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.

Artificial intelligence isn’t the only (relatively) new kid on the teaching block. AR (otherwise known as augmented reality) is another branch of technology that is changing industries worldwide. While it may be some time before it becomes commonplace, augmented reality is worth the investment for your classroom.

Don’t worry; the 2D teaching resources you’ve used for years aren’t going anywhere. AR in education brings a 3D element to the game, allowing students to explore everything from dinosaurs to human organs more deeply and nuanced than ever.

There are many benefits to bringing augmented reality into the classroom. These are just the top five:

1. Enhances Engagement Through Interactive Learning

Traditionally, classroom settings rely on passive learning methods (e.g., presentations, pre-recorded videos, lectures, etc.), leaving pupils yearning (often subconsciously) for more engaging, interactive experiences—like those provided by augmented reality in education!

This technology brings a much-needed shift in how educators conduct their lessons, offering enhanced learning opportunities through interactivity. By merging physical and digital realms, AR turns otherwise confusing, abstract concepts into tangible events that are more enjoyable and effective to engage with.

For instance, you can boost history lessons by letting pupils virtually explore landmarks or witnessing crucial events unfold in a 360-degree experience. Such levels of engagement are fantastic for long-term retention and empowering students to become active participants in their learning journey.

Augmented reality’s immersive, interactive nature doesn’t just captivate and engage students’ interests, but it also encourages collaboration between peers. They can engage with each other and the content to explore and solve captivating challenges. To put it simply, AR makes learning more engaging. What teacher wouldn’t want that?

2. Makes Complex Subjects More Understandable

Let’s use science as an example here. It’s a notoriously complex subject, with many variables and information to consider. However, AR simplifies it by helping students visualize complex concepts. Whether it’s a tiny animal cell or a huge planet, interacting with them in a “hands-on” manner helps pupils understand the components of each. 

The same goes for biology. Can you imagine anything more magical and memorable than holding a 3D model of a human heart? AR in education gives your students that experience, enchanting and motivating them to understand even the most confusing topics. 

And this is just one subject! You can use augmented reality to bring the past to life in history, make convoluted fictional worlds more immersive, and so much more. You’ll undoubtedly be surprised by its ability to make typically tricky subjects easier.

3. Promotes Active Learning and Retention

Through its integration of virtual elements into the physical world, augmented reality allows students to actively engage with the material rather than passively listen or read it. This hands-on interaction with virtual objects and realistic simulations deepens their understanding and develops problem-solving skills, critical thinking, curiosity, and retention—the latter being one of the most important. 

Knowledge retention has always been a challenge, no matter the grade. Traditional methods often fail to provide long-term information retention as pupils struggle to connect abstract concepts to real life. AR, however, works to solve this decades-long issue.

Research shows that the amalgamation of auditory and visual stimuli in augmented reality in education drastically boosts information recall compared to traditional teaching methods. Students who can see and interact with virtual items related to the subject they’re studying are more likely to retain the knowledge over time. Such a foundation of knowledge extends far beyond the classroom.

4. Supports Accessibility and Inclusive Learning

While many tools promise to elevate accessibility and inclusivity within learning environments, augmented reality (AR) is one of the most promising. It boasts the potential to banish barriers to education and let everybody engage with learning experiences.

One key element when considering inclusive education is the interests of those with disabilities or special educational needs. Interestingly, augmented reality catches the interest of students with disabilities and special educational needs. With that in mind, researchers analyzed several studies. They concluded that pupils with auditory limitations, ASD, ADHD, and dyslexia are particularly eager to engage with and benefit from AR in education.

Beyond that, augmented reality applications include real-time captions, audio descriptions, and translations, making content more accessible to those with language barriers, sensory impairments, or disabilities. They can also simulate physical environments, helping individuals with mobility challenges engage in all manner of learning experiences. 

