As discussed previously, integrating technology in the classroom helps to improve engagement, it encourages individual and collaborative learning, provides students with useful life skills as well as it benefits teachers in many ways.

Social media

Most students are already using social media outside the classroom. Embracing social media in the classroom can instantly engage with students and to make learning more fun. For instance, Twitter or Facebook can be used to start a discussion on a particular topic. You can also use social media for making school related announcements, posting reminders about deadlines, uploading pictures or videos.

Blogging

Blogging is a great way to  promote collaborative learning and to encourage open reflection by letting students share their work with others. What is more, blogging helps to develop reading and writing skills. Blog can be used for homework, assignments or for discussing topics of interest.

Podcasts

Podcasts can be very useful for recording lessons or for providing students with additional learning materials. There are many ways that podcasts could be used in the classroom. For example, recording a class discussion, reviewing a book, conducting interviews or broadcasting classroom news.

Video conferencing

Using video conferencing in the classroom creates exciting opportunities. Students can make friends by interacting with other students in different countries or they can learn by participating in virtual seminars with guest lecturers.

Online resources for learning and assignments

Teachers can test students by using online resources or they can make studying more fun by letting students undertake online quizzes to practice different subjects online.

Use videos

Videos can be used for demonstrating practical examples related to subjects taught in the classroom as well as for providing different approaches to subjects. Videos are useful for making learning more fun and engaging and these are the factors that lead to increased knowledge retention.

Games

Consider elements of gamification to improve the way you deliver the teaching content. The main idea behind gamification in the classroom is to increase motivation through engagement by using elements of video games. Some of the ways to gamify your classroom include: gamification of grading, awarding students with badges, using educational games, implementing a rewards system or gamifying homework.

If you want to learn more about different ways of incorporating technology in the classroom, contact the Webanywhere team.

As people start getting older, learning becomes more difficult. Some people argue this is because we already know too much, while others believe that the brain is like a muscle and if we don’t work it out it gets weaker. Whatever the reason is, there are some learning strategies that can help you learn faster, no matter what age you are.
Make your learning much easier by following these tips:

Learning platforms (or virtual learning environments) help learners improve the speed of their learning too by providing immediate feedback after each training session. Check out Totara LMS to learn more.

You might remember, six months ago, how all the blogs about school websites (us included) – and indeed all websites – were talking about Google’s impending “Mobilegeddon” – the change in their ranking algorithm that would prioritise mobile-friendly websites and penalise those that aren’t mobile compatible. No doubt you received countless emails from providers (ourselves included, again), offering to fix the problem, but six months on we have to ask – was it a genuine threat to your website?
The short answer is “no, but….”, and the long answer is “yes, and…”. The reasons for this are due to a number of trends in the way people are accessing content, and the long and short of it is that, from here on out, things are only going to get worse for non-mobile-friendly websites.

Changes in browsing habits

The traditional model of browsing on your desktop, with Google results in front of you and websites tucked comfortably behind the tabs or windows of your screen, is in decline. Even since April, Android traffic alone has gone up by as much as 6% by some metrics – invariably at the expense of desktop searches. This means that parents are more likely to be searching for things like schools from a mobile device.
In this environment, your content needs to work on these devices, and not just function but look great while doing it. This is why we really do recommend a responsive website, and it’s worth pointing out that School Jotter 2 customers needn’t worry about these changes – all their websites are responsive straight out of the box, with easy access from any device you choose. Content will change and adapt to suit the screen size, so it doesn’t matter if you’re using a 27” iMac or a 3.5” Android phone – you’ll get the same content, tailored to your device.
The reality of the situation is that you need to be going where the people are, and increasingly they’re on their tablets and phones.

Google’s changes are gradual

I want to be clear here – Mobilegeddon was a real thing, with real effects, it just wasn’t as bad as everyone said, but the important thing here is “yet”. April was the beginning of a longer process which will slowly see mobile-friendly designs becoming the new normal, transitioning from a luxury to a general fact of life. By upgrading your site to a responsive theme, you’ll be getting around this; by staying non-responsive things are only going to get worse for your rankings.

The overall picture

Your website needs to work on the phones of parents, teachers and students, and if it doesn’t you’re missing out. Not just in terms of your slowly-decreasing search engine traffic, but in terms of providing a decent browsing experience to the people who need it most.
Interested in getting a responsive, mobile-friendly website? School Jotter provides responsive themes out of the box, contact us for a free trial.

Webanywhere provide school web design in the East Midlands, throughout the UK, and beyond. We have provided learning platforms, websites and useful education apps to many schools across Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire and Rutland.
On this post, we’ll be looking at just a few examples of great school websites in the East Midlands of England, all made with School Jotter – the website builder and suite of apps for education providers.

