Every school can benefit from a well-designed website. As well as making administrative tasks simpler, a good website can also make sharing information easier, increase responsiveness from parents, and even improve admissions. Here are some things to keep in mind when looking for a web designer for your school.
Look for experience
Ideally, you’ll be able to find a team that specialises in websites for schools, such as www.fsedesign.co.uk/websites-for-schools. This is important because school websites are very different from other types of websites, so you’ll want to work with people who have some knowledge of the UK’s education sector, relevant safeguarding awareness, and an understanding of the statutory requirements set out by Ofsted.
Take steps to minimise risks and ensure compliance
Schools are required to take appropriate steps to minimise risks, so you’ll want to choose a development company that’s aware of relevant compliance procedures. As well as ensuring that things like cookies and data protection are handled appropriately, many schools are now part of multi-academy trusts which often require websites to be structured in very particular ways.
Understand ongoing maintenance procedures
If you want to be able to update your website internally, it’s important to understand the content management system that’s been used. A good developer will tailor the CMS in ways that suit your school and should therefore offer some training, which will enable you to make relevant updates as needed. As part of this, they should also explain the level of ongoing support you can expect, such as software updates and bug fixes.