5. Bridges the Gap Between Theory and Practice

As previously explained, traditional teaching methods often fail to bridge the gap between theory and practice. However, augmented reality changes the game. Breathing life into concepts and theoretical knowledge gives practicality to the material, deepening understanding and helping students retain the newly learned information.

Take physics, for example. Augmented reality simulations allow pupils to see abstract principles in action, making concepts more tangible and easier to understand. 

Integrate AR Into Your School Today!

Bringing AR to your classroom has innumerable benefits, including bridging the often-wide gap between theory and practice, supporting accessibility and inclusive learning, promoting active learning and retention, making complex subjects more digestible, and enhancing engagement.

If you’re looking to improve your school’s brand image and attract more students, explore our school website design!

Jonathan Noakes, the Director of Teaching and Learning at Eton College, advocates for state schools in England to establish debating clubs and train teachers to foster classroom discussions. This would improve students’ oracy (speaking skills) and help prepare them for life. While private schools like Eton have more resources for these activities, state school teachers, especially those working with disadvantaged children, often lack the time and training to focus on such skills.

The UK government aims to make oracy a priority in schools, with a curriculum review expected to include a focus on speaking skills. According to a report by the Sutton Trust, 96% of teachers believe life skills, including oracy, are as important as formal qualifications, but many state school teachers report they lack time and resources to develop these skills effectively. State school teachers are also twice as likely as private school teachers to say their school doesn’t offer sufficient opportunities for non-academic skill development.

Eton, a prestigious school that has educated 20 British prime ministers, strongly emphasises oracy. Noakes explains that at Eton, students are expected to speak in every lesson, and teachers are specifically trained to facilitate discussions. Eton also runs programmes that focus on oracy, such as rhetoric studies for year 9 students, which include public speaking and debating.

While Noakes acknowledges the challenges state schools face, he believes introducing debating clubs and providing teacher training on discussion techniques could greatly benefit state school students. He highlights Eton’s partnerships with schools like the London Academy of Excellence, where oracy programmes have been successfully implemented.

OracyChampions.com is helping UK schools enhance students’ speaking and listening skills by providing practical tools, lesson plans, and assessment resources that integrate oracy into everyday teaching. The platform supports teachers in state schools, where time and resources may be limited, by offering easy-to-implement activities and guidance on fostering classroom discussions and setting up debating clubs. With a focus on reducing teacher workload while promoting effective oracy development, Oracy Champions ensures that all students, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, have the opportunity to improve their communication skills, aligning with the call for greater emphasis on oracy in schools, as advocated by Jonathan Noakes of Eton College.

You can watch Sean Gilligan talk to Jonnie Noakes, Director of Teaching and Learning at Eton College.

55% of all page views in the year 2021 came from mobile devices. Mobile applications are increasingly being preferred by people over desktops as they are convenient and easy to browse. 

As a result, more businesses are opting to have their own apps in the market as a way to connect with people. Your school can also benefit greatly from an app of its own.

It is not only a platform to put all the relevant information about the school happenings, but it also provides a space for students, parents, and staff to communicate as a community.

Top 5 advantages of using an app in school

Mobile applications have played a significant role in shaping education in the modern era. They help make studies fun and engaging for the students. Parents can stay updated about the school activities with their help.

The entire community can get involved to improve education with the help of easily accessible apps. Here are some of the most prominent benefits it offers.

1. Keeps everyone updated with the latest information

The traditional methods of circulating information via newsletters and notice boards were not effective in reaching every student and their parents. Apps allow schools to truly reach out to everyone in the community to relay information.

This is especially important for time-sensitive events such as cancellation of classes or urgent meetings being held.

2. Promotes communication

With apps being highly accessible, parents are more willing to use them to interact with the school and other parents. They can share their experiences and help others out.

Things that earlier required meetings and the physical presence of people can now be accomplished far more effectively without needing the people to leave their homes.

3. Boosts parent-teacher engagement 

Apps allow parents and teachers to have transparent conversations about the students. Earlier, teachers had to mostly rely on students relaying a message to the parents and their direct conversations were mostly limited to parent-teacher meetings.

