An easy guide to planning the content structure of your new school website
When it comes to creating or refreshing a school website, it’s not just about how it looks — it's about how well it works. A well-structured, user-friendly website is essential for schools today. Whether you're planning a new school website design or updating your existing one, the way you organise your content has a big impact on how easily people can find the information they need — including Ofsted inspectors.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to organise your school website content properly, making it easier to manage, easier to use, and fully compliant with Department for Education (DfE) and Ofsted requirements.
Why Content Structure Matters in School Website Design
Your school website is often the first impression people get of your school — whether they’re prospective parents, current families, staff, or inspectors. A clean, intuitive content structure:
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Improves user experience
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Saves admin time by reducing calls and questions
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Helps your school appear more professional and welcoming
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Ensures you meet statutory requirements
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Supports your school marketing efforts
At FSE Design, we specialise in school website design and work with hundreds of schools across the UK to create tailored, fully compliant, and beautifully structured websites for schools.
Step-by-Step: How to Structure Your School Website Content
Here’s our easy-to-follow guide to organising your content for maximum impact and usability.
1. Know Your Website Users
Start by thinking about who visits your website and what they’re looking for:
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Current parents – term dates, newsletters, key announcements
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Prospective parents – ethos, admissions, curriculum
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Staff/governors – internal documents, policies
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Inspectors (Ofsted and DfE) – statutory information, reports
Your website structure should make sense to all these users — and allow them to find what they need within just a few clicks.
2. Use Clear, Logical Menus
Group your content into clear sections to make the site easy to navigate. We recommend something like the following top-level sections on most school websites:
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Our School – Welcome message, vision and values, meet the staff
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Key Information – Policies, Ofsted reports, statutory content
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Parents – Letters, term dates, uniform, lunch menus
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Curriculum – Subject overviews, SEND support, enrichment
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Pupils – Clubs, house points, achievements, pupil voice
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Admissions – Application process, open days
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Contact Us – Enquiries, contact details, map
Avoid overly complicated drop-down menus or duplicate pages — keep it simple and user-focused.
3. Be Statutory Compliant
One of the most important jobs your website does is helping you meet the DfE’s school website requirements. Ofsted inspectors will check this section first.
Key statutory content includes:
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Contact details
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Admissions info
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Ofsted reports
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Pupil premium and PE funding
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SEND information report
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Performance data
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Behaviour and complaints policies
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Curriculum details
At FSE Design, we provide all our clients with a compliance checklist and help you organise this content clearly, often under a “Key Information” or “Statutory Info” section.
4. Write for Clarity (and Mobile Users)
Your school website content should be:
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Clear – use plain English and short sentences
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Concise – avoid unnecessary jargon or repetition
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Consistent – use similar page layouts and headings
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Current – keep information up to date
Top tip: Avoid uploading everything as a PDF. Wherever possible, include content directly on the page so it’s easier to read on mobiles and better for SEO.
5. Make the Homepage Work Hard
Your homepage is a vital part of any effective school website design. It should:
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Reflect your school’s identity and ethos
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Signpost key content (news, calendar, newsletters)
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Feature strong calls-to-action (e.g. “Visit Us” or “Apply Now”)
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Be mobile-friendly and accessible
We recommend keeping homepage content fresh by linking to latest news, important announcements or upcoming events.
6. Test and Review Your Content Layout
Once your website is live, gather feedback from users. Check your analytics to see which pages get the most traffic, and how people navigate through the site. If users are struggling to find information, it might be time to rethink the structure.
At FSE, we offer ongoing support to all schools, helping you tweak and improve your site even after launch.
Build a Better Website with FSE Design
We’ve been building websites for schools for over 20 years, creating modern, responsive and fully compliant platforms that are easy to use and easy to manage. Whether you're a primary, secondary, multi academy trust, college or special school, we’ll help you plan your content in a way that works for your audience and helps your school shine online.
If you’re planning a new school website or want help reviewing your current one, we’d love to help.
Ready to create a better school website? Get in touch today to book a free demo or site audit.