Is Your School Website Doing Its Job?

A school website can gradually become a collection of old forms, duplicate pages and well-intentioned content. Visitors may find plenty to read, yet struggle to find what they need. In a recent educate+ webinar, Lucy Borrill, Director and Brand Strategist at Lumo Design Studio, invited schools to ask: What is our website for?

The answer should guide decisions about content, design and navigation. If Enrolments are the priority, the homepage should help prospective families explore the school and take the next step, such as booking a tour. If recruitment is the priority, does the site show what working at the school is like? Other audiences still need useful information, but the main message should reflect the school’s current goal.

Lucy suggested mapping the journey each priority audience might take, then checking whether the content and calls to action support it. What are visitors looking for? How much information do they need before making contact? Where should each button lead? The aim is to begin a conversation that can continue beyond the website.

Tools and Checks for a Practical Website Review

• Find your XML sitemap. Lucy suggested using the sitemap to see the site’s pages in one place. Review each page systematically: Who is it for? What should a visitor learn or do there? Is the information still accurate? An XML sitemap is commonly available at /sitemap.xml, although its location depends on the website.
• Open Google Analytics and your own analytics dashboard. Examine which pages people visit, where they click, how long they spend on a page and how much traffic comes from mobile devices. Look for pages people leave soon after clicking through: the content or destination may not match what they expected. Lucy encouraged schools to request direct access to their data if an agency currently provides only periodic reports.
• Check accessibility against the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). Review whether people with different physical, sensory and cognitive abilities can use the site. Lucy also highlighted clear headings, an obvious information hierarchy, simple language and navigation that works on a small screen.
• Test the journey yourself on a phone. Can you find essential information without digging through menus? Is the next step obvious, and do buttons take you where their labels suggest? Check loading speed as well as appearance.

What Changes When Families Use AI to Research Schools?

Lucy noted that families may ask ChatGPT or Gemini about schools or particular programmes before visiting a school website. She recommended:

• Writing specific, accurate content. A page explaining a music programme gives both families and AI tools more to work with than a broad claim about opportunities.
• Using clear headings and natural language so each page communicates what it covers.
• Reviewing older articles and news. Retain pieces that still represent the school well; consider archiving content that is outdated or misleading.
• Checking available AI data. Lucy said her team uses Wix Studio to examine information about AI tools accessing content on websites they build. Ask your website provider what, if anything, your platform can show.

Key Takeaways

• Give the website a clear current purpose.
• Review every page against its audience and goal.
• Use analytics and real user journeys to guide changes.
• Make accessibility, mobile use and student image permissions part of the audit.
• Keep content accurate for visitors who may first discover it through AI tools.

Why This Matters

For many families, the website is an early part of getting to know a school. When it reflects the school accurately, answers their questions and respects student privacy, it helps build trust and makes it easier to take the next step.