Pupils’ winning Bug Hunt app ready to download

The Cardiff Bug Hunt, designed by pupils from Oakfield Primary and Allensbank Primary schools is now available to download. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Last year, pupils from the schools won the Cardiff Design an App competition, which was part of the Super Connected Cities programme, and worked with local app designers, TradeBox Media, to learning more about building apps. They collectively developed an idea for a Cardiff Bug Hunt app for visitors to parks in Cardiff to research and find out more about the mini beasts they find there. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The competition was part of the wider Super Connected Cardiff programme which has delivered free Wi-Fi in 150 public buildings, free street Wi-Fi with 4G developments, free Wi-Fi on all Cardiff buses, a Connection Voucher Scheme enabling organisations to apply for up to £3,000 to install broadband and new grants for SMEs to connect to the Cardiff Internet Exchange (IX). ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The programme saw Cardiff benefit from over £8 million of funding from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport to deliver a world class broadband and wireless infrastructure and was completed in April 2015. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Allensbank pupils Milly Wikeley, Charlotte White, Johnny Carpenter and the school’s nursery class were successful in the competition as well as Oakfield Primary’s Layth Yacob.
They were awarded a £1,000 prize for their school while £5,000 was allocated for the development of the app. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Alex Jeffers of TradeBox Media said: “Working with the children was a refreshing and thoroughly rewarding experience. Having the insightful input from some bright young minds gave us some fantastic ideas we may never have thought to progress.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

David Harris, Oakfield headteacher, said: “All of the children thoroughly enjoyed working as app developers and there was a huge sense of achievement when they saw their ideas being gathered together throughout a highly productive day.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Amy Simmons, teacher at Allensbank Primary, said: “The children really enjoyed their experience of developing an app and can’t wait to see the finished product. The children were inspired to learn more about app development and programming and share their experience with others in the school.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​