2021 has seen businesses, organisations, and of course schools and multi-academy trusts channel more focus than ever before into their online presence.
As experts in school website design, we’ve seen it all and have been consistently impressed with the perseverance of schools looking to prosper during the pandemic with online learning, a move to virtual tours and open days, and a renewed focus on content and innovative design.
As a successful year comes to a close, we’re reflecting on some of the best school websites of 2021, and what makes them stand apart from the rest.
Best school websites of 2021 – Rochdale Sixth Form College
As soon as you enter this site, you are welcomed with an innovative, eye-catching display of header images and an immersive look inside the heart of the college. This Greater Manchester school website redesign features a highly intuitive search function that offers users an opportunity to browse all of the courses with ease, while the recent affinity for white space is clearly on display – breaking up the content blocks and making the information easy to read and digest.
https://www.rochdalesfc.ac.ukBest school websites of 2021 – Parkside School
The initial welcome screen in a light purple immediately displays the memorable branding colours of the school, and makes users feel like they are entering something exclusive and exciting. This school website design in Surrey shines in the ‘Getting to know Parkside’ section, which not only captures the community spirit of the school but also its heritage, by interviewing ‘old boys’ as well as current teachers and parents. This direction is further amplified by the headline ‘More than just an Education’.
The menu itself, and overall navigation, is clear and well presented, incorporating key school information alongside important admissions details and information about the wider school life and opportunities available.
Best school websites of 2021 – The Urswick School
When it comes to design, this is up there as one of our favourites thanks to the innovative and eye-catching use of fonts, as well as pop-up reminders about upcoming exams for different year groups. Each section and individual page of the website has its own contents column of sorts, which helps the user to navigate each section clearly and concisely.
The use of imagery on this site is minimal but effective, with high quality school photography showcasing school life.
A dedicated section of the History of The Urswick School is also features on the homepage, as the school celebrates its quincentenary in 2020, making it one of the oldest schools in the country.
Best school websites of 2021 – All Saints Academy
The top-level banner completely captures the mind and the eye, passing through a series of different images and school situations behind the main phrase ‘Every child matters equally to God’. This is a powerful example of how your religious values can be integrated within the branding of the school, and therefore be mirrored on the website.
This is another school that has a community feel that is worth showing off. In this instance, the school house system is given a lot of prominence on the homepage, with full information on each story behind the house names, as well as self-written profile pages of each of the senior house prefects.
A simple but very effective addition to this website is the ‘above the line’ navigation bar which directs ‘parents’ and ‘students’ to their respective areas on the website, immediately.
Best school websites of 2021 – The Forest School
The first thing you see when you enter this website is the Admissions Portal cornerstone, making the website instantly easy to navigate for new users looking for more information. The use of different pupils on the homepage to share different views on the school creates an immersive experience, while the neat use of graphic design halfway down the homepage presents the key facts about the school visually and in an interesting way.
Navigation is simple thanks to the menu and useful links section, and imagery is exciting and positive which reflects the school in the best possible light.
How to elevate your school’s online presence in 2022
A refurbishment of your school’s online presence starts with branding and extends to the way you present yourself across all your different touchpoints – from social media to online communications, your website, and virtual open days and tours. If you are looking for our latest blog, please see 10 best school website designs in 2024.
Here at Cleverbox, we work with schools across the UK to refine the way they connect the whole school community online – with each of the above projects introducing just some of the ways that we support schools in their website design and innovation. To discuss your next school branding and online project and find out how we can help you, get in touch with our friendly team today.