Martinshaw Primary School in Leicester

Martinshaw Primary in Leicestershire has a beautiful website that blends images of their school with their green surroundings. A gallery of images on their homepage showcases their outside spaces and facilities.
The homepage also shows the school’s awards and accreditations, while a calendar feed and latest news section keep visitors informed.
This Leicester school website can be seen at: https://www.martinshaw.leics.sch.uk/

St John’s C of E Primary School in Nottingham

This Nottinghamshire school has a smart and vibrant website design that quickly signposts visitors to useful information. The main menu uses drop-downs to easily navigate to deeper pages of the site, while a section on the left shows excerpts from a recent Ofsted report and allows parents to download a school prospectus.
The homepage is used to provide a warm welcome from the headteacher.
Visit the website to learn more: https://www.st-johns.notts.sch.uk/

Grampian Primary School in Derby

This Derbyshire primary has a fun and colourful school website design, welcoming visitors with some friendly robots! There are information feeds from Twitter and their latest news section.
Lots of images on the homepage, including a slideshow, give visitors a great introduction to the school and its surroundings.
View the website of Grampian Primary School in Derby at: https://www.grampianprimary.org.uk/

Can We Help You?

Are you looking for school website design in or near Derby, Leicester, Lincoln or Nottingham, elsewhere in the UK, or even further afield? Since 2003, we’ve helped thousands of clients worldwide to create fantastic looking school websites, packed with useful apps and features, and which are easy for their teachers and support staff to maintain. We provide full training in using School Jotter and of course we’re always here if you need support.
Browse the site for more on school websites and our range of education products and services. You can learn more about our school website builder at www.schooljotter.com or why not contact us for a no-obligations discussion of your needs?

Webanywhere provide school web design in Yorkshire, throughout the UK, and beyond. We have provided websites to literally hundreds of schools across North, South, East and West Yorkshire. On this post, we’ll be looking at just a few examples of great school websites in Yorkshire, all made with School Jotter – the site builder and suite of apps for education providers.

Birstwith C of E Primary School, North Yorkshire

This beautiful Church of England primary school located in the North Yorkshire countryside use photographs of their local surroundings for the backdrop of their website. They’ve included a slideshow of pupil photos and a warm welcome from their headteacher.
The homepage integrates a feed of the weekly newsletter and visitors are encouraged to follow the school on Twitter.
This North Yorkshire school website can be seen at: https://www.birstwith.n-yorks.sch.uk/

Great Heights Cluster, Bradford

This school cluster website introduces 8 primary schools and one secondary school in Bradford, West Yorkshire. The site explains how these schools work together on projects that aim to enhance Teaching & Learning, Leadership & Management, and Community Cohesion.
The cluster school website design signposts visitors to joint initiatives and useful information, such as e-safety links and upcoming events, while also taking visitors to any of the member schools.
Visit the website to learn more: https://greatheights.org/

Knavesmire Primary School, York

This colourful primary school website design signposts essential visitor information quickly and effectively through a set of drop down menus. There are additional feeds from Twitter and an upcoming events schedule, and an integrated Google Map opens up to help you find the school.
The site uses a gallery of large images from in and around the school on their homepage.
View the website of Knavesmire Primary School in York at: https://www.knavesmireprimary.co.uk/

Can We Help You?

Are you looking for school website design in Yorkshire, elsewhere in the UK, or even further afield? Since 2003, we’ve helped thousands of clients worldwide to create fantastic looking school websites, packed with useful apps and features, and which are easy for their teachers and support staff to maintain. We provide full training in using School Jotter and of course we’re always here if you need support.
Browse the site for more on school websites and our range of education products and services. You can learn more about our school website builder at www.schooljotter.com or why not contact us for a no-obligations discussion of your needs?

Webanywhere provide school web design in the North East of England, throughout the UK and beyond. Here, we’ll be looking at some examples of great school websites in Tyne and Wear, Northumberland and County Durham, all made with School Jotter – the site builder and suite of apps for education providers.

Coxhoe Primary School, Durham

Coxhoe Primary in Durham have one of the most-visited school websites in the UK, due to the useful teaching and learning resources section that they have built up over the years. Their school web design incorporates an easy to use drop down menu to signpost pages for each class, essential documents, policies and reports in their ‘Virtual Office’, and much more. Their Curriculum Links’ section organises teaching resources by subject.
Explore the site at: https://www.coxhoe.durham.sch.uk/

Albany Village Primary School in Washington, Tyne & Wear

A fun, cartoon-style school web design accompanies a warm welcome from the staff and governors. Integration of a calendar and Google Maps helps families to stay aware of upcoming events and find the location.
Ofsted reports and school brochures and policies are well signposted, and there are specific hubs for different age groups.
Browse the site at: https://www.albanyvillageprimary.org.uk/

Berwick Middle School, Northumberland

The Berwick website reflects the existing school branding, with a blue and white colour scheme. Its menus that make it easy to navigate to school policies, clubs, reports and more.
The homepage includes an events calendar, latest news, and a slideshow of photos.
View the Berwick Middle School in Northumberland: https://www.berwickmiddleschool.org.uk/

Can We Help You?

