A well-designed school website is essential. Not just for communication with parents, and giving that all-important first impression, but because school websites need to be properly compliant with a whole host of laws.

Despite this, many school websites seem a little lacklustre. They’re making costly mistakes, and their websites are in dire need of updating. On this page, we want to share ten mistakes schools make with their websites, and give you a quick rundown of how to fix them.

Outdated Design and Content

Why It’s a Problem:

Outdated content makes a school seem unprofessional, almost as if they don’t care what information they’re serving up to their readers. This can reduce trust from parents, students, and staff. On top of this, outdated content can often mean that the wrong information is shared.

How to Fix It:

The website needs to be redesigned. Just a quick refresh to bring it up to modern standards. Any news, events, and staff pages should be updated regularly. The school should run regular content audits to ensure that any old information is removed or updated.

Poor Mobile Experience

Why It’s a Problem

The vast majority of a school’s visitors will come through mobile devices. If a site doesn’t look good on mobile devices, it is annoying. Not to mention the fact that search engines are reluctant to rank websites that aren’t mobile-friendly.

How to Fix It

Invest in quality responsive web design. This basically means the website will adapt to whatever size screen it is displayed on. Simplify pages so people are not overwhelmed with information, and reduce images and navigation options through the site. Basically, make the whole site easier to browse.

Hard-to-Find Key Information

Why It’s a Problem:

Staff, students, and parents aren’t on your website for fun. They’re looking for information, normally essential information. They need to be able to find it quickly. If they can’t, it might lead to your staff handling more phone calls and emails, which keeps them away from their jobs.

How to Fix It:

Any important information should be front and centre on your home page. This includes term dates, contact details, and any school policies. Any important dates (e.g. inset days) should also be there. Your website should be easy to browse, with clear headings and menus. You should also have a search bar. Get people to regularly check your site to ensure that information can easily be accessed.

Missing Ofsted or Statutory Content

Why It’s a Problem:

Missing legally required information is a big ‘no’. It can lead to fines or other issues with Ofsted. Parents may also struggle to find important information such as Ofsted inspections and school policies, turning them off of the school. This damages the credibility of a site.

How to Fix It:

You should always have a solid understanding of what a school needs to legally display on their site. At the very least, you should always have Ofsted reports, safeguarding policies, and equality statements displayed. Take your site through regular audits to ensure you remain compliant. Remember, requirements change regularly.

Slow Loading Speeds

Why It’s a Problem

Slow page loading just frustrates people. Many will leave before a site loads, and it isn’t a good look for the platform. It will also impact the rankings of a site in Google and other search engines.

How to Fix It:

Ditch anything that isn’t really needed on the site, especially images. Any images that remain should be compressed, the same with other media files. Use a proper platform to cache data and reliably host your site. Always keep the use of plug-ins and scripts on your site to a minimum. Don’t worry if you don’t know what that last part means; a proper site designer will.

Accessibility Laws

Why It’s a Problem:

A school website can exclude users with disabilities, and the lack of certain accessibility requirements may violate various laws. At the very least, it makes a website harder to read.

How to Fix It:

Site design should focus on accessible design. This means keyboard navigation, high contrast options, and alt text for images. The site should be regularly tested with accessibility tools and real users.

Lack of Clear Navigation

Why It’s a Problem:

People struggle to find the information they need, which is annoying. Your school website will seem unprofessional, and you’ll have far fewer people engaging with the site.

How to Fix It:

Plan site navigation well. Everything should be intuitive. Include a site map so people can easily find the information they want without navigating through countless menus.

Weak Photography and Visuals

Why It’s a Problem:

The school looks unprofessional, as if it doesn’t care about the sort of image it puts forward. There won’t be a proper showcase of staff, facilities, and school life. This can make parents of prospective students have no idea what the school is about. Poor quality imagery just makes a website seem lifeless.

How to Fix It:

Get high-quality photographs of students, staff, and any events. Regularly update the site with new images.

No Clear Calls to Action

Why It is a Problem:

Parents/students don’t know what they need to do. They might not know how to enrol, contact, or donate. This can lead to reduced site conversions.

How to Fix It:

Add visible buttons as a call to action. Use actionable language. CTAs should always be on high-traffic pages.

