BUDE-BASED software company, Schoolcomms, has been shortlisted as a finalist in the coveted British Educational Training and Technology (BETT) Awards).

The company is in the running for an award thanks to its development of a smartphone app that enables schools to send instant messages to parents for free — saving schools hundreds of pounds a year.

Designed to help schools provide parents with up-to-date information relating to the school and their child's progress, Schoolcomms has tapped into the growth in smartphones, now used by two-thirds of adults of school aged children, across the UK.

More than 25,000 parents across the UK have already downloaded the School Gateway app, launched in April, which peaked at number three in the Apple Education App Download chart. Users have rated the app as four out five stars.

For the full report, and a round up of the area news and sport, see this week's edition of the 'Post'.