When it comes to educational apps and software, there are more options out there than you can shake a stick at. So how do you know if you should go ahead and download? Ask yourself these five questions.

1. Have you clearly identified what your pupils need?

Before you even go near the App Store or Google your options, make sure you know what it is you’re trying to achieve. Is there an issue you need to address? Phonics in Year 1? The teaching of programming in key stage 2? Writing for pupils with SEND? If you know exactly what problem you’re trying to solve and you find an app or piece of software that seems to address the issue or tackle the gap, then that’s a good sign. If you’re not sure what you’re trying to improve, then should you be spending money on the app anyway?

2. Have you clarified the skills pupils will develop or knowledge they will acquire?

So let’s say you want an app for phonics in Year 1. Search for “phonics” in the App Store and it will return a lot of possibilities. Some will involve listening to sounds, matching graphemes and phonemes, while some will also include the option of practising letter formation. If you’re clear about the specific skills that children will get to employ and refine while using the app - and it matches the needs you’ve identified - then it is time to take a closer look. The same goes for a content-based app: does it contain the content you want children to learn?

3. Have you checked that you don’t already have similar apps installed?

This may sound silly, but once you’ve installed a decent amount of apps, it’s easy to find overlap between some of them. If you already have an app that does a pretty similar job to the one you’re looking into buying, then ask yourself, do you really need it?

4. Are you are happy with the account/login situation?

An app may seem to be the right one for the job until you find out that each pupil needs an individual login. Sometimes this won’t be an issue; sometimes it will. You might need Google accounts - do you have them? Do the terms and conditions fit with your school policy? Will mass account creation be doable or is the app aimed more at parents than teachers?

5. Have you checked out the competition?

Budgets are tight and, while apps seem cheap, when purchasing at volume, the costs add up. So, if you’re content that there’s not an app available that will do the same job for less money, then you could be on to a winner.

There’s no hard and fast rules when it comes to buying educational apps, and the effectiveness will really come down to how the software is used by the teacher. Just keep in mind what you’re trying to achieve from purchasing an app and hopefully you’ll get the outcome you’re after.

Claire Lotriet is a teacher at Henwick Primary School in London. She tweets @OhLottie and blogs at clairelotriet.com