Ignoring SEO and Analytics

Poor SEO

Why it’s a Problem:

The website will not appear in search engines as much. This can lead to a lower number of visitors and, ultimately, school and website growth.

How to Fix It

Invest in SEO. Even adding meta tags, headings, and keywords can help massively. Traffic should be regularly analysed to see where it is coming from. You’ll quickly learn about your most popular pages. Keep producing regular content.

School Website Design Mistakes

A well-designed school website is essential for creating trust, visitor engagement, and meeting legal requirements. Thankfully, a few updates to a site can go a long way towards improving all this. Prioritise site design and your website visitors will thank you for it.

Need a site designed by an experienced company? Contact School Jotter. We specialise in school website development and marketing, ensuring that you never need to worry about the issues we highlighted.

Your elementary school website is more than a mere online presence — it’s a communication tool, reflection of your ethos, and more often than not, prospective families’ first impressions. 

Since you don’t get a second chance to make said impression, you can implement these seven must-have features to get it right from the get-go.

1. Mobile-First, Accessible Design

Almost 75% of prospective students and 67% of parents interact with school websites on mobile devices. Therefore, your site needs to be responsive, ensuring it performs perfectly on all screen sizes, from phones to desktops.

But automatic, device-dependent resizing is only the beginning. The best elementary school websites are fast-loading and feature tap-friendly navigation to help mobile users.

These days, Google prioritizes mobile-first indexing, so if your design isn’t mobile-friendly, your ranks (and thus, your visibility) will suffer. Not to mention that poor smartphone experiences can disengage donors and deter applicants — two things your establishment certainly doesn’t want. 

Beyond the mobile-first requirements, you must ensure accessibility. For example, students with visual impairments may struggle if the text doesn’t contrast with the background. You’ll also need to add alt text for all images, so screen readers can capture relevant information. Since you are legally required to meet certain equal access standards, you should audit your site for accessibility annually.

2. Intuitive Navigation and Clear Structure

Most people will leave a website if they can’t find what they’re searching for within just three clicks. While there are tons of creative ways to display information, the majority of parents and students will expect the menu to sit at the top of the screen. After all, too many clicks spoil the digital broth.

Minimise friction wherever possible, helping users access the desired information with ease. Consider grouping content by audience, such as parents, faculty, and prospective students, and keep high-priority pages (i.e., Apply Now) no more than a click or two away. 

If you have a lot of primary navigation links, create a mega menu. They’re more expansive than traditional dropdown menus, providing plenty of real estate to add pages without cluttering your main navigation bar.

Intuitive navigation often brings clear structure with it, but if you’re looking to increase your conversion rate, make sure you have clear CTAs, like “Apply Now,” “Subscribe to Newsletter,” or “Schedule a Visit.” Websites taking advantage of CTAs experience a whopping 121% conversion boost.

3. Engaging Visuals and School Branding

It’s easy to get bogged down in all the policies and written information you want/need to relay. However, it’s important to remember that your website should also showcase your establishment’s personality and culture. So, include vibrant images and engaging videos to help prospective families get a real feel for your school environment. 

As for branding, make sure it’s consistent and eye-catching. Your logo, prospectus, school colours, and the fonts you choose should match across all publications and parts of your site to show cohesiveness, build trust, and foster a sense of community.

4. Up-to-Date Content and Calendar Integration

Regularly updating your blog or news section with fresh content allows you to celebrate student achievements, keep parents in the loop, and ensure everybody feels like they belong to a connected community. Couple that with the fact it helps your SEO efforts, making it easier for new parents and pupils to find you, and it’s a no-brainer!

In the spirit of ensuring everybody stays up to date, integrating a calendar into your homepage will ensure both parents and students never miss an important educational date again. From term dates to sports fixtures to exams to open days and more, a well-designed school calendar collates all poignant dates and stops parents missing information in their never-ending email streams.

5. Compliance and Transparency (ADA, FERPA, Contact Info)

As briefly mentioned, accessibility isn’t just best practice, it’s a legal requirement. In fact, 71% of ADA lawsuits in 2025 involved inaccessible websites, so ensuring everybody can access the information they need is essential to comply with such laws.

The same goes for FERPA, a law protecting the privacy of student and education records, and GDPR. Implement rigorous security measures (e.g., encryption and access controls), be transparent about how you collect and store data, and regularly train staff on IT responsibilities to avoid missing the mark.