Now, parents can view things like attendance records and their ward’s grades and bring their concerns to the teachers at any moment to brainstorm solutions. 

4. Promotes involvement of the community

It becomes easier for the school staff to organize and host events with the use of applications. They can inform the parents about them and entertain their concerns on the app. They can also spread the word about events better.

Mobile applications make it easier for everyone in the community simply because they are convenient and easy to access. People are not as likely to miss notifications or messages on their mobile as they would be to miss letters and circulars.

5. Saves you time and money

It may seem counterintuitive that maintaining and managing an application regularly saves you money and time, but it is true. It serves multiple functions in one place and streamlines processes in the long run. You can save so much time by ensuring effective and speedy communication. 

For example, instead of printing newsletters, you can simply make them available on your app. It allows easier navigation than a physical newspaper. It also allows users to save stories to read later.

Again if you consider the school websites, they take a lot of time to load and open up. While an app takes less time to download and is much faster. It is an easier substitute to a website and ensures a single click access to most information. 

Managing aspects such as attendance is also easier digitally. You can track students’ records and analyze them to present insights into their performance. Not only do you save time, effort, and money, but you also take a step toward a paperless society with your school app. 

About School Mobile Apps

Having an online presence is a must in the digital age, apps simply help you create a functioning one for your school.

They are a boon as classes are held in an online setting. Moreover, they serve various other purposes such as opening communication channels between teachers, students, and parents.

People can stay up-to-date with the happenings of the school, clear their doubts, and voice their opinions conveniently with the use of applications. They give them a chance to contribute to the community.

We all know that smartphones have taken over our lives, but did you know that 87% of the UK population used a smartphone in 2020 and the smartphone to population penetration was 72%? 

With those numbers, it can only make sense for your school to take advantage of this to help increase parental engagement. But how exactly can this be done?

A mobile app for your secondary school could be the perfect solution, getting key messages out to parents, whilst also helping your school to run more efficiently and reduce costs. 

How do school apps enhance communication for secondary schools? 

With a school mobile app, you can significantly improve the quality of communication between your school and parents or guardians. If you do not have a robust communication strategy in place, chances are you will not be able to deliver superior-quality communication. 

Here are a few ways in which you can work on your communication process with a school app:

• Simplify the onboarding process

   — For an app to be successful, you need to make sure as many parents and guardians as possible use it. With our school app, you can onboard parents easily. We offer full training to your staff so they can confidently help parents to get the most out of it.

• Reduce admin time

  — Using a digital solution to communicate with parents and guardians means there is a huge drop in additional costs from traditional communication methods, like printed newsletters and updates. It also saves a lot of time for your staff.

• Provide access to an integrated booking form for events and open days

  — you can save a huge amount of admin time alone with integrative bookings. Allow teachers to set their availability for parents evenings and open days, and parents can book a lot direct. 

• Offer better targeted communication

  — You can send messages to those parents who have not responded to earlier messages, and thereby ramp up the engagement levels. Being able to know which parents have received or read your messages, further enables you to understand how active or engaged they are on the app. Accordingly, you can contact them when they come to the school to pick up their children or set an appointment. 

Let’s consider the next question. 

How does a school app help you save costs? 

Here is a quick look at some of the cost-saving benefits that are offered by a school app: 

• Saves on printing costs

  — There is a lot of paper used in the UK schools on a daily basis. Having a school communication app can boost your green credentials and make your journey towards a paperless future easier than ever. 

• Saves administration efforts

  — Relying on students to pass on paper notes to their parents and then have the parents communicate with the school authorities can be a really cumbersome process. With a school app, there will not be any wasted communication with the parents. 

If you too are considering a mobile application for your school, try School Jotter. Here are a few features offered by the app that are worth considering:

• Editable app

  — Schools can personalise their dashboard, adding and removing links relevant to the time of year

• Custom design

  — It pushes the school’s brand and ethos, no boring template look

• Syncs with website

  — It seamlessly integrates with the school website and helps to prevent any duplication of work and reduces workload

That brings us to our next question. 

