How The St Marylebone CE School empowered Year 8 girls to use tech for good

The St Marylebone CE School is an all girls secondary school in London that has been delivering Apps for Good for many years. In 2024 they were named our School of the Year, in recognition of their commitment to the course and their enthusiastic approach. Their delivery of Apps for Good has even gone beyond the classroom, with students joining Spotify career sessions and the school providing valuable feedback to help us refine our courses.

Last year, with the help of Sathish Sivasubramanian (Head of Computing and ICT), The St Marylebone CE School re-integrated Apps for Good across the computing department, and 120 Year 8 students completed our Innovate for Climate Change course. Students explored how technology can be harnessed to tackle the climate crisis while developing digital and essential skills in teamwork, problem-solving and creativity.

Innovate for Climate Change proved popular among students, with 81% of students who responded to the end of course survey saying that they enjoyed coming up with app ideas, and 75% saying they enjoyed learning about tackling climate change.

Teacher Sathish Sivasubramanian explained why he thought the course resonated so well with students, “Students are very passionate about climate change, they are passionate about social action. Anytime we are doing project-based work through Apps for Good, they seem more interested.”

Many students finished the course with a stronger understanding of the climate crisis and how technology can be part of the solution. Importantly, the course boosted digital confidence, with 69% of students who responded to the end of course survey reporting improved confidence in their computing skills as a result of taking part in the course.

One student said, “I enjoyed learning about how to design and code for a game, since I learnt lots of new things that I found interesting.”

As part of their Apps for Good journey at The St Marylebone CE School, student teams were encouraged to enter their app ideas into our 2025 Showcase. Showcase gives all students who enter the opportunity to receive feedback on their app idea from industry professionals, with finalists getting to pitch to a panel of judges.

Team Eco-Crafts were shortlisted in our Climate Changers category, sponsored by OVO Foundation. Their app idea aimed to reduce waste through crafting, recycling and donating in exchange for rewards called ‘Craft Cash'.

The team were particularly motivated by being able to incorporate their love of crafts into their app. One member of the team said, “I realised that you can still help the climate whilst having fun. It doesn't have to be like a boring chore that you just have to do. You can incorporate fun and positivity into it and creativity.” Having the freedom to drive their own project really helped the students engage with both the digital and broader aspects of the course.

By combining digital skills with creativity and real-world issues, the students not only gained confidence but also created inspiring ideas with the potential to make a difference.

If your school wants to empower the next generation of changemakers, find out how you can bring Apps for Good to your classroom today or book a 1:1 with our Education Community Manager, Kathy.