UK · Teens and adults · iOS and Android

App development course in the UK

Most app courses start with a button and end with a store listing. In the UK, two sets of rules sit between those points. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology's code of practice for app store operators and app developers asks developers, among other things, not to "request permissions and privileges which are not functionally required by the app", to let people delete the personal data an app gathers, and to keep fixing security problems after launch. And if children are likely to use an app, the Information Commissioner's Office says its Children's code needs to be considered, whether or not children were ever the intended audience: "Settings must be 'high privacy' by default", geolocation off unless there is a compelling reason, no nudging children into giving away more data. The code covers what the law calls information society services, which the ICO says includes most for-profit online services, so a young developer planning to publish needs to know it exists. This course teaches UK teenagers and adults to build real apps in React Native, Flutter, Swift or Kotlin with both rulebooks designed in from the first screen, because retrofitting privacy is harder than building it.

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Live teaching since 2020 · 10,000+ students · apps with permissions, privacy and updates done properly

In short

App developers in the UK work under two sets of guidance. DSIT's voluntary code of practice for app store operators and app developers, updated in October 2023, sets eight principles, including that developers use industry-standard encryption, request only the permissions an app functionally needs, keep the primary function working when optional permissions are refused, offer a way to delete personal data, run a vulnerability disclosure process and ship security updates. The ICO's Children's code sets 15 standards for online services likely to be accessed by children, even if they are not the target audience, including high-privacy default settings, data minimisation, geolocation off by default and no nudge techniques; it applies to non-UK companies processing UK children's data too. Modern Age Coders teaches app development live and online to UK teenagers, in React Native, and adults, in Flutter, Swift and Kotlin, with those rules built into every project. The first class is free; afterwards a group place is USD 100 a month and one-to-one lessons USD 150 a month.

Start here

Three ways into app development

React Native for teenagers, a cross-platform course for adults, and native iOS. Each card opens the full syllabus.

App Development for Teens course thumbnail

ADU / 01

App Development for Teens

Real apps with React Native, for ages 13 to 18, from first screen to a finished project.

Open the syllabus →
App Development Course course thumbnail

ADU / 02

App Development for Adults

Flutter, iOS and Android, for university students, graduates and professionals.

Open the syllabus →
Swift and iOS Course course thumbnail

ADU / 03

Swift and iOS

SwiftUI apps from zero, for adults who want to build natively for Apple devices.

Open the syllabus →

The app code

What the UK's app code of practice asks of developers

DSIT published the code in December 2022 and updated it on 24 October 2023. It describes itself plainly: "This voluntary Code of Practice sets out practical steps for App Store Operators and App Developers to protect users."

Developer duties in the code, by provision
ProvisionWhat it asksIn a student's app
2.1Industry-standard encryption for data in transit and data stored locallyHTTPS only; no secrets saved in plain text
2.2"Developers shall ensure that the primary function of an app operates if a user chooses to disable its optional functionality and permissions."A weather app still works when location is refused; the user types a town instead
2.3"Developers should not request permissions and privileges which are not functionally required by the app."No contacts or microphone permission for a to-do list
2.5A simple uninstall processNothing left running after removal
2.6A process to update and monitor software dependencies for known vulnerabilitiesLibraries checked and updated as part of every release
2.7A way for users to request deletion of personal data the app gatheredA delete-my-account option that actually deletes
3.1A vulnerability disclosure process, such as contact details or a form, accessible in the app storeA security contact on the listing
4.1 and 4.2Security updates, including when a third-party library or SDK receives a security or privacy updateUpdates shipped after launch, not only before it

Voluntary, but not optional in spirit

The code is voluntary, and responsibility for the principles is shared between app store operators, app developers and platform developers. The government also notes that some of the principles are already mandated by existing legislation, including data protection law.

App stores are asked to vet submissions, remove clearly malicious apps within 48 hours of verifying them, and contact any developer whose app has had no update for two years to check it is still supported.

