Marketing plays a bigger role in sixth form admissions than it did even a few years ago. Students have more choices, and decisions are increasingly shaped by how clearly a college presents itself as a place to study.
Most sixth forms are already doing marketing; the real question is whether that work is helping students move from interest to application.
In our experience, admissions challenges most often come down to clarity. Students want to understand quickly what a sixth form offers, what makes it different, and where it can take them next. If that story is inconsistent or buried, confidence drops and applications stall.
From activity to clarity
We often see colleges working hard across lots of channels, but without a clear admissions perspective running through everything. Effective marketing is about making it easier for students to understand their options and feel confident in choosing you.
That means focusing on what genuinely matters to students:
clear course information
visible pathways beyond sixth form
a sense of culture
reassurance that they will be supported to succeed.
For most students, your website is the centre of their decision-making. It’s where first impressions are formed, and comparisons are made.
Increasingly, students are also discovering sixth forms through AI-driven search and summaries. That makes clarity even more important. Clear structure, plain language, and accurate content ensure the right message is coming through wherever students are searching.
Marketing that supports decisions, not just awareness
The strongest admissions-led marketing makes the next step obvious. Whether that’s attending an open event, requesting information, or applying, students should be guided naturally and confidently through the journey.
When we work with sixth form colleges, our role is often to step in early, take a fresh look at what’s already in place, and help bring focus to the areas that will have the biggest impact on admissions. That work might involve a new website or a clearer prospectus, but the common thread is always the same – supporting applications, not just producing marketing materials.
We’ve seen this approach lead to stronger engagement, clearer decision-making, and increased student numbers across a range of sixth form projects.
A conversation, not a sales pitch
We’re currently meeting with sixth form colleges to talk through their admissions challenges and look honestly at how well their marketing is supporting recruitment. These conversations help us to understand what’s working and whether some focused support could make a difference ahead of future admissions windows.
If you’d find it helpful to step back and look at your marketing through an admissions lens, we’d be very happy to come in and have that conversation.
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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
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Woodhouse College is one of London’s most respected sixth form colleges, known for its high academic standards, vibrant student community and strong emphasis on personal development. When they approached Cleverbox to refresh their website and deliver a full suite of photography, they were looking for an online presence that matched the quality of their provision and captured the character of their environment.
The aim was simple: a site that felt welcoming, informative and genuinely reflective of life at Woodhouse.
Before designing anything, our team spent time getting to know the qualities that make Woodhouse such a popular choice for students across London. Their academic results are exceptional, but so is their commitment to accessibility, diversity and wellbeing. It was important that the new website balanced both achievement and warmth.
With a broad mix of A Level subjects, enrichment opportunities and student support, the college relies heavily on its website to communicate clearly with prospective students. The depth of information required a layout that felt calm, structured and intuitive, particularly for families navigating the admissions process for the first time.
This is where bespoke design becomes essential, because instead of forcing a large amount of content into a rigid framework, we were able to build the architecture of the website around the rhythm of student behaviour, creating a journey that feels natural for each audience.
Bringing the college to life through authentic photography
Photography played a major role in shaping the new site. Real imagery allows students and families to connect with a college long before they visit in person, helping them understand the atmosphere, energy and community they might eventually join.
Our photographer spent time around the college capturing real lessons and everyday interactions. These images became central to the design, influencing colour choices, spacing and the overall tone. Genuine candid moments give the site a sense of honesty and presence that stock imagery or amateur photos simply cannot. Schools often wonder whether photography is worth the investment, but the Woodhouse project demonstrates how significantly it can enhance a website, giving it depth, personality and authenticity.
“Working on the Woodhouse College website was really enjoyable. It’s great to see how the new site brings the college to life online, makes things easier for students and parents, and reflects the friendly, welcoming environment that’s so special there. Dan Meeks (Account Manager)
Building a structure that works for every user
Once the visual direction was clear, we shaped the overall structure of the website to support each type of user in a way that felt natural and easy to move through, because Woodhouse College serves a wide audience and their website holds a significant amount of content, meaning clarity and organisation were essential.
Prospective students needed simple pathways to explore subjects, understand expectations and gain a sense of the college culture, while parents and carers needed clear information about admissions, communication channels and support, and this variety of needs required a custom structure that could guide users confidently without creating unnecessary complexity. Woodhouse also has a number of internal platforms for admissions, alumni and vacancies, all of which needed to be carefully considered when designing the structure of the new site. One of the core advantages of a bespoke website is that the architecture is shaped around real user behaviour rather than the constraints of a template, which allows pages to be grouped logically and allows information to be presented in a way that feels effortless.
