Installing apps on school iPads

Question

If you are in 7th grade like me, you probably have a school iPad. At school, they DO NOT let you download any games.

So far, I have tried TweakBox, Tutu App and APKpure without any success.

Is there a way to download games onto the iPad?

Answer 1

Introduction
As @SteveChambers rightfully points out, devices are managed by the network administrator partly to prevent what you are trying to do but also because the school is probably liable for any harm etc. caused by "incorrect/inappropriate usage" of their devices.

The short answer is no, yet depending on the games you are talking about, it is actually quite possible to talk to your network administrator or somebody that does the I.T. work and tell them why you think it is beneficial to have the app installed. If you are lucky (and have compelling reasons), your idea is then discussed with the rest of the senior leadership team.

Having worked as a Network Admin in a school (though only 8th grade and up) for a few years, I have seen what happens if even the smallest devices aren't locked down to the max. I thought I'd share with you a little background information because when you realise the vast amount of nasty stuff that gets filtered out, you truly learn to appreciate that it is one thing you (the user) does not need to worry about - allowing you to focus on what's important, your education.

Why prevent app installations?
Usually, iPads are safe in terms of infections and malicious content but with the introduction of Bring Your Own Device(s) (BYOD) in many schools, it becomes increasingly challenging to keep the nasty stuff out - on a global level.

Example:
While the school may do its best to keep you save on their network, the moment you leave to connect at home (or another network for that matter) the filter/protection is no longer there, opening students up to all the nasty stuff (with or without the student knowing).
The next school day, those infections (now having bypassed the school's filter because they came through the home network) are inside the school network where the potential for spreading to more devices becomes much greater and very difficult to combat.

How does it relate to you?
Now you are probably asking yourself what this has to do with not being allowed to install apps? Well, apps (especially those for educational purposes) go through rigorous testing and trailing by schools and independent organizations before they are "approved" as appropriate and meaningful to education. Perhaps it allows independent work to be made simpler, students to learn in teams etc...

You did mention having checked out some sites/AppStore alternatives whose content probably didn't pass those tests and (looking at it from a security point of view) are not the safest at all. They most likely get you banned from using the iPads for the rest of the year (due to breaching your Device/Cyber agreement that you and your parents probably had to sign at some point.

The core problem is that when a student has the device, the teacher does not see the screen, meaning that there is no way of checking if work is actually being done or not. Hence, when the iPad was first set up, a set of standards where followed - similar to rules - which dictate how the school goes about keeping their devices/network and people safe and focused.

Conclusion
As you move through the grades, you learn to become a safer, independent, digital citizen who is able to better weigh the negatives against the positives and get a little more flexibility in the filtering. But just like the driver of the car has the final say on the type of music, your school has the final say on what's allowed.

Hopefully, that made for an interesting read, let me know if it made sense or if there is something you don't understand. Good luck with your quest in getting the game approved and all the best with your studies.