The eight principles

The code lists them in no priority order: apps meeting a security and privacy baseline; apps adhering to baseline requirements; a vulnerability disclosure process; keeping apps updated; accessible security and privacy information for users; guidance for developers; clear feedback to developers; and steps when a personal data breach arises.

Four of those are aimed mainly at developers, and they are the four a course can teach.

Source, read 21 September 2026: DSIT, Code of practice for app store operators and app developers (updated), 24 October 2023.

The Children's code

If children might use your app, the Children's code applies

The ICO's Children's code, also called the Age appropriate design code, sets 15 standards. Its scope is the part developers most often miss.

In the ICO's own words: "If children are likely to access your service, even if they are not your target audience or user, then you need to consider the Children's code." It applies to "UK-based companies and non-UK companies who process the personal data of UK children", and children here means anyone under 18. It covers information society services, which the ICO says means most for-profit online services, and it does not apply to schools processing pupils' information for education.

Seven of the 15 standards, as the ICO summarises them, and what each means in code
StandardThe ICO's summaryIn the app
Default settings"Settings must be 'high privacy' by default"Profiles private and sharing off until a child chooses otherwise
Data minimisation"Collect and retain only the minimum amount of personal data you need"No date of birth, contacts or photos unless a feature needs them
Geolocation"Switch geolocation options off by default"Location off at install, with an obvious sign when it is on
Profiling"Switch options which use profiling 'off' by default"No personalised feeds for children by default
Nudge techniques"Do not use nudge techniques to lead or encourage children to provide unnecessary personal data or weaken or turn off their privacy protections."No guilt-trip buttons or pre-ticked boxes
TransparencyPrivacy information "concise, prominent and in clear language suited to the age of the child"A privacy screen a 12-year-old can read
Online tools"Provide prominent and accessible tools to help children exercise their data protection rights and report concerns."Report and delete options in plain sight

The standards work together

The other eight cover the best interests of the child, data protection impact assessments, age appropriate application, detrimental use of data, upholding your own policies, data sharing, parental controls and connected toys and devices.

For a first app, the practical ones are the defaults: what the app does before anyone changes a setting.

A newer duty points the same way

The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 added an explicit requirement for online services likely to be used by children to take their needs into account when deciding how to use their information. The ICO's view: "You should already satisfy this requirement if you conform to our Age appropriate design code (AADC)."

So one well-designed set of defaults answers both.

Sources, read 21 September 2026: ICO, Children's code standards; Introduction to the Children's code; ICO, the Data Use and Access Act 2025 for organisations. This page is not legal advice.

Designed in

What students build, with the rules already inside

Every project on the course carries the same small checklist. It costs a few extra lessons and saves rewriting an app later.

Project features and the rule each one meets
Feature every project getsThe rule behind it
Permissions requested at the moment they are needed, with a reason shownApp code 2.3
The main feature still works when a permission is refusedApp code 2.2
Location off by default, with a visible indicator when usedChildren's code, geolocation
A plain-language privacy screenChildren's code, transparency; app code 5.2
A delete-my-data option that removes the data from the server tooApp code 2.7
A dependency check before every releaseApp code 2.6 and 4.2
A contact for security reports in the store listingApp code 3.1

A revision app

Flashcards and quizzes for a subject the student knows, with progress stored locally and nothing shared by default.

A club organiser

Events and sign-ups for a school club or sports team, with parental controls explained clearly to the children who use it.

A local guide

A map of places for a town or campus, where the app works without location and asks only when the user taps near me.

None of this makes an app legally compliant on its own, and the course does not claim to. It builds the habits the codes describe, so that a student who publishes an app later starts from the right defaults. How apps talk to servers safely connects directly to our cyber security course for teens.

Which route

React Native, Flutter, Swift or Kotlin

The right framework depends on age, devices and what the learner already knows. The free first class settles it.