A design that reflects the personality of the college
The new Woodhouse College website uses a clean, calm and modern visual style that mirrors their academic ambition and the welcoming tone of their environment, and this personality shaped every design decision, from spacing and colour to typography and the way images sit alongside content.
Many schools often struggle to strike the right tone between corporate and informal. Woodhouse College needed a design that felt professional without losing warmth, and modern without feeling trend-led. The finished result captures the confidence of a high-achieving sixth form while remaining approachable and inclusive.
Supporting the admissions journey
For sixth form colleges, admissions is a central part of communication, and the website plays a pivotal role in guiding families through the process in a way that feels calm and clear, making the journey more accessible and reassuring.
In the Woodhouse College site, the admissions information is organised in a simple, structured way that reduces confusion and gives prospective students a smooth path from initial interest to application, with A Level course information, guidance pages and key dates all presented with clarity.
When schools invest in thoughtful admissions design, they see families engage more confidently, because a well-structured website communicates professionalism and care.
Helping Woodhouse stand out
The Woodhouse College project shows what can be achieved when design, photography and structure work together with a clear understanding of a school’s identity. The result is a website that is intuitive, authentic and built to last.
A bespoke website provides clarity, authenticity and longevity, helping families understand who you are before they even visit, and supporting your staff with a platform that is easy to manage and built to grow. If you are considering refreshing your website or creating something entirely new, a tailored approach can help you tell your story with confidence and impact.
Creating a new logo is one of the most meaningful decisions a school or trust can make. It is more than a visual update, it is a way to show who you are, what you stand for and the kind of environment you want to create for your students, families and staff. At Cleverbox, we see this process every day, and we understand how much thought and trust go into that choice.
When Think Differently Education Trust approached us for support with their new logo, they were at an important stage in their journey. Their mission centres on helping young people with SEND or medical needs live full and ambitious lives, and they wanted an identity that communicated this with clarity and confidence. They needed something that felt grounded, calm and aligned to who they are.
This project became a clear example of why so many MATs choose Cleverbox for logo design. It highlighted the value of listening carefully, understanding the school’s personality and translating this into a memorable identity. It also demonstrated how a logo can guide a wider brand, shaping websites, signage, printed materials and the everyday resources used across a trust.
If you are exploring a logo refresh or beginning the process for the first time, the experience of Think Differently Education Trust offers a helpful insight into what a thoughtful approach can achieve.
Understanding what a school or trust really needs from its logo
One of the first things we explore in any logo project is how the school or trust wants people to feel when they see their identity. Every organisation has its own answer. Some want a sense of heritage, others prefer something modern or expressive, and many want a design that feels calm, supportive or full of energy.
The early ideas created for the Trust provided a useful starting point, offering space to explore different directions and understand what resonated. As conversations continued and the Trust shared more about the feeling they wanted their identity to carry, the design naturally evolved.
These early concepts were not intended to be the final solution. Instead, they helped reveal which elements felt most authentic and which ideas best reflected the Trust’s personality. Through this open collaboration, the identity developed into a design that felt confident, balanced and representative of the community they serve.
This is how Cleverbox approaches every logo design project. We see design as a journey rather than a quick fix, with each stage guiding the next. The dialogue between our team and the Trust shaped the final outcome, producing a logo that supports their vision today and will continue to do so as they grow.
If you are unsure how to begin a rebrand, our team can guide you through those early conversations and help shape your direction.
Turning conversations into a clear and confident identity
Once we gained a strong understanding of the Trust’s values and goals, our team began shaping a design that brought those qualities to life. Their identity needed to feel calm, balanced and supportive while still having a modern, forward-looking feel.
The final logo design brings together a set of simple shapes arranged in a circular form. This structure suggests growth and movement while remaining approachable. It has character without relying on heavy symbolism, and it feels steady and reassuring, which reflects the Trust’s commitment to specialist education and lifelong support.
For many schools, this type of clarity is the ideal outcome. A strong logo does not need to be complex. It simply needs to feel right. It should reflect your ethos in a way that your community recognises instantly.
This is the foundation of our approach to school branding. We listen, simplify and design with purpose, ensuring that the final identity feels natural and confident.
Making sure the design works everywhere you need it
A school or trust logo appears across many materials throughout the year. It sits on websites, newsletters, screens, stationery, uniforms, signage, social media and reception displays. For trusts, this becomes even more important because the identity must work across multiple schools and contexts.
For this reason, every Cleverbox logo is designed with practical day-to-day use in mind. We consider spacing, scaling and layout carefully to ensure the identity remains clear and readable in every format. This was especially important for Think Differently Education Trust because their new website will launch soon, and the logo needed to work consistently across all materials.
