Frequently asked questions

Using AfL Lens

AfL Lens App Icon

  • Yes. AfL Lens is designed to work seamlessly alongside Apple Classroom. Teachers can view each pupil’s screen in real time through Apple Classroom while pupils use AfL Lens to write, draw, or type. There’s no extra setup required — just open both apps as normal.

  • There’s no formal “submit” step in AfL Lens. Pupils simply work live within the app and the teacher can view the responses live. Students can update or refine their responses at any time until the teacher is ready to move on to the next task.

  • Not within AfL Lens itself — each pupil clears their own board when instructed. This keeps control with the pupil and avoids accidental loss of work. A simple tap of the “clear” button resets their board instantly.

  • No. The Mini Whiteboard is designed for quick, in-the-moment responses and doesn’t store pupil work.

    If a pupil wants to keep their answer, they should take a screenshot to their Camera Roll and share it from there (e.g., into Classroom, Notes, or any other app).

  • Yes. AfL Lens works perfectly on Shared iPads or devices used by multiple classes. Each pupil’s work stays on screen only while they are using it, and nothing is stored once the board is cleared.

  • No. AfL Lens is designed so that questions are displayed only on the teacher’s screen. Pupils simply select their chosen answer option on their own iPads.

    This keeps the workflow simple, reduces distractions, and allows teachers to guide the pace of the lesson while keeping full control over when and how each question is shown.

  • The whiteboard uses a soft cream background instead of pure white to make it more comfortable for pupils to look at and write on for longer periods. Research shows that bright white screens can cause glare and eye strain, especially for pupils with dyslexia or visual sensitivity.

    The cream tone provides a gentler contrast with the pen colours, making handwriting clearer and helping every pupil — not just those with additional needs — to focus on their ideas rather than the brightness of the screen.

  • AfL Lens is designed to keep pupils focused on their ideas, not on choosing colours. Limiting the palette to three clear, high-contrast pens helps maintain consistency across the class and ensures every response is easy to read when viewed together.

    By avoiding bright or low-contrast colours — and the temptation of rainbow pens — pupils’ work stays legible, calm, and distraction-free.

  • Yes. To keep the experience consistent across classrooms, AfL Lens maintains the same clean, cream interface in both light and dark mode, ensuring the best contrast for writing and reading.

Accessibility & Design

♿️

  • No. AfL Lens does not collect, store, or transmit any personal data. All activity stays on the pupil’s iPad and is cleared when the board is reset.

  • No information ever leaves the student device. AfL Lens works completely offline and does not connect to external servers or cloud services.

  • Yes. Because AfL Lens doesn’t collect or process any personal data, it is fully GDPR-compliant by design.

  • If pupils choose to take a screenshot, it’s saved to their Camera Roll within the Photos app. From there, they can share it using standard iPad tools such as AirDrop, Files, or Classroom.

  • No. AfL Lens is completely account-free. Pupils open the app and start working immediately — no usernames, sign-ins, or internet connections required.

🔐

Privacy & Data

Purchasing & Support

🤝

  • AfL Lens can be purchased in bulk through Apple School Manager‍ and deployed to iPads via ‍Jamf School, or any other MDM solution. Licences are assigned and revoked directly through your school’s management portal, making deployment quick and consistent.

  • AfL Lens was built for classrooms, not corporations. A subscription model would require the app to check online to confirm its licence, which could stop it working if the internet drops.

    By making it a one-time purchase, the app runs fully offline with no interruptions, renewals, or hidden costs. Once it’s installed, it’s yours to use year after year — simple, reliable, and ready whenever you need it.

  • Yes. AfL Lens licences can be reassigned to new devices through your school’s mobile device management (MDM) system — such as Apple School Manager or Jamf School.

    When one cohort leaves, you can simply revoke the licence from their iPads and redeploy it to the new pupils’ devices. This makes the one-time purchase fully reusable year after year, with no extra cost.

  • You can reach the AfL Lens team through the Contact page on our website. We aim to respond promptly with clear, classroom-focused help and troubleshooting steps.

Setup and Management

⚙️

  • AfL Lens is designed specifically for iPad and works on all models running iPadOS 17 or later.

    While it can technically run on macOS using Apple Silicon, the app’s layout and handwriting tools are optimised for the iPad experience.

  • No setup is needed. Teachers and pupils simply open the app and start.

  • No internet connection is needed. AfL Lens runs entirely on each pupil’s iPad — no data is sent or stored online.

    Teachers view pupil screens through Apple Classroom, which uses the school’s local Wi-Fi network to connect devices.

    This means AfL Lens works fully offline, even if the internet drops out, while still allowing teachers to monitor every pupil’s progress in real time.