Beyond the Code: Building Essential Skills at The Judd School
At Apps for Good, we know that digital and computing skills are only one piece of the puzzle. To thrive in a world shaped by technology, young people need a robust set of essential skills such as communication, collaboration, and problem solving. This belief is at the heart of our partnership with The Judd School.
Students here benefit from an already rich computing offer, with all year groups developing skills in Python and other languages and programmes. But Head of Computer Science Matthew Barrow and his team are also driven by one of the school’s key objectives: supporting students to grow into ‘caring and responsible citizens in a fast-developing world’. They recognise that technical proficiency alone isn't enough to drive positive change, and have enhanced their curriculum through a deliberate focus on the essential skills that underpin successful digital adoption, and through encouraging engagement in social action.
This focus is more critical than ever. The Essential Skills Tracker report 2025 highlighted an important trend: those with higher essential skills are leading the adoption of AI, risking a new barrier to social mobility. Providing access to this critical development of essential skills is necessary for a truly inclusive future.
App for Social Action
Mr Barrow and his colleagues have integrated the App for Social Action course into their Year 9 curriculum. In the 2024/25 academic year, 100 students participated in the course to:
- Engage with social issues: identifying and researching real-world problems.
- Develop essential skills: practicing collaboration, communication, creative problem solving and self-management.
- Design for good: practical application of their computing skills to create an app that benefits society.
What changes as a result of combining tech education with a social mission through project-based learning?
Apps for Good delivery has enhanced the teaching experience for Mr Barrow, who told us that he now feels more confident teaching about social action, and sees the clear value of teaching computing within this context. He has observed improvements in his students’ essential skills, specifically listening, speaking, problem solving, creativity, planning, leadership and teamwork.
[I like] The fact that our Year 9s have to collaborate, communicate and most importantly compromise!”
Matthew Barrow, Head of Computer Science
Feedback from students at the school shows that they embraced the opportunity to use apply and develop their skills around a clear social purpose:
- 90% of surveyed students enjoyed taking part in the course.
- 79% agreed that their essential skills had improved as a result.
- 74% agreed the course made them more knowledgeable about how technology can benefit society.
One survey respondent described this shift: “[The thing I liked best about the course was] finding ways to help the community in a unique and impactful way. It was something we would not usually do in our lessons, showcasing how our code can directly impact the community.”
Developing future founders
Team SkillSphere from The Judd School were selected as Judge’s Favourite in the Future Founders category at our 2025 national Showcase. They highlighted how the Apps for Good experience had developed their essential skills:
My two favourite parts were [creating the] app because I could express my emotions and just put it into the app - all my ideas and all my creativity... and pitching the idea to the judges because it really helps me increase my confidence in speeches.”
Masi, Team SkillSphere
My favourite part was the collaboration we've put in. [...] I think we worked very well together as a team to make something that unified our strengths.”
Stefan, Team SkillSphere
App for Social Action is helping to empower the next generation of responsible, forward-thinking tech users and creators. At the end of the course, 79% of surveyed students at The Judd School said they now want to take action on social issues, and 57% attributed an increased interest in studying computer science to the course.
The Judd School is demonstrating that by making essential skills development central to the computing curriculum, we can ensure young people are not just prepared to use technology, but equipped and empowered to use it to shape their lives, their future and the world around them.