Parents are fiercely protective of their children, so schools are under lots of scrutiny. One of the things they need to get right is their online presence, so let’s look at what parents want from a school website.
Accessibility
Parents researching schools are looking for an accessible design that will enable them to intuitively move around the site and find the information they are seeking. They want a mixture of accessible features, such as information on the school, subject choices, results, photographs, and the admissions process.
Mobile-friendly
Most people use their phones to manage their daily tasks, so parents are keen to be welcomed by mobile-friendly websites that will allow them to navigate using their smartphone devices. Without this key feature, parents may become disengaged and could abandon your site without return. Mobile-friendly means your website is adapted to being visited on a smaller screen, with the site being responsive to scrolling and adapting to screen size.
Speed
Parents are busy, so they want speed when visiting your site. If the pages take an age to load thanks to a poor server, they will be more likely to look at another school website than wait around for yours. Unfortunately, parents will be swayed by this, as they may consider your school not professional enough to pay for a better website.
Is your school website due for a refresh? Most schools will update their website every few years. Consult specialists who are experienced in working on websites for schools, such as fsedesign.co.uk/websites-for-schools, who will be able to address any concerns you have with your existing site.
Engaging content
Parents are keen to find out what makes your school stand out over others, so use your landing page as an opportunity to showcase what your school does differently. If you don’t have a uniform, make this clear on your website. If you put a strong emphasis on sports, ensure your facilities are displayed on your gallery for all to see. Your content should not only be engaging but also answer questions before they need to be asked.