Why should you consider the School Jotter app?

Check out some of the key benefits here:

• Mobile centre enables you to contact and be contacted by individuals or groups of parents at no cost
• Get access to the latest news, updates, and information delivered to your mobile at no extra cost
• Add links to school policies and other important information.
• Save money with push notifications over a text service that needs to be topped up
• Syncs with website to prevent any duplication of work and reduces workload

Now if that has convinced you enough, contact our friendly professionals today at School Jotter and enable the parents and students to make the most from their School Jotter mobile school app.  

Multi-academy trust (MAT) websites play an integral role in establishing the online presence of the schools they are associated with. The website provides crucial information regarding the trust and the new schools that can join the Trust. 

One of the major benefits of a new school joining a Trust is that they get to be a part of a beautiful website that reflects their critical part in making the Trust successful. 

Before we gain further understanding into what makes a great MAT website, let’s understand some of the benefits it can bring to a MAT:

• They guide the public perception of the MAT and their schools as authoritative and authentic sources
• They identify each school as a member
• They act as a source of information for the visitors from a trusted referral link
• They help to maintain consistency in design across multiple schools
• They are able to complete the design and development of the subsequent websites quite easily
• They prove to be cost-effective for MATs that would like to have a group of sites for their different schools

With an increasing number of Trusts willing to expand their services and make people aware of the advantages and benefits they have to offer, it becomes all the more important to make your Trust stand out from others. There are several ways to achieve this goal, but the best way would be to start with your Trust website.

Here are a few factors you may want to consider before revisiting your Trust’s website design: 

1. Offer an amazing visual experience 

People find it easier to connect with sites that help them navigate the site easily and access information, which is otherwise difficult to find.

There are plenty of styles that would suit the objective that your Trust wants to establish in the market, from professional photography to animated illustrations and video backgrounds. These all can be featured cohesively on your website to convey the brand and vision of your Trust. 

2. Deliver an outstanding user experience 

User experience plays an integral role in a MAT website. People will always remember experiences that saved them valuable time and access information without any hassle. 

Some of the user experience elements can look really trivial but you will be greatly surprised at how these are often ignored in the design stage. Also, it can be really frustrating for a user to navigate endlessly through the website to find one piece of useful information.

3. Represent the brand of your Trust on the web

Your personal brand has a great impact on every aspect of your organization. It dictates how the vision, personality, and values of the trust are communicated to its stakeholders. 

In fact, people will remember your Trust for a long time if the website is able to reflect the values and beliefs of your trust rather than just simple information.

To ensure you’re fully representing your brand, there are key pieces of information you should always have on your Trust website, including

• CEO and Leaderships team bios
• Information on member schools, including links to case studies and websites
• Your Trust USPs, values and ethos
• Latest news – what’s happening at your Trust right now?
• Recruitment information for both new schools and staff – with all of the great design work you’ve done and the way you’ve represented your brand, who wouldn’t want to join your Trust?

4. Adopt good social media practices 

Search engines are not the only way through which people will be able to find your website. In order to gain maximum exposure for your Trust, you should also have a prominent social media presence. And for that, you need to create a robust social media content strategy for people to find you on the web. 

5. Gain positive ranking through SEO

You can have the most beautiful website and the simplest of navigation, but it will be of no use if people are not able to find your Trust’s website. And Search Engine Optimization (SEO) will increase the possibility of your website appearing in the search results. 

 

Conclusion 

As mentioned earlier, there could be a thousand ways to make a great MAT website, but the most successful will be the one that is able to tell a unique story and make a great first impression. 

Remember that great design is not just about incorporating pretty on-screen elements, rather it is about making sure your design is accessible and offers a great user experience. This will also help in a better understanding of your MAT brand. 