With transparency in mind, only display accurate contact information on your website. Any discrepancies across the web won’t just hurt your SEO efforts, but they will also harm your relationships between current and prospective families. 

6. Parent Communication Tools

The best school websites boast a secure parent and student portal. It offers a private, centralised space for communication between the school and surrounding community.

For parents, the portal can include grade viewings, fee payment histories, important documents, school policies, and attendance records. Student portals, on the other hand can show assignment submissions, links to learning resources, and timetables.

7. SEO and Analytics-Ready Framework

Ultimately, the greatest website is one people can find — and that’s exactly what SEO is for. Search engine optimisation ensures your site ranks highly on search engine results pages (SERPs), ensuring it’s easy for families and students to discover you. 

While it involves many elements, the easiest ways to improve SEO is to use relevant keywords in meta descriptions, page titles, and content, ensuring pages load quickly, and create a mobile-first design. Add some local SEO and you’re onto a winner!

Once you’re optimised, you’ll be ready to track your website’s performance over time with Google Analytics, helping you tweak things that aren’t performing as well as you’d like. 

7 Elementary School Website Tips

With these seven features, your school website will not only bring parents, students, and faculty together, but you’ll skyrocket up the search rankings this year and beyond.

When building a school websites, it’s essential to consider how design and usability play a key role in how parents and pupils engage with your school.

The best London School websites do more than just inform. They capture the school’s character, make navigation effortless, and bring daily life to the screen.

In this article we look at five outstanding examples of school websites in London that combine functionality, creativity, and a genuine sense of community.

Dair House School & Nursery

https://www.dairhouseschool.co.uk/

The Aldgate School

https://www.thealdgateschool.org/home

Mulgrave Primary School

London Fields Primary School’s website perfectly reflects the energy and community spirit of this Hackney school. It keeps parents connected through regularly updated news and events, making it easy to stay informed about what’s happening.

With everything in one place, the site acts as a central hub for school life.

https://www.mulgraveprimary.co.uk/

London Fields Primary School

https://www.londonfields.hackney.sch.uk/

Fryent Primary School

Fryent Primary School’s website strikes the perfect balance between traditional design and bright, welcoming visuals. As one of London’s larger primary schools, the site has been built with accessibility and ease of use in mind.

Its strong mobile presence ensures parents can quickly find key information, while intuitive quick links make it simple to access essentials like term dates, admissions, and curriculum details. The addition of safeguarding and Ofsted-focused links also makes the website highly functional for inspectors, allowing all key documents to be found in just one click.

https://www.fryent.brent.sch.uk/

London School Website Designs

Each of these London school websites we have highlighted show how thoughtful design and clear navigation can make a real difference.

From bold visuals to good user experiences, they not only inform but also reflect the personality and values of the schools themselves.

If you’re looking to improve your schools website or increase admissions, get in touch with us to discuss our school website design and marketing services.

School Jotter has just released its latest frontend update for October 2025, bringing a number of exciting new features and improvements to the platform. Here are some of the highlights:

• Policy Alerts: Need to be reminded when your policy is up for renewal? Our New Policy Feature allows you to now set a date of when you need to be alerted to re-visit this policy. It also has the ability for you to select a policy and assign it to multiple schools within your Trust on the MAT Dashboard. This is a great tool to keep on to of your policies and to be reminded when they need updating in line with Ofsted Compliance. 

• Ofsted Detection: Within your Jotter 3 CMS System, you will now have the availability to turn on the new feature which can be found within the page information settings:
  
  
  
  • Within your page settings, click the three dots on the right side of the page.
  • You will then be able to turn on the Ofsted detection button for the relevant pages that you wish for this to be active on.
  • Click Save.
  • School Jotter will then email you when alerted of Ofsted activity

• Calendar Sync: If you are wanting to display all upcoming events on your calendar without having to manually add them on, you can now sync your website calendar with an external parent facing calendar to avoid duplicating your workload. 

• Ai Content Writer: Our easy-to-use School Website CMS now features AI. Create AI driven content within your website editor page to ensure your website is always kept up to date! School Jotter 3 keeps it fresh and compliant—automatically.
  
