Education software development

If children are likely to use your service, the ICO’s Age Appropriate Design Code, often called the Children’s Code, applies to you. It sets 15 standards, including high privacy settings by default, collecting only the minimum data, and avoiding nudges that encourage children to give up privacy. This reaches further than many companies expect, as it covers services “likely to be accessed” by under-18s, not just ones aimed at them.

Schools are careful buyers, with limited budgets and procurement rules of their own. They’ll want to know how you handle pupil data, whether you’re registered with the ICO, and how you fit with their safeguarding duties under Keeping Children Safe in Education. A school may also ask how you meet the Department for Education’s digital and technology standards. Having clear answers ready can shorten your sales cycle considerably.

Integration decides adoption

Teachers won’t add another separate list of pupils to maintain. Schools run on management information systems such as Arbor, SIMS and Bromcom, and tools that sync through them or through a service like Wonde, with Microsoft or Google single sign-on, have a much easier time being adopted. Accessibility is another must: public-sector bodies, including state-funded schools, have legal accessibility duties for their digital services, so expect WCAG questions from buyers.