Innovate for Climate Change at Countesthorpe Academy

Countesthorpe Academy, part of the LiFE Multi-Academy Trust, is a co-educational comprehensive secondary school based in Leicestershire. Apps for Good’s Innovate for Climate Change course has been taught to over 150 Year 7 students at the Academy since January 2024. The 'pick up and deliver' resources have enabled non-specialist computing teachers to deliver the course.

For these students in their first year of secondary school, the course has been a valuable introduction to new digital skills, independent learning as well as building on their essential skills. Teachers noted that the involvement of an industry volunteer, who dedicated time to engage with students' ideas, was highly motivating and profoundly impactful on their learning journey.

Sam Richardson, Real LiFE Leader at Countesthorpe Academy said, "If we think about future work related skills, things that future employers will be looking for, how many places can say that you'll have an opportunity at the age of 12 to sit and talk to an industry volunteer? My abiding 'wow factor' of it all is that they all rose to the challenge and it helped us have faith that they can do it, and they will do it! Everybody took part, and we had such a great time - they loved it and the experts who Apps for Good are linked with are brilliant. Real life is all about those opportunities and we really big the opportunity up for the students. It’s wonderful for us as teachers, it really works and it has been the thing that they've enjoyed most and feel proud of."

Countesthorpe Academy’s ‘real life curriculum’ is designed to prepare students to thrive in an ever changing and unpredictable world. Their aim, through this learning model, is to expose their students to a wide range of skills and competencies that will enable them to positively contribute to the world around them.

Innovate for Climate Change brings those skills to the forefront and aligns with the school’s ethos of promoting high-quality learning, being a research-informed school and delivering a real life/innovative curriculum.

Climate action serves as a cross-curriculum theme for Year 7, integrated into subjects such as Geography, Maths and even PE. The teachers referenced learnings from the Innovate for Climate Change course, emphasising how the topic works across disciplines and evidencing that “the real world doesn’t fit neatly into isolated subject areas”. Maths Teacher Nat Parker is a great example of a non-specialist teacher who is delivering the course. She said, “All of the students have benefitted in some way by doing this course, and they could see the links with other subjects; it’s a good example of what we’re trying to do with the real life curriculum.”

Students also discussed the ways in which their skills have improved. They've seen improvement in essential skills such as teamwork, problem-solving and public speaking. These skills, along with the digital skills developed throughout the Apps for Good courses, will be important throughout the rest of their school life, and for their futures careers too. Ethan, a student in year 7 said, "My teamwork skills improved because we split our jobs; I did the app, my friend did the PowerPoint and another friend did the worksheet."

If you'd like to find out more about Innovate for Climate Change or any of our other courses, get in touch with us at contact@appsforgood.org.