As the academic year winds down, it’s the perfect time to spruce up your school website. By tackling these updates now, you’ll ensure a smooth transition into the new school year, making things easier for staff, students, and parents alike. Here are ten key updates to focus on for a well-prepared and engaging school website.

1. Review and refresh content

Outdated content can clutter your site and confuse visitors. Take time to remove old newsletters, outdated pages, and irrelevant information. Check for any inaccuracies and update them. For GDPR compliance, you may want to check on photos of students who have left the school and make decisions on what to do with these depending on your photo permissions forms. 

For Schools using Greenhouse: Easily disable outdated pages via the CMS without permanently deleting them.

2. Update staff information

Make sure that your staff directory is current. Add new staff members and remove those who have left. Update roles and contact information to ensure that parents can reach the right people easily. You can also add images of staff and a small biography if you wish.

3. Welcome back note

Draft a welcome back message now and schedule it to go live just before the new term begins. This will give returning families a warm greeting and key information as they prepare for the school year.

For Schools using Greenhouse: Schedule news items to publish at specific times using the ‘Dates’ tab.

4. Calendar and diary dates

Populate your website’s calendar with key dates for the upcoming academic year. Include term start and end dates, holidays, and important events. Providing a downloadable PDF or Word document with these dates can be helpful for parents.

For schools using Greenhouse: Ensure diary dates appear on the homepage and relevant sections by adding them through the CMS.

5. Enhance statutory content

Regularly review your statutory information to ensure compliance with current regulations. Use a checklist to verify that all required documents and policies are up to date and easily accessible. Use our new Policy Compliance Manager to ensure you get emails when policies are due to go out of date too! Contact us to find out more information on how to add this invaluable tool to your website package. 

For schools using Greenhouse: Refer to our downloadable Ofsted checklist to ensure full compliance.

6. Create a new parents section

Ease the transition for new families by creating a dedicated section for them. Include FAQs, important documents, and a welcome message. Add a prominent link or button on the homepage to make this section easily accessible.

For schools using Greenhouse: Use the CMS to create a new group for new parents and send targeted push notifications through the mobile app.

7. Update photo galleries

Refresh your website with new photo galleries showcasing recent events, student work, and school activities. This not only keeps the site vibrant but also highlights the school’s active community and achievements.

For schools using Greenhouse: Easily upload and organise new photos in the gallery section.

8. Improve navigation and accessibility

Review your website’s navigation to ensure it’s user-friendly. Simplify menus and add quick links to important sections. Make sure your site is accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. Let us know if you need any help with this. 

9. Update extracurricular activities

Keep the extracurricular activities section current by adding new clubs, sports teams, and events. Provide detailed descriptions, schedules, and sign-up information to encourage student participation.

For schools using Greenhouse: you could delegate this job to leaders of clubs or the PE specialist by creating pages and assigning certain staff as admin/editors of just those pages.

10. Promote school achievements

Highlight recent accomplishments and accolades your school has received. This could include academic achievements, sports victories, or community involvement. Regularly updating this section keeps your community informed and proud of their school.

For schools using Greenhouse: Talk to us about adding animated statistics to showcase your exam results. 

Maintaining an up-to-date and engaging website is crucial for effective school communication and community engagement. If you need assistance with any of these updates, remember that our support team is here to help. Just give us a call or email.

Now, with your website refreshed, you can enjoy a well-deserved summer break (as soon as term is finished!)