Aberdour School is often described as a hidden gem, and that idea became a key starting point for its new website.
Set back from the road, with extensive grounds, specialist facilities and a strong focus on wellbeing, Aberdour offers an experience that is not always immediately visible from the outside. Our challenge was to create a website that brought that story to life clearly and confidently, while supporting the day-to-day needs of a busy independent prep school.
Cleverbox worked closely with Aberdour School to design and build a new website that reflects the school’s character, showcases what makes it distinctive and guides families through the school as one continuous journey.
A website shaped by how the school really works
Aberdour is a school made up of several entry points, including Nursery, Pre-Prep, and Prep. One of the clearest messages from the team was that they did not want the website to feel fragmented.
Instead, the site needed to reflect how the school operates in reality. One connected community, supporting pupils from age two through to Year 6.
This thinking influenced both the structure and flow of the site. Rather than separating sections into silos, the navigation and page layouts are designed to reinforce a sense of progression and continuity, helping prospective families understand the benefits of staying with Aberdour throughout their child’s early education.
Showcasing space, wellbeing and opportunity
Aberdour’s grounds and facilities are a genuine point of difference. Playing fields, all-weather areas, a climbing wall, sports hall and indoor swimming pool offer pupils space, freedom and opportunity to explore their interests.
The new website puts much greater emphasis on this environment, using strong imagery and considered layouts to show how these facilities support learning, wellbeing and personal development. The aim was not simply to list features, but to communicate the impact they have on pupils’ confidence, curiosity and enjoyment of school life.
This sense of discovery runs throughout the site, reflecting Aberdour’s relaxed but purposeful atmosphere and its focus on the whole child.
Nature-led design with meaning
The school’s connection to the natural world played an important role in shaping the visual language of the site.
An animated dragonfly gently follows visitors as they scroll down the homepage, creating a subtle sense of movement and discovery. The shape of the dragonfly’s wings is echoed elsewhere across the site, forming a recurring design motif that reflects ideas of working together, balance and innovation found in nature.
Dragonflies are often associated with change that comes from emotional and mental maturity. They can also symbolise overcoming challenges and adjusting perspective. This made them a fitting metaphor for Aberdour’s approach to education, supporting children as they grow in confidence, resilience and self-awareness.
These elements add depth and meaning to the design without distracting from content, reinforcing the school’s values in a quiet but thoughtful way.
Bringing the PAL curriculum to the forefront
Another key focus was Aberdour’s bespoke PAL curriculum, an innovative approach that builds a personalised timetable around pupils’ interests.
Rather than burying this within curriculum pages, the new website gives PAL greater visibility, helping families quickly understand what makes Aberdour’s approach different and why it matters. This supports both admissions conversations and the school’s wider positioning, reinforcing Aberdour as a place where children are encouraged to discover strengths and develop new interests.
Designing an admissions journey, not just an admissions page
For prospective families, the admissions process can feel daunting. Aberdour were keen for the website to act as a guide, not just an information store.
We explored admissions as a journey, using clear pathways and intuitive layouts to help parents understand next steps and feel confident about getting in touch. This approach supports families at different stages of consideration, from early research through to application, while reinforcing the idea of progression through the school.
A calmer, more considered visual identity
The website also marks a shift in visual tone. Moving away from brighter colours, the new design leans into a more natural and understated palette that supports themes of wonder, wellbeing and the natural world.
Subtle patterns and shapes inspired by nature help create visual interest while maintaining clarity. The overall look feels modern but established, which is important for a school balancing warmth with a sense of prestige.
Built to work for staff as well as families
Behind the scenes, the site is designed to be straightforward for staff to manage. News, events and updates can be added easily, helping the website stay current without adding pressure to already busy roles.
This ensures the site reflects real school life, not just how things looked on launch day, and reduces the need for staff to field repeat questions that can be answered clearly online.
A collaborative process
As with all Cleverbox school projects, collaboration was central to the process.
“From the outset, it was clear that Aberdour wanted more than just a new design. They wanted a website that genuinely reflected how the school feels day -to-day. Calm, connected and full of opportunity. Our role was to shape that into something practical, clear and future-proof.”
Dan Meeks, Account Manager, Cleverbox
That close working relationship allowed ideas to develop naturally and ensured decisions were always rooted in how the school actually operates.
Dan adds..“The best projects are the ones where the school challenges us and trusts us in equal measure. With Aberdour, there was a real openness to exploring ideas that went beyond the obvious, while always staying focused on what would genuinely benefit families and staff.”
Aberdour School’s new website provides a platform that can grow with the school, supporting future admissions cycles, evolving content and ongoing communication with families. Most importantly, it helps reveal what makes Aberdour special. A nurturing environment, a forward-thinking curriculum and a community that works together to support every child’s journey.
If your school is looking to achieve something similar to Aberdour School, get in touch with us today to start your journey to a new custom-built website
Interested in finding out more?
See how Cleverbox can help you with your next project