Time-saving school app helps scoop tech award
AN APP developed by a Llandudno company to reduce paperwork at a Gwynedd school has won a top technology award.
The Wales Technology Awards by ESTnet celebrated the outstanding successes of a sector that contributes more than £8billion to the Welsh economy.
Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns praised the contributions made by the circa 3,000 businesses and more than 40,000 people who, alongside leading universities, are driving the progression of the Welsh tech sector.
Bangor’s Ysgol Cae Top primary school saw off stiff competition from other schools and organisations across Wales to claim the ‘Best Tech Adopter’ award, for its innovative use of technology, which alleviates time pressures for staff and reduce costs through the use of the app, eeZeeTrip.
The app, which was made by Llandudno-based software firm Semantise Ltd, allows schools to organise attendance and payments for school clubs, external trips, music lessons and sports fixtures.
In addition to eliminating the curse of the lost permission slips, the app provides environmental advantages in paper reduction, and saves schools’ administrator and teacher time.
Llew Davies, headteacher at Ysgol Cae Top, said: “It’s excellent to see the product celebrated and we hope we’re setting an example for other schools to follow. Schools don’t need to be told what they need – we should be going out to the private sector telling them what we need to help children learn.”
The app allows the school to communicate with parents about upcoming events and to manage responses and consent forms via the free cloudbased mobile app.
Responses are immediately visible and the payment option saves parents time, while the ‘shopping basket’ feature allows parents to pay for multiple actions in a single transaction.
Describing the partnership to develop the app, and plans for the future, Oggy East, Director of Semantise, said: “It was a fledgling idea from the school who came to us to implement and we’re now supplying schools across Wales and England. Feedback from the schools and parents about the convenience and timesaving benefits has been phenomenal.
“We’re really proud of what we’ve done using tech made in Gwynedd to transform how a school in Gwynedd operates.”
Judges were particularly impressed by the school’s application of the app to increase opportunities for students and parents while streamlining resources and decreasing overheads.
Speaking at the Wales Technology Awards, Mr Cairns said: “Innovation helps drive the UK economy forward. Not only can it revolutionise the way we live our lives, it can bring real opportunities for businesses to tap into and grow.
“Innovate UK is the UK Government’s innovation agency working with people, companies and partner organisations to help them do just that.”