A while back we discussed the pros and cons of various PCB design packages.
I "went with" the free, multi-platform, open source "KiCad".... and have been very happy with it.
So happy that I've produced the following, which has getting started, and "going further" tutorials on it.
(P.S.: If you are willing to give that a try, please access it via....
... to "wake up" the search engines. Thanks!)
If anyone is in a position to take decisions for a school, I would comment this package (it is free!) for 14 year olds and above, even if they aren't going to make any PCBs! I would see it having a place in a "computer studies" program as an example of something a little different from the same-old, same-old wordprocessing, spreadsheets (maybe), internet surfing (and zap- zap games) that some kids think are the gamut of what can be done with a computer.
The interface is quite interesting. Not "usual", but there are good reasons for the "eccentricities". I am now missing the KiCad zoom and pan system whenever I have to use something else!