The team at School Jotter has worked with dozens of MATs to create a range of great website experiences. Get in touch if you’d like to find out more.

Since the pandemic, visits to schools for prospective families have been minimized.  These might continue again in the future, but there may still be many people who are wary of visiting lots of schools in their local area.

Rather than visiting schools, families are now deciding on the potential school for their child: predominantly online. It’s no surprise that your website has to do the heavy lifting when it comes to communicating the value of your school.

Photographs and videography are the first impressions a school can make on its potential suitability for families and students.  

Visuals are hard-wired into our brains as humans. People are 55% more likely to remember information when it is paired with the related image. Research shows we process images 60,000 times faster than text. What do you think of first when I say “Tesla”, not its features but the car itself (or in the same cases, I made you remember Elon Musk!)

If you want to make a strong first impression and create a deeper emotional impact; hiring a professional photographer is a necessity. 

You have to accept the fact that your school is a brand which attracts the right families. Photography and videography can assist in getting your message out to them!

We spend a lot of money creating quality education for students, meet-ups, and professional training for teachers and mentors. Why do we overlook to showcase the value we contribute to the lives of our students?

Here are three important reasons to quit wasting your time and opt for professional photography and videography right away!

 

1. Photography showcases authenticity

We know the Friday drawing classes are for creativity and fun. And, students love each bit of it. A trained photographer, like a trained teacher, will do their best to get that message across. They will help you capture the natural spirit of the school and facilities. Moreover, a photographer who is used to working with kids, has the right skills to make them feel comfortable and at ease.

It’s a great way to show prospective families how much students and teachers love their time together. Instead of telling them in three long paragraphs about the quality of life you provide for your students, it would be more effective if they could see it in a one-minute video!

 

2. It easily demonstrate your values

Photographs and videos not only “showcase” the activities students and teachers are doing, but they will also demonstrate how happy students “feel” while doing those activities.

It will help you capture their excitement, as well as the bond they have with their teachers or classmates. This simple image will demonstrate the ambience of your school!

Pro-tip: Most photographers avoid shooting on special occasions. Doing a shoot on teacher’s day, for example, would not be the best choice. Since it will not help them capture students their true selves.

 

3. Photographs will help you tell the story of your school

When you think about your own school, What is the first thing you remember? The classroom, the building right? Because places hold history.

Every school and campus is different and has a unique story to tell. Whether your school has that one wall painted in blue or its culture is centered around history or modern art. What makes it stand out?

Photography and videography will evoke the personality of the school. This a low key method of demonstrating how the faculty and students are part of this unique environment. It will always remain part of their personal history. 

Pro-Tip (part 2): Photographs are not only a vital aspect of your website, but they also play a role in your branding. Documents, newsletters, invitations, and school events should all have the same brand consistency.

 

We’ve learned the value of professional photography. Now, the next step is to find the right photographer for the job.

And, let’s be honest, this could be quite a bit of a task. Finding a talented photographer that can accurately capture the soul of your institution, meet your deadlines, and stay inside your budget is no easy task! 

You can go through 1000 portfolios and spend your valuable time figuring out the right photographer. Or you can ask our experts at School Jotter!

Being an educational organization and having designed and delivered over 6,500 school websites to our customers, we are committed to find the best fit for your school.

Reach out to us today for your school’s brighter future tomorrow!

Did you know it takes about 0.05 seconds for a user to determine whether they choose to stay on, or leave your website? You heard it right! 

Though it’s a common saying, “do not judge a book by its cover”, when it comes to your website design, it is almost always subjected to an extreme level of snap judgment that may influence any perceptions of credibility.

If you are new to website design or are unsure about what will make an impact and help to increase parental engagement for your school’s website, here are some basic design mistakes that you should avoid.

 

1. Using stock photos

Photography is one of the most critical elements of good school website design. Using stock photos or bad quality images can dramatically impact the value associated with your school website. If you intend to use stock photos at all, then make sure they are of high quality and realistically express the emotions you have in mind.

