Juniper Websites

A new year, be it calendar or academic, offers the opportunity for a clean slate, setting new goals and creating an atmosphere of renewal. 

For schools seeking a fresh new website design in 2025, wanting to improve the online user experience for parents, or looking to produce a virtual tour, it’s never been easier to start a new website project and take your school website from good to great!  

Introduction 

For Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs), a website isn’t just a collection of individual school pages; it’s an opportunity to showcase the collective strength of all the schools under your trust and present a unified vision to the public. A cohesive, well-designed website plays an important role in uniting your schools, aligning them with your MAT’s values, and creating a consistent experience for parents, students, staff, and each of your school communities.  

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Did you know prospective parents form an opinion about your school in less than a second based on their first impression online? Beyond just the look and feel, your website is also a vital resource for current parents and carers, making it easy for them to find important information and get updates. That’s why when it comes to your school website, it’s more than important to get it right; it’s imperative.

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A school’s website is like a “shop window”—it’s often the first thing prospective parents see, creating that all-important first impression. It’s also a valuable tool for current parents and carers, helping them quickly find important updates and information.

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The Autumn Term is in full swing, and schools have been launching their new websites throughout September to mark the start of the academic year!

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From January 2025, independent schools will face major changes to their budgets as the UK government introduces VAT on school fees. The removal of tax breaks for private schools will affect tuition fees and charitable business rate relief and will potentially affect how schools manage their operations.  

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As the summer holidays come to an end, and while teachers, pupils, and parents have enjoyed their time off, our website development team has been hard at work behind the scenes. They’ve been busy creating beautiful websites in preparation for the new academic year, some of which we’ve selected to share with you in this blog.

Introduction 

As school admissions season approaches, typically spanning from late October to January, schools face an important period for increasing student enrolment. With declining birth rates in the UK and increased competition, it's more important than ever to ensure your school's website is optimised and makes a positive and impactful first impression to attract prospective families and stand out in a crowded marketplace.  

Introduction 

By October 2024, all schools are being asked to comply with the new WCAG 2.2 standards that apply to them. This updated accessibility standard ensures that UK Government sites, including school websites, can be used by everyone, including individuals with disabilities or specific accessibility needs.  

The UK government will conduct random school website spot-checks for WCAG 2.2 AA compliance starting October 2024, but schools will have a 12-week grace period to address any issues found.  

So, what does this mean for your school? 

We know that for schools, being compliant isn't just about ticking a box. It's about showing commitment to making your website accessible to all visitors, no matter their needs.  

The new requirements can be overwhelming, so to help schools, the Juniper Websites teams have done the hard work for you and uncovered what these new standards mean for education. Below, we have outlined the necessary steps you need to take and how Juniper can assist you in achieving compliance.