School websites
School websites that families can actually use.
Parents check the school website on a phone, often in a hurry: the calendar, a closure notice, the admissions form. Prospective families judge the school by it. Many school sites were built years ago and have drifted since.
Common problems on school sites
Accessibility
Schools serve families with every kind of need, and many now have legal accessibility obligations. In the United States, the Department of Justice rule under ADA Title II sets WCAG 2.1 AA as the standard for state and local government websites, including public school districts, with compliance dates phased in by size. Ontario's AODA has similar requirements for many organisations, and the UK's public sector regulations cover state-funded schools.
Our website check flags common accessibility barriers. A redesign or fix project addresses them: headings, colour contrast, keyboard navigation, image descriptions, form labels and accessible alternatives to PDFs.
What we do for schools
Independent, international and public schools
We work with schools of any size and in any country, remotely. Platforms we work with include WordPress, Drupal, Finalsite, Squarespace, Wix and Google Sites. Where a school is on a dedicated school platform it is happy with, we work within it rather than replacing it.
Questions
Common questions
Do you work with schools outside Canada?
Yes. The work is done remotely, and we work with independent, international and public schools in any country.
Can office staff update the site themselves after a redesign?
Yes. We set up editing so news, events, staff and policy pages can be updated without technical help, and we run a short training session at handover.
Does our school website have to be accessible?
It depends on where you are and how the school is funded, but in many places it does. US public school districts are covered by the ADA Title II web rule, and similar rules apply in Ontario and the UK public sector. Even where it is not required, an accessible site works better for every family.
We use a school platform such as Finalsite. Can you help?
Yes. We can review the site, fix content and structure within the platform, and help the team keep it current. We only recommend moving platforms when the current one is the cause of the problems.
Free website check
See how your school website measures up.
A free check covers mobile, security, accessibility, admissions paths and out-of-date content, with screenshots.