Our app routes
RouteWho it suitsBuilds for
React Native (teens course)Ages 13 to 18, especially with some JavaScriptiOS and Android from one codebase
FlutterAdults who want one codebase and a clean UI toolkitiOS, Android and more, in Dart
Swift and SwiftUIAdults building for iPhone, iPad and MacApple platforms natively
Kotlin, within the adult app courseAdults building for Android nativelyAndroid

Do you need to code first?

Teenagers can start the React Native course as complete beginners, and adults can start the app courses from zero. Some JavaScript or Python beforehand makes the first months smoother.

Web foundations help too, and our full stack software development page covers the servers most apps rely on.

Publishing is optional

Students can run apps on their own phones and emulators without publishing anything. Publishing to a store involves the store's own developer accounts and rules, which the learner or a parent controls.

We never publish apps on a student's behalf or hold their store accounts.

Stages

Four stages to a finished app

Placement follows what you can already do.

From first screen to a maintained app
StageWhat should be true
1. ScreensYou build screens with layout, navigation and input
2. DataYou store data locally and fetch it from an API safely
3. Permissions and privacyYour app asks only what it needs, works when refused, and deletes data on request
4. Finished and maintainedA complete app runs on a real phone, with dependencies updated and a plan for fixes

Stage three is the UK part

It is where the app code and the Children's code turn into code.

The wider sequence of subjects is on the coding roadmap.

Stage four never ends

Apps need updates after launch; the code of practice expects security fixes.

Students learn to treat a release as a beginning.

The catalogue

Nine courses for app builders

The app courses themselves, the foundations under them, and the back end they talk to.

I

Apps

By framework

ADU / APP / 01

App Development for Teens

React Native, ages 13 to 18.

Open the syllabus

ADU / APP / 02

App Development for Adults

Flutter, iOS and Android.

Open the syllabus
II

Foundations

Before or alongside

ADU / FND / 01

JavaScript for Teens

The language under React Native.

Open the syllabus

ADU / FND / 03

Java for Teens

Object-oriented foundations for Android work.

Open the syllabus
III

Behind the app

Servers and data

ADU / BCK / 01

Backend Coding for Teens

APIs and databases for teen developers.

Open the syllabus

ADU / BCK / 03

Cybersecurity for Teens

Why the security rules exist.

Open the syllabus

How lessons run

Live lessons, real phones

Teaching comes from India, which keeps one clock all year; the UK is four and a half hours behind India in British Summer Time and five and a half in winter. After-school, evening and weekend slots in UK time are all possible.

After school

For teenagers on weekdays.

Evening

For adults after work or lectures.

Weekend

Longer sessions for building features.

A free first class

We check your starting point and choose a framework with you.

Small groups

Five to ten learners of similar age and level.

One to one

For a specific app idea or a faster pace.

Your own device

Apps run on your phone or an emulator from the early weeks.

Privacy checklist

Every project passes the same short checklist before it counts as done.

Your accounts, your apps

Code lives in your own repository; store accounts stay yours.

Student work

Projects built by our students

Four projects our students finished. More, from every age group, are in student labs.

NutriLife AI nutrition coach project screenshot

AI and ML

NutriLife

An AI nutrition coach that reads what you eat and works you toward a target.

by Bhavya · Open it

Misti AI chatbot for maths and coding screenshot

AI and ML

Misti

A chatbot that answers mathematics and programming questions, built and deployed by a student.

by Harshit · Open it

GuardianX AI internet safety assistant screenshot

AI and ML

GuardianX

An assistant that helps a young person recognise unsafe situations online.

by Vivaan · Open it

SkyCast weather forecast application screenshot

Web app

SkyCast

A weather forecasting site with live conditions for any location.

by Krish

Fees

Fees for app development

One monthly fee in US dollars, the same for every country outside India, with no enrolment fee and nothing to commit to beyond the current month. Store developer accounts, if you choose to publish, are separate and paid to the store.