   

• Accessibility: You may have already seen a new dark blue icon inthe bottom right hand of your live website. This icon is our new accessibility feature! These enhancements allow people with visual impairments, motor impairments, or those who prefer keyboard access to:
  
  
  • Increase or decrease the size of text
  • Adjust line spacing / text spacing
  • Switch to a high contrast mode (for better readability)
  • Use keyboard (Tab, Arrow keys, Enter, etc.) to navigate menus, links, forms, instead of relying on a mouse
  • Access image descriptions via alt text with screen readers

St George’s Preparatory School

https://www.saintgeorgesprep.co.uk/

The Kings School

https://www.tkswitney.org.uk/

Dair House Private school

Dair House Private School asked us to refresh their website with the goal of attracting more prospective parents to visit the school. Through our discussions, we identified the key messages and features that needed to come across online.

The result is a modern design with a clear, user-friendly layout, enriched with engaging content such as key diary dates, newsletters, and a promotional video that brings school life to the forefront.

https://www.dairhouseschool.co.uk/

Bridge House School

https://www.bridgehouseschool.co.uk/

Build Your Schools Perfect Website

Schools hold a lot of data on both students and staff. Much of this is very sensitive, including contact information. This is information that shouldn’t fall into the wrong hands. However, unfortunately, there’s been a rise in the number of cyber attacks targeting educational establishments. This includes phishing, where people will use a variety of techniques to trick people into sharing information, and ransomware which involves the use of software that can block access to computers until a sum of cash is paid. Neither is ideal.

Schools have a legal obligation to protect the data they hold. There could be serious legal consequences should the data not be protected properly, not to mention the repetitional damage that can occur should information leak.

Luckily, a bit of preparation and education can go a long way toward helping to protect data in schools. We’ll detail how.

1. Educate Staff and Students on Cyber Threats

The best protection against cyber threats is to educate people on the reality of them. The vast majority of cyber threats occur because somebody made a ‘mistake’, whether through downloading bad software, or getting tricked into answering phishing emails and text messages. Educate people, and you’ll cut down on 90% of all cyber threats. This is because most people causing these issues rely on poor education.

2. Use Strong Password Policies

Always ensure that passwords are secure. This means three things:

1. Require ‘secure’ passwords. Passwords shouldn’t be single words (can be cracked in mere seconds), but a combination of letters, numbers, and punctuation. Capital letters and lowercase letters should also be used.
2. Require regular password changes. Every 6-12 months should be fine.
3. If you can implement it, allow for multi-factor authentication. So, when a person inputs their password, they also get a notification through their email/phone that they need to confirm. This ensures that even if somebody discovers their password, they become harder to hack.

3. Secure School Networks

You might need to get your IT team on top of this one. Your school’s computer network should be hidden behind a firewall (which, essentially, blocks out threats). Antivirus software should also be kept up to date. Schools will often need a lot of protection from external threats, since they are huge data targets.

User permissions should also be correctly set. For example, students and teachers shouldn’t be able to change key data on a computer, nor should they be allowed to install software.

The IT team should be constantly monitoring the network for suspicious activity, and stamping out the issue as soon as it occurs.

4. Keep Software and Devices Updated

Software updates aren’t just for adding new features. They are about patching security issues, particularly with operating systems (e.g. Windows).

Therefore, it is essential that you keep all software used on school computers up to date. Make it a routine to update everything (again, a job for the IT department). If anything is not updated in a while, then remove it from the school’s computers and find alternative options. There is a good chance there is a security hole in old software that can lead to your school being hacked.

If software allows for automatic updating, turn that on. It’ll make your job a whole lot easier, since updates will be download and installed exactly when needed.

5. Back Up Data Regularly

You should be automatically backing up all data at least once per week, although ideally you’d do it once per day. This isn’t just for cyber security purposes, it is because you really don’t want a catastrophic event wiping out all your school’s data.

Data should be backed up offline, or to off-site cloud services. Data backups offline mean that hackers can’t access the offline data. Backing up to off-site cloud services (of which there are a few) will have far better security protecting the data than your school could ever dream of having.

Every so often, you’ll need to test your recovery procedures. You want to know that your data is backed up properly, and that you have processes in place that can restore the data.

