Cost of a school website

Cost of a school prospectus? Thousands of pounds. Cost of a school website? Also thousands of pounds. However, there’s one option which, in the current age, has become far more important than the other.

What’s in a school prospectus?

Firstly, it usually contains an introduction from the headteacher outlining goals and ambitions for the school year ahead and what potential students can expect from the school. Then, as you flick through the pages there’s usually sections on school life and what each subject lessons may contain and the school’s code of conduct. Interspersed between the sections are usually professional photos of students enjoying life in school and a hefty amount of time and money is usually put into the creation of a prospectus.

But imagine this – a school website with photographs portraying school life, a short video with the headteacher and other members of staff introducing the school and what it means to them to teach. Each subject has its own page on the website where the curriculum is explained for each year group in an interactive manner, past school trips can be easily viewed and envied over whilst the latest after-school clubs can be advertised and entice potential students in.

There’s nothing you can put in a school prospectus that you can’t put on a website but there’s plenty you can put on a website that can’t be placed inside a prospectus.

What’s in a school website?

It’s easier to tell you what’s not in a school website because, quite honestly, everything you need can be put onto a school website.

For potential students and visitors to your website; they can access videos, browse through the curriculum and take a look at what other opportunities are available to them either through after-school clubs, sports teams or lunchtime activities.

For current students you can give them a log-in so they can access another part of your website where lesson plans can be viewed, additional resources can be poured over and homework can be handed in. Combined with Homework4, your school website can be a true digital asset to your students and staff alike, streamlining their workloads and aligning priorities and goals.

For parents of current students they could have the same access but instead be able to view their child’s grades and current attendance, make a payment for school supplies or a trip and even browse the school lunch menu if they want!

While schools might be wary of investing into their website; there’s no better time to do so. Prospectuses won’t be used or handed out because, at the moment, open events cannot be held but, instead of spending the money on print costs of a prospectus, it would be worthwhile investing it into your school website.

Making your school website stand out from the crowd in an age where virtually all adults aged 16 to 44 years in the UK were recent internet users (99%), could propel your school forward into the digital age.

Spending thousands of pounds on a yearly prospectus which goes out of date within months might not seem strange but, when you can invest the same amount in a website which can be updated easily on a daily basis and change as your school changes, it’s questionable as to why schools place so much importance on the prospectus.

The costs of a prospectus or a website aren’t cheap but, when you get the same and so much more in the form of SEO, digital marketing, embedded videos, interactive elements in a website that won’t be outdated in months, it makes it easier to see which one could prove to be priceless.