Accessibility, readability and colour balance were also built into the design from the start. Schools serve diverse communities, so a logo must be clear, inclusive and easy to recognise at first glance.
A calm, modern identity that supports their vision
The final identity for Think Differently Education Trust expresses everything they hoped for. It feels modern without feeling sharp, calm without feeling plain and full of movement without becoming busy. Most importantly, it reflects the Trust’s sense of support and purpose.
When we presented the final concept, the Trust shared how closely it aligned with their vision. The design felt simple, meaningful and long lasting, which is always the moment we aim for in this work. A logo should feel obvious in the best possible way, encouraging the reaction, yes, this is us.
Why investing in a strong logo matters for schools
Schools often ask whether updating a logo is worth the investment. The answer depends on what you want your brand to achieve, but the benefits are consistently clear across our projects.
A clear identity builds trust, helping families and staff feel confident in your organisation
Values become more visible and easier to communicate
Trust wide cohesion improves when all materials share a consistent identity
A well designed logo provides longevity and supports future growth
Think Differently Education Trust will carry these benefits forward with their new design. Their logo is now a central part of their communication and a reflection of who they are.
What it is like to work with Cleverbox on a logo design
Schools often tell us that working with Cleverbox feels supportive and straightforward. We manage the details while taking time to understand what matters most. Every decision is shaped by your values, your community and your long-term goals.
We refine the identity until it aligns naturally with your ethos.
This is the same approach that guided the Think Differently Education Trust project. Their openness, combined with our design experience, helped create a modern and meaningful identity that will support their brand for years ahead.
If you choose to explore a logo project with Cleverbox, you can expect the same level of care and clarity. Personal, supportive and focused entirely on your school.
Final thoughts
Think Differently Education Trust wanted a logo that expressed their mission clearly and confidently. Through open conversation and thoughtful design, we created an identity that reflects their values and supports their future, including their new website, which will launch soon.
Their project demonstrates how effective a well-considered logo can be. It becomes the foundation of your brand, a point of pride for your community and a reliable way to communicate who you are.
If your school or trust is considering a new identity, now could be the perfect moment to explore what is possible. A clear, confident logo can help you communicate more effectively with families, support your staff and strengthen your presence in the community.
A school website is more than a place to share dates, it’s the first impression for families and a key communication hub for students, staff and the wider community. As experts in school website development, we understand the importance of a site that is clear, modern and easy to navigate. Our recent project with Hitchin Boys’ School in Hertfordshire is a strong example of how effective a well-planned website can be.
Hitchin Boys’ School is an all-ability boys’ secondary school with a well-established sixth form and the motto “Striving for Excellence.” Despite a strong identity, their digital presence was spread across several domains, making navigation and content management challenging.
A Streamlined Structure with One Clear Journey
When HBS approached us, they faced common issues:
multiple sub-sites
duplicated curriculum and sixth-form content
a confusing user experience
Through our school website development process, we carried out a full audit of their existing content and created a simple, logical sitemap. This brought curriculum details, sixth form information, news and alumni content into one connected website. The new structure reduces duplication and makes updates far easier for staff.
Modern Design and Strong Visual Identity
Working closely with the HBS leadership team, we delivered a clean, modern design that reflects their values and heritage. Our photographer captured new images, ensuring the website feels authentic and showcases real school life.
The improved CMS now gives staff full control over daily updates, including news, events and key dates.
Built to Support Long Term Growth
With clearer analytics and a connected site structure, HBS can now make confident decisions around admissions, communication and wider engagement. The result is a modern, easy-to-use website that supports students, families, staff and alumni.
“Working with the Hitchin Boys’ School team was a real pleasure. From the outset, they asked the right questions and shared a clear vision, and we’re delighted with the final result, a website that does justice to their ambition and identity.” – Dan Meeks, Account Manager, Cleverbox UK Ltd
See how a streamlined, modern website can benefit your school, book a consultation today on 0208 466 7222 or on team@cleverbox.co.uk.
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We’re pleased to introduce the vibrant school website design for Ellesmere College, a large SEN school on the outskirts of Leicester City.
This collaboration delivers elegant school website design, intuitive navigation, and integrated modules to align with the College’s aims in delivering key information to parents and reinforcing their identity.
A new era for Ellesmere College
Right from the start, Ellesmere set out with a bold but well-defined goal: A school website design that embodies EllesmereCollege.
The refreshed site captures the distinctive character of Ellesmere, shaped by its values of respect, responsibility, independence, confidence, resilience, and teamwork. It celebrates the motto “Be your best, be happy, believe!” through rich visuals, dynamic storytelling, and immersive content. Visitors to the homepage are greeted by colourful images of the grounds, academic life, facilities, and the breadth of opportunities that reflect life at Ellesmere.
