The Department for Education (DfE) recognises the increasing importance on school websites as the first port of call for families and inspectors, prompting updated guidance for school websites in May 2024. As education consultants with over 25 years of combined school leadership experience, we at Peoples Education Solutions are here to help you navigate these changes and ensure your school’s online presence is both compliant and effective.
Key Changes at a Glance
Here’s a quick overview of the major changes:
- Admissions: New requirements for certain school types and in-year admissions
- Curriculum: Enhanced transparency around religious education and music
- Governance: Updated reporting requirements and pay gap considerations
- Operational Info: Clarifications on remote education and school hours
- Performance Data: Revised reporting for Key Stage 2 results
Updates and Their Implications
1. Admissions Arrangements
Foundation and voluntary-aided schools now must include their Published Admission Number (PAN) in their policy. All schools need to provide clear information about deferring entry or requesting admission outside the normal age group. Additionally, there’s a new focus on in-year admissions, requiring schools to either provide application forms or link directly to local authority schemes.
2. Curriculum Transparency
Schools must now explicitly inform parents of their right to withdraw children from all or part of Religious Education.
There’s also a new requirement (although it is technically a ‘should’) to publish information about your music development plan, emphasising the importance of arts education in the curriculum. Download the template from the DfE site.
This statement has been extended: “All schools must publish the content of the curriculum in each academic year for every subject, including mandatory subjects such as religious education (RE) – this applies even if it is taught as part of another subject or known by another name.”
You can download a detailed explanation of curriculum changes for FREE on our website.
3. Governance and Pay Gap Reporting
The governance section has been refined, with a particular emphasis on including information about associate governors. Interestingly, while most schools may not meet the criteria for mandatory gender pay gap reporting, the DfE now encourages all schools to consider publishing this information voluntarily.
4. Operational Information
Despite the return to normal operations post-pandemic, schools are still required to publish details of their remote education provision. The guidance on school opening hours has been clarified (thankfully!), focusing on the “official start of the compulsory day” rather than general opening times.
5. Performance Reporting
For Key Stage 2, schools must now publish:
- Progress scores in reading, writing and maths
- The percentage of pupils who achieved the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (combined)
- The percentage of pupils who achieved a higher standard in reading, writing and maths (combined)
- Average scaled scores in reading and maths
All other phases remain unchanged.
The Impact on Different School Types
While many of these changes apply universally, there are some nuances between maintained schools and academies. For instance, academies no longer need to publish the name and contact details of their SENCo on their website (though we still recommend including this information for transparency). Academies also have an explicit requirement to publish their policy on Relationship Education.
Expert Insights
As experienced education consultants, we see these changes as part of a broader trend towards greater transparency and accessibility in school communications. The emphasis on detailed admissions information, curriculum transparency, and comprehensive performance data reflects a commitment to empowering families and students with the information they need to make informed decisions.
Looking ahead, we anticipate further developments in areas such as:
- Digital accessibility standards for school websites (WCAG 2.2)
- Integration of real-time data and interactive elements
- Enhanced requirements for showcasing school ethos and values
Implementation Challenges and Solutions
Updating your school website to meet these new requirements may seem daunting, but with a systematic approach, it’s entirely manageable. Here are some tips:
- Conduct a thorough audit of your current website content
- Prioritise updates based on the most significant changes
- Involve key stakeholders in gathering and verifying information (namely your governors)
- Consider the user experience when presenting new information
- Regularly review and update your website (termly as a minimum) to ensure ongoing compliance
The Crucial Role of Regular Website Audits
With these new changes, the importance of regular school website audits cannot be overstated. A comprehensive audit helps ensure:
- Compliance with the latest DfE requirements
- Accurate and up-to-date information for your school community
- Effective communication of your school’s values and achievements
- Identification of areas for improvement in user experience and accessibility
At Peoples Education Solutions, our school website audit service provides a detailed evaluation of your site against the latest DfE guidance. We offer actionable recommendations to not just meet requirements, but to create a website that truly serves your school community. Don’t let your school’s digital presence fall behind. Contact us today (contact@peopleseducationsolutions.co.uk) to learn more about our school website audit services and how we can help you stay ahead of the curve in educational communications.
