Barnard Castle School has been named a finalist for Best Use of Education Technology in the Independent School of the Year Awards, recognising the impact of our bespoke platform, Apollo.
Created by Barnard Castle School in partnership with Involve Education, Apollo is designed around a simple idea: see the whole child.
From Prep to Sixth Form, students use Apollo to set goals, reflect, celebrate achievements and capture the experiences that shape them; from CCF and community service to performances, sporting challenges, leadership and RAF flying days.
It’s technology with a distinctly human purpose. Apollo brings our values of Community, Character and Ambition into everyday school life, giving students greater ownership of their development and helping tutors have richer, more meaningful conversations with them.
Headmaster David Cresswell said: “We wanted to create something that reflects what makes a Barney education special, not just what our students achieve, but who they are becoming. Apollo has transformed the way we mentor, reflect and celebrate progress, while giving our students real ownership of their journey. We’re incredibly proud to see this work recognised at a national level.”
And it’s making a difference.
“If I set a goal on Apollo, I try harder to complete it than if the goal was just in my head,” says Elodie, Year 8.
For Old Barnardian Lucia, Apollo helped turn experiences into evidence that could be used for further education applications: “It helped me provide evidence for what I’d actually done.”
And for Josaia, a Year 13 boarder, it’s about something deeper: “The reflections make me more self-aware of strengths and areas for improvement and overall help me to learn from my past experiences.”
That’s the point of Apollo. Not more technology for technology’s sake, but technology that helps young people know themselves, own their journey and shape what comes next.
The Age of Apollo has begun.
