Commissioning a new school website is a significant investment — in time, money, and trust. Done well, it becomes your most powerful communication tool: the first thing prospective parents see, the go-to resource for your existing community, and a compliance asset that ticks boxes for Ofsted and the DfE. Done badly, it’s a costly headache that takes years to fix.
So how do you choose the right agency? Here’s what to look for.
Look for genuine school website experience
There’s no shortage of web design companies, but very few specialise in schools — and that difference matters more than you might think.
A general agency might produce a beautiful website, but they won’t automatically know that your site needs a statutory information page with DfE-required content, that governors’ details must be displayed in a specific way, or that certain cookie and privacy policy requirements apply specifically to schools. Getting these wrong creates compliance headaches down the line.
Ask any prospective agency to show you their school portfolio. Look for variety — primary schools, secondary schools, academy trusts. Check whether those sites are still live and well-maintained. That tells you a lot about the longevity of their client relationships.
Questions to ask before you sign anything
Before committing to any contract, it’s worth asking a few direct questions.
Who owns the website once it’s built? Some agencies use proprietary platforms that tie you into a contract for life. If you move to another provider, your website doesn’t come with you. Look for agencies that build on open platforms like WordPress — it’s used by over 40% of all websites, it’s endlessly flexible, and it means you’re never held hostage to one supplier’s pricing.
What’s included in ongoing support? A website isn’t a one-off purchase — it needs regular updates, security patches, and content changes. Find out exactly what a maintenance plan covers, what the response times are, and whether there are limits on how many changes you can request.
Are they familiar with DfE statutory requirements? The Department for Education publishes a list of information schools must include on their website — and compliance sits with the school, not the agency. But a good specialist agency will know the list inside out and be able to advise you on which pages you’ll need and what to include. They’re a helpful guide, not the ones accountable for it.
How is hosting managed? Some agencies include hosting in their packages; others hand it back to you. Make sure you understand who’s responsible for uptime, backups, and security.
Red flags to watch out for
Not every agency is a good fit for a school. A company can’t show you a portfolio of school-specific work? That’s a warning sign — generic websites don’t demonstrate an understanding of your audience or your compliance requirements.
Very low upfront prices with no clear explanation of what’s included? Websites built cheaply often need expensive reworking within 12–18 months.
Vague about support? If there’s no clear SLA, you may find yourself waiting days or weeks for urgent changes to go live.
Using a proprietary CMS? If the platform doesn’t let you export your own content, you’re locked in for as long as they decide to charge you.
What good ongoing support looks like
A great school website agency doesn’t just build your site and disappear. They should feel like a long-term partner — responsive when something goes wrong, proactive when things change (like new Ofsted guidance or DfE requirements), and easy to communicate with.
With a smaller specialist agency, you deal directly with the person who built your site — not a helpdesk ticket or a rotating support team. That means whoever picks up your email already knows your school, knows your site, and can actually sort things without briefing three other people first. It’s one of the real advantages of working with a dedicated specialist rather than a large agency.
Getting your brief right
Once you’ve found the right agency, set the partnership up for success by being clear about what you need. Think about who your primary audience is (usually parents and prospective families), the tone and feel you want, any reference websites you admire, your budget and timeline, and who within school will manage content once the site is live.
The best agencies will ask these questions anyway, but coming prepared saves time and helps you get a website that truly reflects your school.
Ready to start the conversation?
At Brothers Creative, we specialise exclusively in websites for primary schools, secondary schools, and academy trusts across the UK. We know the compliance requirements, we know your audience, and we build websites that work hard for your school community — without locking you into restrictive contracts.
If you’re thinking about a new website — or wondering whether your existing one is doing its job — we’d love to have a chat. Get in touch here or explore our school website design services.
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