Pre-designed school website templates allow school websites to be up and running quickly, and at a far lower cost. The right pre-designed school website templates allow schools (or their website designer) to fill in the blanks, while also having some degree of customisability to them.
Contrary to popular belief, these templates are not generic. They won’t make a school look like every other school that uses a similar template. In this day and age, many of these templates are ‘editable’ enough that they can look unique, without significantly increasing the cost.
Here, we’ll tell you a little bit about why pre-designed school website templates could be significantly better than something that is custom-designed for your school.
What Is a Pre-Designed School Website Template?
A website template is a pre-built website structure. A school template has been designed specifically for schools, and includes all the pages and information that a school would need. A school can then fill in the blanks, or add new pages as needed.
Good school website templates are customisable. While they may all stick to the same rough layout, schools have huge amounts of control over branding, colours, and imagery used on them. This means that schools that use the same templates as their back-end may have websites that end up looking completely different.
Template Websites vs Custom School Websites
Template websites are a quick and easy way for schools to get a quality website online. They’re affordable, and when designed properly will include all the information a school needs. This includes legal obligations, as well as the right information for school stakeholders.
A custom school website is, as the name suggests, custom-designed for the school. They are more expensive, and take a lot longer to make. However, schools have a lot more control over the design, what is included, etc. They are often only recommended for schools with huge budgets that really need to drive admissions (normally fee-paying schools).
The Benefits of Pre-Designed School Website Templates
Faster Website Launch Times
School website templates are ‘ready-made’. Use a school website template and you can be online in a matter of days. Custom-designed website? It could take months.
Since schools need a website, a template is the best route to go down when working to a tight deadline.
More Cost-Effective Than Custom Development
School website templates are more affordable. Considerably so, in fact. For a school website template, where the cost is effectively shared across multiple schools, you’re paying just a fraction of what a custom-designed site would cost.
The fees for keeping the website up and running are much more predictable too. Many of the companies operating school website templates have a predictable subscription model. A custom-designed template? It is made just for your school, and it would require incredibly large costs to keep it running effectively, and these costs can be very unpredictable.
Designed Around School Website Best Practices
School website templates have been designed specifically for schools. This means that they include the features and information school websites need to have. The developers of these templates, including companies like School Jotter, regularly work with their users to ensure that the user experience remains ‘top notch’. A school website template isn’t set in stone. It constantly evolves to the needs of the school and the users.
Easier to Manage for School Staff
School website templates often boast features that make them easier to use. This includes sophisticated back-end systems that allow staff, even those without technical experience, to update the website. This saves time and money.
One of the most popular content management systems (CMS) is School Jotter, which offers a school website template that is easy to use for everybody. Even those who have never updated a website before will instinctively know how to keep the platform updated, with little to no training.
Custom-designed sites are not like this. Developing a back-end that is easy to use for staff is tremendously expensive.
Supports Ofsted and DfE Website Compliance
If you’re in the United Kingdom, a good template will meet legal requirements. This means that the site will be in compliance with any rules put in place by Ofsted or DfE. The template producer will also regularly check compliance requirements and ensure that their templates consistently meet them. This means schools using templates never need to worry about falling foul of the law.
Mobile-Friendly by Default
Most people aren’t using computers to browse the internet nowadays, they’re using their mobile devices. This is why you need a quality school website template that works with mobile devices ‘by default’. A pre-designed school website template offers that. A good template, like those offered by School Jotter, will work just as well on mobile devices as it does on desktop computers, ensuring no website user feels alienated.
Accessibility Features Built In
School websites need to be accessible to everybody. This is why many good school website templates have accessibility features built-in. This includes changing text size, colours, and ensuring that images have alternative text for those who may not necessarily be able to see the image. This comes as default. No need for extra development or effort.
Professional Design Without the Complexity
Website templates offer professional design, without any complexity. A well-designed template will ensure consistent branding across your website. This boosts the image of your school. A good template will also offer regular design updates too, ensuring that your website is always modern and ‘with the times’
Scalability for Future Growth
Over time, your school will grow, as will your need to include extra content. A good template will allow your website to grow with your school’s needs. It becomes easy to add new pages to the website, features, and more. No effort required!
Why Many Schools Choose Pre-Designed Website Templates
Schools are opting for pre-designed website templates because they don’t need anything else. Templates offer all their school needs, without the cost. Templates are also much more customisable than ever before so, even if a school purchases something ‘off the shelf’, they get something completely unique to their school.
The Benefits of Pre-Designed School Website Templates
School website templates are the way to go if you want to get a website up and running quickly, without the costs of a bespoke design. Explore our school website templates of get in touch for a bespoke school website design.