Free first class

USD 0

no card required

  • A look at your starting point
  • A framework chosen with you
  • No payment details needed
Book it

Group batch

USD 100

a month, billed in US dollars

  • Five to ten learners at one level
  • The same teacher each week
  • A privacy checklist on every project
  • Stop at the end of any month
Start here

One to one

USD 150

a month, billed in US dollars

  • A teacher for you alone
  • Built around your own app idea
  • Paced to suit you
Enquire

What families say

Rated 4.9 across 547 Google reviews

Google reviews from our students and their families, in their own words.

★★★★★

"The one step solution for my son. Modern Age Coders make learning coding so simple that kids love it. The teachers explain complex concepts clearly with practical exercises and interactive content."

Ria Mukherjee

Parent

★★★★★

"Modern Age Coders has been a game-changer for me. I struggled to grasp IT concepts and coding before joining, but their classes transformed everything. I can now confidently write complex programs with ease."

Samriddha Mondal

Student

★★★★★

"One of the most wonderful education centres out there. Education is not limited to school syllabus but focuses on skill development."

Vansh Agarwal

Student

★★★★★

"My child Dhairya is really enjoying the Modern Age Coders classes. This is his first online class and he eagerly looks forward to it. I can already see his improvement, and the teachers are very cooperative."

Sonam Oswal

Parent of Dhairya

★★★★★

"Modern Age Coders have wonderful teachers who teach in a clear, easy and practical way. The teacher boosts students' confidence and inspires them to learn without hesitation."

Sonu Goyal

Parent

★★★★★

"I highly recommend this computer coding class! The teachers are incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about coding."

Ritu Kedia

Parent

Questions about app development

What UK learners ask about building apps

Does the UK have rules for app developers?

DSIT publishes a voluntary code of practice for app store operators and app developers, updated in October 2023, with eight principles on security and privacy. Data protection law applies regardless.

What is the Children's code?

The ICO's Age appropriate design code: 15 standards for online services likely to be accessed by under-18s, such as high-privacy defaults, data minimisation and geolocation off by default.

My app is not for children. Does the code apply?

Possibly. The ICO says that if children are likely to access your service, even if they are not your target audience, you need to consider the code.

Which framework should a teenager learn?

Our teen course uses React Native, which builds for iOS and Android from one codebase. Some JavaScript first helps but is not required.

Which should an adult learn?

Flutter for one codebase across platforms, Swift for Apple devices, or Kotlin for Android. The free class helps you choose.

Do I need a Mac?

For Swift and publishing to Apple's store, a Mac is generally needed. React Native and Flutter work can begin on Windows, with Android devices or emulators.

Will you publish my app?

No. Apps can run on your own devices without publishing. If you publish, you or a parent control the store account.

Does following your checklist make my app compliant?

No course can promise that. The checklist builds the habits the codes describe; compliance depends on the real app and how it handles data.

What does it cost?

The first class is free. After that it is USD 100 a month in a group or USD 150 a month one to one, with no enrolment fee.

When are lessons?

After school, evenings or weekends in UK time, agreed in the free class. Teachers are four and a half hours ahead of the UK in summer and five and a half in winter.

Elsewhere on this site

Related pages

The servers behind apps, security, and the languages underneath.

Full stack software development

The back end your app talks to.

Cyber security for teens

Why the security rules exist.

Java classes in the UK

Object-oriented foundations.

Coding classes for teens

How we teach teenagers.

Coding classes for adults

Starting as an adult.

Coding classes in the UK

All our UK pages.

Start here

Bring an app idea to a free class

Leave a number and we will call at a UK time that suits you. Bring an idea, however rough; the class checks your level, chooses a framework and sketches the first screens.

Reading first? Browse the course list, see how we teach, or look at what students have built.

WhatsApp us · +91 91233 66161 · contact@modernagecoders.com

A WhatsApp message from a UK phone is the quickest way to reach us. We work from India, so the number starts +91; there is no UK office.

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