2. Too many menu items

Researchers have concluded that when too many menus or options are given to users, the human mind tends to get confused and is not able to take the required action. Not something you want to happen with your school website.

For example, if your website has too many menus on multiple parts of your web page or multiple dropdowns under each heading, it is less likely that your user, in this case, the students or parents, will find the information they need. In such cases, the user will quickly skim through the menus or sections and will immediately leave the page if they cannot locate the appropriate information.

Related to menu items, there is another design mistake that often needs the designer’s attention — invisible navigation menus. If the visual cues are missing from the breadcrumbs, your user may struggle to find where exactly they are on the website or where they want to go next.  

 

3. Long pages

A school website serves many audiences — alumni, teachers, current parents, students, and prospective parents. The competing needs of the different types of audience compel many schools to overload their website with too much information that often extends to several pages and needs to be scrolled to access the complete information. This often leads to the parents missing out on critical information and causing a lot of confusion.

When building pages on your website, you need to use the most relevant and important information that must be conveyed and offer an option to either download a PDF for more information or contact the school to have queries resolved.

 

4. Keeping old / no longer relevant content

Continuing from the above point, keeping content that could be archived is one critical mistake website admins often make.  Content should be focused primarily on the current requirements of the target audience. Other information, for example, news and updates dating back several years, doesn’t hold relevance for current parents and should be removed and updated from time to time. 

 

5. Not being mobile responsive

According to Statista, until January 2021, the total number of active mobile internet users in the UK was approximately 65.32 million.

The most common mistake made by many designers is that they design a school website keeping in mind only the desktop version and bringing in the mobile version as an afterthought. Clearly, if you do not design a website keeping the mobile view in mind, you’re definitely ignoring a major portion of the audience and site traffic.

Instead, you should evenly weigh your desktop and mobile view considerations from the start of the project, this will definitely improve the user experience on your school website. Even the new mobile-friendly algorithm from Google provides an additional boost in your website rankings if it is mobile-friendly.

 

6. An old design

School website design has moved on a lot in the last few years. Ordinary home pages are oh-so-boring and outdated. Some designers also make the mistake of working on the design and the website copy separately. Designing the website first or creating the copy? This is kind of that world’s chicken and egg kind of question — who came first?

When looking for a design, make sure you choose something that stays relevant to the times and choose a theme template that has a modern look and feel. Making the site effective is more important than just focusing on the beauty aspect of the site. Text-heavy pages are a big no-no and over usage of graphics isn’t recommended either.

Another advantage of modern themes is that they also come with user-friendly navigation which helps both the parents and students to easily access information without worrying about what to click next.

 

7. Image resolutions too high or too low

Photos or images are an integral part of the website design process but if the image resolution is too high or too low, that can have an opposite impact on the user experience. 

When uploading images to your site, you should always look at the pixel dimensions. For a horizontal image, you should use at least 1024 pixels and the standard resolution for web images, also known as screen resolution, should be 72PPI. 

 

8. Too many images in slideshows

You might have seen many websites that have attractive images as slide shows or carousels, they might look really appealing, but they can detract from the crucial information you want your website users to find.

The Usability Guru, Jakob Nielsen, performed a test on a couple of users where he asked them to spot a particular deal on washing machines which was mentioned in one of the most prominent slides on a site – due to the number of slideshow images, most of the users missed that information. Thereafter, he concluded that image carousels get ignored. Notre Dame also performed a similar test and the result got them 1% action only on the first slide.

Even in the case of school websites, parents or students really do not have sufficient time to scroll through hundreds of images to find one specific piece of information. 

 

9. Avoid bright or hard to read colors for text

As rightly said by Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the Web, “The power of the Web is in its universality. Access by everyone regardless of disability is an essential aspect.”

Some of the most common accessibility mistakes that you can make when choosing a website design include background and font colour combinations, not providing a visual focus on certain elements on the website, missing alt text on images, or including link text that does not provide sufficient detail.