6. Restrict Access to Sensitive Information

It is essential that you apply the principle of ‘least privilege’ for staff accounts. This, essentially, means that staff members only have access to the information they need access to i.e. what they need to do their job. Nothing more. The least amount of information that they need access to.

Students should be even more restrictive, with the only digital resources they have access to being ones they need for their education.

At all times, user activity should be monitored and audited. This ensures that any issues can be highlighted and handled quickly.

7. Use Secure Communication Tools

Finally, all communication tools should be secure. This means never using services that are unencrypted. You don’t want people snooping on chat logs, after all.

There are a variety of school-approved solutions that have end-to-end encryption. Use them. Make sure that staff and students use nothing else.

Once again, it is also important that your staff are fully trained on how to communicate properly. This means not sharing personal information via these chat channels unless 100% necessary. Proper education should also be given about the safe sharing of documents.

Cyber Security For Schools 101

It is important that you take a proactive approach to school security, not just because you’ve got a legal obligation to ensure that data is properly protected, but it is far cheaper and easier to prevent issues rather than deal with issues when they occur.

Honestly, these tips and tricks are really all you need. Proper staff/student training will work wonders when it comes to cutting down on cyber security threats. Regularly updating software and running a good firewall will help with almost every other one.

Remember, cybersecurity regularly changes. You need new ways to protect your school, so don’t forget to update your security policies and tools regularly to ensure that you always stay one step ahead of any issues.

Get in touch with our team today to learn more about our school website design and school marketing services.

In 2025 having a great school website is a non-negotiable. A good website should be simple to use, look great on any device, and help families stay connected with school life.

In this article, we’ll take a look at seven of the best primary school websites of 2025. We’ll highlight what makes them work so well and share a few ideas you can use for your primary school’s website.

Drumlins Integrated Primary School

The Drumlins Integrated Primary School website is clean, bright, and easy to navigate. It uses friendly colours and simple layouts that make it feel welcoming and accessible. Key information is easy to find, and the tone throughout reflects the school’s inclusive values.

The design supports the school’s message of learning together with respect. This makes it a great example of how a school website can reflect its ethos.

Crossley Street

Crossley Street Primary School’s website strikes a great balance between warmth and professionalism. The design is clean and easy to navigate and has clear sections for parents and visitors.

Their website does a great job of showcasing the school’s achievements and community spirit and also highlights its inclusive values. The use of photos and simple language helps bring the school’s ethos to life, making it feel welcoming, ambitious, and full of opportunity.

https://www.crossleystreet.leeds.sch.uk/

St Thomas’ Church of England Primary School 

The St Thomas’ CE Primary School website perfectly captures the school’s caring, community-first ethos. It’s bright, welcoming, and easy to navigate, with clear information for parents and visitors.

Their primary school website highlights what makes the school special, from its family atmosphere and strong Christian values to its brilliant Forest School programme and impressive eco credentials. It’s a lovely site that reflects the school’s warm personality and wide range of opportunities for every child.

https://www.st-thomas.lancs.sch.uk/

Warwick Road Primary School

The Warwick Road Primary School website is clear, welcoming, and easy to use. It reflects the school’s aim to help every child ‘Exceed Expectations’ and highlights their strong links with the local community.

The primary school website is well-organised, making it simple for parents to find key information. It also showcases regular updates, newsletters, and details about school events, giving a real sense of the school’s caring and ambitious ethos.

https://www.warwickroad.kirklees.sch.uk/

St Josephs, Oldham

The Saint Joseph’s RC Primary School website has a warm and welcoming feel, much like the school itself. It reflects the school’s strong faith foundation and sense of community.

The website has a simple navigation menu that allows users to easily access key information such as curriculum details, year group pages, and school news.

https://www.st-josephs.oldham.sch.uk/

Oakfield Primary Academy

The Oakfield Primary Academy website is bright, friendly, and easy to explore. It reflects the school’s focus on growth and inclusion.

The layout is simple and well-organised, which makes it easy to find key information and get a feel for the school’s values and community spirit.

https://www.oakfieldprimaryacademy.co.uk/

Hawksworth Church Of England Primary School

The Hawksworth Church of England Primary School website offers a warm and inviting experience. It features a clean layout and intuitive navigation, making it easy for parents and visitors to find information.