Working with Cleverbox was an absolute pleasure. They took the time to truly understand our needs and translated them into a brilliant design that exceeded our expectations. Jo Marshall, Strategic Resources Manager
Simplifying Key Information
One of the project’s core aims was to streamline the pathway to key information for prospective families and the administrative team. The new website includes tools for policy management so that core information is efficiently managed, and clear calls-to-action clearly guide families to the information they require.
As well as the key policies, another important feature for the college was allowing parents to ‘put a face to the name’ of the skilled staff that care for their children everyday. The inclusion of a ‘meet the team’ style staff section, for staff at both locations, allows parents to learn all about the team at Ellesmere.
Professional Photography to capture college life
A standout feature of this project is the inclusion of professional photos by Cleverbox’s skilled Photographer. From classrooms and sensory rooms to wonderful shots of the grounds and the student & staff interactions, every shot was crafted to show the warmth of the community and the breadth of opportunity at Ellesmere. These images provide authenticity, energy, and a lasting first impression, ensuring the website reflects the daily life and ethos of the College.
Cleverbox’s service has been professional, responsive, and reliable throughout the entire process. Meeting every deadline without compromise and offering highly competitive pricing. We couldn’t be happier with the results and would wholeheartedly recommend you to anyone looking for a top-tier web development partner.” Jo Marshall, Strategic Resources Manager
The launch of Ellesmere College’s new school website design marks the beginning of an exciting chapter for the school. The platform not only enhances how families engage with them but also celebrates the values and community that make Ellesmere unique.
Working with Ellesmere College on this project has been great. The new site reflects the school’s vibrancy and fantastic support they provide their students, and it’s rewarding to see how positively it has been received. Dan Meeks, Account Manager at Cleverbox
Here at Cleverbox we are proud to showcase the recent website projects launched for The Kemnal Academies Trust.
As one of the largest Multi Academy Trusts in the UK, comprising 45 academies, our task was to design and launch a family of sites that not only ensured consistency across primary and secondary academies but also allowed for the management of content, such as policies, announcements and promotional banners, by the central team.
Delivering a project as comprehensive as this meant investing real time in the planning and rollout of sites as well as regular, open communications with the TKAT team. To ensure we could add as much value as possible within the scope of works we initially led a full ‘discovery’ process whereby the wider ambitions of the Trust could be discussed, meaning that the end results perfectly matched their longer-term strategy and objectives.
Our lead Account Manager for the project, Emily Morgan, underlines the importance of experienced and specialist project management:
From the very beginning, we made it a priority to establish strong, open dialogue built on regular project check-ins and a commitment to ensuring our whole team understood the vision and ambitions of the Multi Academy Trust both within and beyond the website project. This level of engagement was a key factor in the project’s success; we were able to act as an extension of the TKAT team, sharing ideas and innovations whilst navigating any potential pitfalls together.
Working with a Multi Academy Trust of this size meant factoring in the requirements of academies across all phases. With the work we have done to date, supporting over 1,000 schools in their website, marketing and recruitment initiatives we are perfectly placed to advise and engage with a wide range of school leaders to ensure they felt connected to the project and would become ambassadors for its outcomes.
Our Creative Director, Darren Pinner, adds:
The challenge of designing impactful marketing that works across a range of schools and audiences requires a specialist approach. The new TKAT sites give schools the flexibility to tailor some design elements to their specific requirements whilst also remaining true to the wider TKAT brand guideline. This is a perfect example of moving away from the one-size-fits-all framework and allowing schools to speak to their families through the website with authenticity on a school to parent level.
With any project of this nature the proof is always in the pudding and so we are pleased to share the thoughts of TKAT themselves:
Cleverbox created new websites for our 45 academies as well as our Trust; they exceeded our expectations, and the sites look fantastic across all devices. The Cleverbox team provided outstanding support throughout the process—always responsive, helpful, and genuinely invested in our success. Highly recommended!
Emily sums up her final thoughts upon completion of the project:
Knowing how proud the team at TKAT is of the final outcome makes all the hard work worthwhile, it’s a project I am personally very proud of and it stands as a great example of what can be achieved with clear communication and teamwork.
If you are planning on embarking on a new website project for your Multi Academy Trust please reach out to us here at Cleverbox and we would be happy to meet and discuss how our specialist approach can help you to deliver not only fantastic results, but a family of sites that work hard for your recruitment and growth plans as well as giving your schools something they can be truly proud of.
If you would like to arrange a meeting with one of our industry experts about an upcoming Multi Academy Trust project, contact us at https://www.cleverbox.co.uk/contact