When you choose your next website design, pick a company that has incorporated web accessibility in its platform.

 

10. Overuse of scrolling text and animations

When the question of adding animations to website design comes, contemporary users like you might instantly like the idea of seeing some movement on the website and hence adding animations. Now if the animations are user-triggered then it does a good job in bringing in the desired impact. But using too many animations or movements could negatively impact the functionality of the website by slowing it down, and especially so when you open it on your mobile devices.

Again, additional and unintentional horizontal scrollbars that often pop up in otherwise responsive websites can also ruin the look and feel of the website and can slow it down tremendously.

 

Final thoughts

While designing a school website, it is critical to always keep your target audience and brand image in mind in every step of the design process. If you can reconcile the two, you will have a beautiful product that will be loved by all.

Designing a school website or any other educational software undoubtedly requires thorough expertise and relevant experience and with School Jotter guiding you every step of the way, you can get your website or app up in no time. Contact us right away to discuss how we can help you bring your vision to life.

Ensuring your school’s website is mobile-friendly is more important than ever for the new academic year.  But what does that actually mean, why does it matter and how can you get it for your school?

What is a mobile-friendly website?

Making your site-mobile friendly simply means ensuring that your existing website will shrink down when it’s viewed on a mobile-device, e.g. a smartphone or tablet. All important information, contact info, key pages, images and even videos or animations, should be easily readable in this smaller format, and your design should translate well to mobile too.

Why is a mobile-friendly website important for schools?

More searches on mobile:

With searches on mobile devices having overtaken desktop for many years now, you want to make sure that all-important information about your school, whether for existing parents, or potential new families, is all available with ease.

Visibility on search engines:

For the last few years Google’s search algorithms have given great prominence to sites which are mobile-friendly, so a mobile-friendly web design could mean you appear higher in search results. This could be particularly important at this time of year, as parents are potentially looking for schools to send their children to. 

How can I check if my school’s website is mobile-friendly?

Google’s own Mobile-Friendly Test is the quickest and easiest way to see if Google considers your web design to be suitable for mobile users. You simply enter your web address, and within a few moments Google will run a test on your site and present you with your results. Your website will be determined to be mobile-friendly (or not) and you will be given additional resources and information to learn more about the subject.

In addition to this it’s also worth taking a look at the website yourself on your own device, and consider, can you see and read all of your important information clearly.

What if my school failed the mobile-friendly test?

At this stage it’s important for you to speak to your website developers. If you haven’t had a new design for several years, then you should seriously consider investing in one to help make it easier for parents to see all the good things your school does.

Depending on the complexity of the design you want, a new website can take anywhere from just a few days, to several months to complete, but moving forwards, you should have a website that is much more accessible for more people.

If you’d like to find out more about a mobile-friendly website for your school

Our team of experts would be happy to help.  Contact us and a member of our team will call you back.

Keeping education fun and engaging can be an uphill battle at times, especially so when the subject matter might not be the most captivating, or the course materials are a little stale and outdated. Incorporating technology in the classroom can bring about new and exciting ways to learn, whilst also giving students a new found spark for the subject at hand.

We all remember looking at the same old books in school and feeling uninspired – books often bearing the graffiti of past students who weren’t engaged in the lesson at hand. On the other side of this we also remember the teachers who made lessons more interactive and therefore fun, and it’s often those subjects that stick with us the most. With the introduction of technology into classrooms it’s now easier than ever before to make lessons interactive, fun and engaging just like our favourite teachers from yesteryear did. To help spark some lesson planning creativity here are 10 ways of using technology in the classroom to inspire you:

1. Gamification 

Gamification of the most mundane tasks can take them from boring to addictive in a matter of minutes. For example The Sims takes the banality of everyday life and makes it an addictive game whereby you can unlock life skills. This gamification can also be brought to the classroom too – teaching students to type faster by using typing games or honing their researching skills by hunting out clues within mystery games. 