The homepage includes drone footage, providing a panoramic view of the school and its surroundings. This modern touch enhances the site’s appeal and reflects the school’s commitment to embracing innovative methods to engage its community.​

https://www.hawksworthceprimary.org/

Design The Perfect Primary School Website

A good primary school website should do more than just look nice. They should be easy to use and improve communication among parents, teachers and students. The best primary school websites in 2025 work well on phones, are simple to navigate, and make it easy for website visitors to find what they need.

School Jotter has been helping schools build fast, modern, and Ofsted-compliant websites since 2007, and we’ve now worked with over 4,000 across the UK.

Get in touch with our team today to learn more about our school website design services.

A well-designed website is crucial for schools. It’s the central hub of all information that parents, students, and staff need to access and navigate.

A good school website increases communication and engagement with parents and the wider community. It has the most recent information, news, and tools regarding recent events and developments.

In this article, we will discuss the top 10 features that school websites should have in 2025 to guarantee that your school has an up-to-date, effective, and compelling online presence.

1: Mobile Responsiveness

It is important to have a website that is compatible with all devices including phones and tablets. Since more and more people use mobile internet, schools need websites that are easy to use and look good on small screens.

Mobile responsiveness enhances a user’s experience as it enables them to find their way around the site and locate the information they need regardless of the device they are using. It also improves accessibility to make sure everyone including parents and students who rely on their phones for instant information and updates can be able to use the website easily.

2: User-Friendly Navigation

Intuitive navigations are essential for helping website visitors find the information they need quickly and easily. A well-organised website ensures visitors aren’t frustrated searching for important details.

To achieve this:

1. Organise content logically by grouping related information.
2. Use clear, descriptive labels for menu items, and keep the menu structure simple.
3. Ensure key sections like calendars, news updates, and contact information are easily accessible from the main menu.

This approach improves the user experience and makes it easy for parents, students, and staff to get the information they need.

3: Secure Portals for Students and Staff

Secure login areas are vital to protect private information and to give individuals access to the information in the school. Students and staff need a place to log in and access and control private information safely.

Secure portals may have areas for resources such as homework, grades, and internal communications. This makes it easier for students to assess their performance and get access to their work.

It also helps simplify communication and reduce the administration time needed by employees.

Secure portals are useful in protecting privacy and improving the operations of schools at the same time.

4: Comprehensive CMS

A good CMS is essential for a modern school website. They allow school staff to easily update and manage website content without technical knowledge. Teachers and staff can quickly post news updates and upload resources, keeping the school’s website site current and relevant.

Using a CMS designed specifically for schools has many advantages. These systems often include many useful features tailored to schools, such as integration with current systems, tools for managing class schedules and absence reports.

5: SEO Optimisation

SEO is can increase the number of visitors your school website gets. When your site appears higher in search engine results, it’s easier for people to find important information about your school.

To optimise your school websites content, use relevant keywords that parents and students might search for, such as “school calendar,” “homework help,“ or “school news.“ Write clear and informative meta descriptions for each page to give a snapshot of the content’s topic. It’s also important to regularly update your site with fresh content, like news articles and event updates. This to keeps your website relevant and engaging for both search engines and users.

6: Integrated Calendar System

A dynamic calendar informs your school community about important dates and events. It makes sure that everyone stays up-to-date with school activities, from holidays and teacher training days to sports events and school trips.

Integrating features like reminders and event notifications can make your school’s calendar even better. Parents can receive alerts about upcoming events and students can be reminded of homework deadlines and exam dates. This can improve both organisation and communication within the school community, meaning no one misses out on important information.

7: Social Media Integration

There are loads of benefits to linking your school’s social media accounts to the website. It allows people to stay updated and get real-time updates and is another platform to share news, events, and achievements with the local community. Integrating social media helps parents and students stay connected and engaged with school activities.

Social media integration also keeps content fresh. It’s a way to update your website by automatically displaying recent posts and updates from platforms like Facebook and Instagram. This not only increases community engagement but also showcases the daily life of your school to prospective families.

8: Multimedia Galleries

Photo and video galleries can visually showcase school events, achievements, and activities. They show a glimpse into daily school life, making it more appealing to current and prospective families.

