Yorkshire school claims to be first with its own phone ‘app’

The programme, developed by an ICT teacher at Sheffield Park Academy, includes a news section, an online prospectus and a calendar of events.

The application, which can be downloaded for free onto both Apples and Aqndroid phones, aims to make it easier for parents and pupils to access information about the school.

Users will be able to get updates about whether the school is open after snow as well as information about events such as parent evenings and upcoming shows and drama productions.

There will also be a link to the school’s Twitter feed and a section dedicated to the academy’s charity Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice.

Adil Nasim, who designed it, said: “The initial aim of the app was to help actively promote the academy’s sixth form, but as the project progressed, we realised the app had the potential to provide so much more.

“It’s a fantastic marketing tool and helps to provide instant information about the academy.”

Sheffield Park’s headteacher Craig Dillon added: “We believe that we are the first school in the country to create its own bespoke app in-house and it’s thanks to Adil that we are once again leading the way and providing our students, staff, parents and other stakeholders with the latest information about the academy at the touch of a button.”