to St Marylebone CE School!
St Marylebone CE School and Sathish Sivasubramanian (who we interviewed for our Q&A below) have been delivering Apps for Good courses for many years, and reintegrated them across the department this year. The school has been enthusiastically engaged with bespoke events on offer throughout the year, and even supported a team of students to visit our partner, Spotify at their offices for a careers session. They are brilliant at engaging with us on impact calls, and giving us necessary feedback to improve our courses and communicate our impact to funders. We look forward to continuing to work with St Marylebone CE School and Sathish for many years to come!
Q&A with Sathish Sivasubramanian from St Marylebone CE School
Tell us about your school demographic and the local community it serves.
The St Marylebone CE School is a high-performing, non-selective state school in central London, serving students of CE faith, other world faiths and no faith at all, from a very diverse range of socio-economic, cultural and ethnic backgrounds. We are all-girls in Years 7 - 11 and have a mixed 6th Form.
How do you think Apps for Good supports young people with the skills required to succeed in life and work?
Apps for Good teaches critical skills such as digital literacy, coding, how to manage projects, and how to test their products. The programs implant the necessity for students to think critically, be creative, act collaboratively, and be resilient and adaptable. By solving relevant problems, they begin to gain a realistic understanding of how skills could be implemented in a manner that would serve them well both in further education and the world of work.
How does Apps for Good support your school’s broader strategy?
Apps for Good supports our school's broader strategy by integrating digital literacy and entrepreneurial thinking into the curriculum, aligning with our goal of preparing students for the digital economy.
Tell us about how your students respond when they’re working on something that matters to them.
When students work on projects that matter to them, they show remarkable enthusiasm and dedication. They are motivated by the opportunity to make a positive impact, and this often sparks a lasting interest in social change. For instance, a project focused on climate change inspired students to explore sustainable technology solutions and advocate for environmental awareness within their community. This experience has shown them the power of technology to drive positive change and has encouraged them to pursue further studies and careers in this field.
What would you say to other schools looking for new ways to teach computing?
I would highly recommend Apps for Good to other schools looking for innovative ways to teach computing. The program provides a practical, engaging approach to learning that goes beyond traditional classroom methods. It empowers students with essential digital skills, fosters creativity, and promotes problem-solving and teamwork. Apps for Good also offers valuable support and resources for teachers, making it easier to integrate technology and entrepreneurship into the curriculum. By participating in Apps for Good, schools can inspire the next generation of tech-savvy, socially-conscious leaders.