Updating pictures and videos regularly is crucial to keep your school’s website current and engaging. Fresh content captures ongoing activities and can tempt visitors to return frequently to see the latest updates.

9: Multilingual Support

It’s important that non-English speaking parents and community members can view your school’s website so a translation feature is crucial. Having an international website means that everyone can access important information, making the website more inclusive.

This feature significantly improves communication by breaking down language barriers. Multilingual website support demonstrates your school’s commitment to diversity and inclusivity and creates a more welcoming and supportive community for all families.

10: SSL Certificates and Security

The security of your school’s website security is essential. Protecting data like student records, personal details, and internal communications is crucial to maintaining trust and confidentiality (plus it’s a legal requirement).

SSL certificates play a role in this protection. They encrypt data shared between the user’s browser and the website. This means that any information shared remains private and secure. Implementing a SSL certificate helps safeguard against data breaches and cyber threats, ensuring a secure online environment for your school websites users.

10 Must-Have Features for School Websites in 2025

A good school website needs to be mobile responsive, user-friendly, and equipped with secure portals for students and staff.

It should feature a complete CMS designed for schools, be optimised for SEO, and have an integrated calendar system.

Schools should review their current websites and consider incorporating these must-have features. Doing this will ensure their websites remain competitive, effective, and able to meet the needs of their community in 2025 and beyond.

Get in touch to discuss how School Jotter can help you build the perfect website for your school.

In 2025, a great school website is more important than ever. A great school website should be easy to use, engaging and work on any device. Our bespoke school websites make it simple for parents, students, and staff to find important information while also reflecting the school’s unique character and community.

This article explores the best school websites of 2025, highlighting their key features and best practices that make them stand out.

Crossley Street

Crossley Street were looking for a high impact non scroll website that would provide an instant overview of school life to potential parents alongside clear and ofsted friendly information. We worked with the school to use their drone footage and added this onto the front of the website. We then used a clear navigation system to signpost to parents how to find information within 2 clicks. The website looks great on both mobile and desktop devices. 

https://www.crossleystreet.leeds.sch.uk/

Learning for Life Trust

Learning for life trust wanted the gold standard in school web design. The trust requested a website that appealed to both parents and pupils and reflected the nurturing settings of the school. Clear in layout, bright colours and a friendly design this website captures the essence perfectly of the school. With bright colourful headers it makes the website easy to navigate whilst being an enjoyable experience for parents,

https://www.learningforlifetrust.org.uk/

St Josephs, Oldham

When looking for a new website St Josephs had a strong vision of what they wanted. A clear, modern, simple website. Our graphic design sat down with the Head to bring their vision to life. We also created a curriculum page for the school allowing parents to learn about the subjects taught in schools. St Josephs also have a social media wall to the left of the site meaning parents can access their social media accounts in 1 click. 

https://www.st-josephs.oldham.sch.uk/

Dair House Private school

Dair House Private school approached us to modernise their website to attract more parents to look around the school. After speaking with the school we established what we needed to portray on the website. We focused on a clear layout but with richness of content including key dates for the diary, a video and newsletters. 

https://www.dairhouseschool.co.uk/

Rothely C of E School

Rothely C of E school wanted a website to showcase the school in spectacular fashion. We worked with them to create a fun, colourful and vibrant website. With an opening introduction song of ‘The continents’ fading purple writing as well as slideshows in the background of all pages this website lifts spirits and illustrates to parents the lively spirit of the school. 

https://www.rothley.leics.sch.uk/

Areté Learning Trust

Areté Learning Trust’s website mirrors its core values of excellence, purpose, and aspiration.

Inspired by the Greek concept of ἀρετή, the site is clear, modern-looking and easy to navigate. This ensures that parents, students, and staff can quickly find what they need.

With a strong visual identity and engaging content, it perfectly captures the trust’s commitment to helping every child be the best they can be.

https://www.arete.uk/

Oakfield Primary Academy

Oakfield Primary Academy’s website was designed to reflect its welcoming and inclusive ethos as it provides a clear and engaging insight into school life.

The colour and design capture the school’s ethos and branding. The website offers easy access to curriculum details, events, and key resources, making it a valuable hub for both current and prospective families.