2. Digital Content Creation 

The introduction of technology within classrooms has led to new levels of creativity within students which can be harnessed to also further their knowledge on a subject. Encouraging students to showcase their work in a way that suits their creative style will help them gather a greater sense of understanding of the subject, but also their individuality. Creative content can range from simple blogs and eBooks through to video or animation. 

3. Virtual Tours

School trips are a valuable tool for helping students to learn, however they can be a nightmare to arrange or as we have seen during the pandemic there may be restrictions on travel. This doesn’t mean that your students have to miss out though, as many places now offer virtual tours or virtual learning days. For example, NASA offers several ways to enjoy their museums virtually, they even have an augmented reality experience that can be accessed via their app. If you’re looking for a more interactive school trip check out Facebook as places such as Chester Zoo host Facebook Live sessions teaching their audience all about the animals and our planet.

4. Game Show Quizzes

Encouraging students to create their own quizzes for their peers will not only help them to research the subject, but add in the element of gamification for the other students too. Students can utilise Google Forms or Kahoot for their quizzes, or ‘buzzers for a more game show style quiz.

5. Multimedia Presentations

Presentations can be pretty boring stuff – we have all had to sit through our fair share of yawn inducing slideshows. Now imagine how presentations can come across to a room full of young minds… not the most engaging content for them. By using technology within your slideshows you can engage the audience and keep their focus on the subject. Here are some simple ways to spruce up your slideshows with some fun and grab your students attention:

• GIFs
• Video clips
• Social media clips
• Animations
• Music

6. Podcasts

We can’t all be masters of every subject we teach, so encouraging your students to seek out experts in a subject field can help to further their learning. Podcasts are a quick and simple way for students to delve deeper into subjects or find a show that fits their learning style. You can also use podcasts for digital content creation and ask students to make their own podcast – from the content structure to recording and editing.

7. Host A Guest

There are many different types of technology in the classroom that are available, one of the more basic being access to video calling. Apps such as Skype, Google Hangouts and even FaceTime mean we can connect with anyone around the world in an instant. The ability to bring in guests on subjects can break up lessons whilst also offering a unique insight into certain subjects. The use of video calling doesn’t just have to be for traditional learning, it can be a great way to connect with the local community too and virtually volunteer – for example buddying students with residents of a local retirement home. 

8. Simulations

Simulations can help students to process and reinforce the knowledge they have learned and put this into ‘real-life’ practice. Simulations are often more suited towards business study, for example economics or marketing. There are lots of apps and sites out there that host simulations, or you can create your own scenarios and encourage students to use technology to work through them. 

9. QR Code Hunting

Think Pokemon Go but with increased educational value. The premise is similar to a traditional scavenger hunt, but brought into the modern day via QR codes. Students can add an app to their phone that scans QR codes, with each QR code containing a question that leads to the next code. These can be placed around the school grounds and students can work in teams to help solve the puzzles.

10. Review Web Pages

Encouraging students to review web pages will help in their research skills as they discern whether information presented on the web pages is factual, and if not what is the truth of the subject. This will also skill students with the power to question information that is presented as fact in their everyday lives, not just an educational setting. The information they learn can then be presented back to the class by using multimedia slideshows, or in other forms of creative digital content. 
There are many ways we can make learning even more fun, it’s all down to finding what works best for your students and the subject at hand. Trialing new ways might not always work for your classroom, but the fun is in trying, right?

10 Ways To Use Technology In The Classroom

Using technology in the classroom can transform education, making it more engaging and effective. Technology offers many ways to make learning fun and interactive, from gamification and digital content creation to virtual tours and game show quizzes. These tools help students retain knowledge and cater to different learning styles, fostering creativity and collaboration.

Technology provides innovative methods for teachers to enhance traditional teaching and save valuable time. It also equips students with essential 21st-century skills, preparing them for future success. While not every method will suit every classroom, experimenting with these tools can lead to exciting and effective learning experiences.