There are a large number of mandatory issues, essential facts and highly desirable details that should be on every school website.
In 2012 the government laid down details through legislation, which have to be on every school website, from admission arrangements to details regarding the pupil premium.
Beyond that there are a few issues which evidence shows are the key facts that parents will look for on the site, beyond the basic issues the government lays down. These range from copies of letters to parents (in case they never arrive!) to term dates for the next two years.
And then there are further issues that are so highly desirable that if any were to be omitted parents (and those considering applying for admission for their children), might well wonder what was going on.
Which means there are a large number of different points which each school ought to include.
And yet a quick review of school websites selected at random, suggests that something like half of all schools either don’t cover all these issues, or, if they do, make it so hard to find some of them that the average parent is likely to give up the search.
Which really takes us on to the key point: if parents can’t find an answer that they are looking for on your website, they will do one of two things. They will either stop looking and (if a prospective parent) go elsewhere, or they will telephone the school.
Of course the phoning solution might seem perfectly acceptable – except that each phone call which is asking for information that is (or should be) on the website takes up the time of school administrators.
Now given that a survey by the School of Education Administration and Management last year found that over two thirds of school administrators said that they regularly had to undertake unpaid overtime to complete their work each week, any reduction in the phone calls they handle, will be welcomed in the office.
So it really does make sense to have these topics, issues and details not only covered on your website, but also set out in such a way that everyone can find them.
If you would like to discuss the list of topics together with a brief overview of your website (free of charge) and its effectiveness in leading to these topics, then email us at info@inco-eduction.co.uk
Alternatively if you woul d like to talk to us first, please call us on 01902 784 800.
You can also find out more about how we work with schools on our website at www.inco-education.co.uk