Hawksworth Church Of England Primary School

https://www.hawksworthceprimary.org/

Build Your Schools Perfect Website

A great school website is more than just an online presence, it’s vital for communication and engagement. The best school websites of 2025 are easy to use, mobile-friendly, and have the right information for parents, students, and staff.

Since 2007, School Jotter has helped over 4,000 schools build fast, accessible, and Ofsted-compliant websites.

Get in touch to learn more about our bespoke school website design.

A school prospectus is a key document that provides a comprehensive overview of a school’s offerings. It is essential for communicating the school’s ethos, values, and key information to parents and students.

As a marketing tool, it helps schools stand out in a competitive landscape, giving prospective families the details they need to decide whether the school is the right fit for them. Schools can effectively showcase their strengths, achievements, and unique offerings with a well-designed prospectus.

This article will explore the key benefits of having a school prospectus and why every school should invest in creating one.

1. Attracts Prospective Students and Parents

A well-crafted school prospectus creates a solid first impression, giving prospective families a clear picture of what the school offers. It’s often the first introduction parents and students have to the school, so the prospectus must reflect its ethos, values, and overall atmosphere. A good prospectus helps families quickly understand whether the school aligns with their expectations.

As well as making a great first impression, a prospectus is a powerful marketing tool. It allows schools to highlight their unique strengths and offerings, making them stand out from competitors. Whether it’s showcasing academic excellence, extracurricular programs, or state-of-the-art facilities, a well-designed prospectus can attract the attention of parents looking for the right fit for their children.

2. Communicates Your School’s Ethos and Vision

A school prospectus is the perfect platform for showcasing the school’s vision, mission, and core values. It gives prospective families a clear understanding of what the school stands for and the principles that guide its teaching and culture. Highlighting these values, schools can attract families with similar educational goals for their children.

Sharing the school’s ethos transparently and authentically also helps build trust with parents. When families see that the school’s philosophy aligns with their expectations, they are more likely to feel confident in their choice. This sense of trust is vital, reassuring parents that their children will be in a supportive and like-minded learning environment.

3. Highlights Academic Excellence and Achievements

A school prospectus is ideal for spotlighting the school’s academic success and achievements. It allows schools to showcase their students’ performance, highlight extracurricular accomplishments, and share any awards or recognition the school has earned. This informs parents and paints a clear picture of the opportunities available to students.

The prospectus helps build credibility by promoting these successes. Prospective parents see the school’s dedication to both academics and extracurriculars, which reassures them of the school’s commitment to excellence. Celebrating milestones and achievements shows that the school wants to provide a well-rounded education, making it a trusted choice for families.

4. Provides Essential Information in One Place

A prospectus provides a comprehensive school overview, gathering all the essential details into one easy-to-read document. From the curriculum and school ethos to extracurricular activities and facilities, everything parents need to know is presented in an organised way, making it a valuable resource for anyone considering the school.

For parents, the convenience of having all this information in one place is a real time-saver. Instead of searching through multiple sources or making inquiries, they can quickly understand what the school offers.

5. Enhances Your School’s Branding and Professionalism

A professionally designed prospectus is key to enhancing a school’s branding. It strengthens the school’s identity by ensuring consistency in messaging, tone, and visual elements. When it aligns with other marketing materials like the website and brochures, it presents a unified image that makes the school stand out.

The prospectus’s layout, images, and overall design also reflect the school’s commitment to professionalism and quality education. High-quality photography, clear typography, and a clean, organised format show attention to detail.

6. Informs Decision-Making

A prospectus offers transparent communication, giving parents and students a clear and honest portrayal of the school. It provides all the essential information upfront, allowing families to fully understand what the school offers, from its ethos to its academic approach. This openness helps build trust and lets parents feel confident in making a well-informed decision.

Additionally, a detailed prospectus clarifies the school’s offerings. It outlines the curriculum, extracurricular activities, and facilities, helping families assess whether the school aligns with their expectations and their child’s needs.

The Long-Term Benefits of a School Prospectus

A well-made school prospectus is a great way to attract new students and strengthen the school’s reputation. It highlights the school’s key strengths—like its ethos, academic success, and facilities—giving parents a clear and honest view of its offerings.

A thoughtfully designed prospectus also supports the school’s branding, making a lasting impression that feels professional and trustworthy.

For expert design and printing of your school prospectus, contact School Jotter to help bring your vision to life.