Are you looking for school web design in Northumberland, Tyne and Wear or County Durham, elsewhere in the North East of England, the UK or even further afield? Since 2003, we’ve helped thousands of clients worldwide to create fantastic-looking school websites, packed with useful apps and features, and which are easy for their teachers and support staff to maintain. We provide full training in using School Jotter and of course we’re always here if you need support.

Browse the site for more on school websites and our range of education products and services. You can learn more about our school website builder at www.schooljotter.com or why not contact us for a no-obligations discussion of your needs?

Webanywhere provide school web design in London, throughout the UK and beyond. In a series of blog posts we’ll be looking at some great examples of websites from most regions nationwide, all made with School Jotter – the site builder and suite of apps for education providers.
Below are just a few of the best school websites in London, created for our clients using Jotter.
Gordon Primary School in Eltham, London

This design uses a fun, cartoon-style illustration of their school, incorporating a mini slideshow of pupil photos. The ticker tape banner on the homepage draws attention to the latest news and announcements.
The sites blends fun with usefulness, signposting visitors quickly to important information, such as opening times, policies and a private staff area that requires logging in.
Browse the site at: https://www.gordonprimary.co.uk/

Adamsrill Primary School South East London

Adamsrill use their website well to promote their school motto:
“Learning and Working Together as a Community for a Brighter Future”
Using School Jotter, they integrate Google Maps, have a slideshow of pupil photos, include a school calendar, and make newsletters readily available from the homepage.
Their website reflects the existing school branding, with a blue and yellow colour scheme.
View their site at: https://www.adamsrill.lewisham.sch.uk/

Harlesdon Primary School, North West London

This primary school in Brent also chose to work with us to create a fun, cartoon design that represents their local surroundings. Each year group has its own web page linked from one of the buses on the homepage, and there are dedicated sections for parents and staff.
There’s multimedia integration, including a welcome video made with the help of the pupils.
Explore the site at: https://www.harlesdenschool.com/

Can We Help You?

Are you looking for school web design in London, elsewhere in the UK, or even further afield? Since 2003, we’ve helped thousands of clients worldwide to create fantastic looking school websites, packed with useful apps and features, and which are easy for their teachers and support staff to maintain. We provide full training in using School Jotter and of course we’re always here if you need support.
Browse the site for more on school websites and our range of education products and services. You can learn more about our school website builder at www.schooljotter.com or why not contact us for a no-obligations discussion of your needs?

One of the most common questions our consultants get asked is “what’s your delivery process like and how long is it going to take?” This is something you should be asking all school website providers really, as it’ll inform how they’re going to be delivering your product. We’ve produced an infographic here to help explain some of what you might expect to experience over the School Jotter delivery cycle.

Click here for a free, no-obligation, no-payment-information-needed trial of School Jotter

Five years ago I took the plunge into the wonderful world of the smartphone. I’d been using the mobile web on-and-off for a couple of years on my low-powered old Samsung phone, but it was a thoroughly unpleasant experience, rife with poorly-designed mobile websites hiding information behind labyrinthine menu structures. With my new HTC Desire though I’d be able to experience the web as its designers meant me to.
I was rather surprised, therefore, to find that I was getting roughly the same mobile experience on my high-end smartphone as I was on my low-tech feature phone. None of the websites I’d visit in the phone’s browser seemed optimised for mobile browsing, it was an overall unpleasant experience. I ended up having to use a browser (Dolphin) which let me spoof a desktop user-agent so I could actually see the content I requested.

Three years ago, the Desire having outlived its usefulness, I upgraded to the phone-du-jour, a Galaxy S3. I hoped that, in the intervening two years, with smartphones getting huge, I’d be able to dispense with my habits of browsing desktop-optimised websites on a (relatively) small screen, but this was not to be. Despite the upgraded power of the Galaxy, websites were just as sluggish and unresponsive as when I was browsing with the Desire.
I’m a bit of a tech geek, so I tend to upgrade my phones relatively often, so 2014 saw the purchase of a shiny new LG G3, with a bigger screen and a frankly silly screen resolution. Due to inertia and habit, I continued to browse using Dolphin, as I did five years ago, requesting desktop versions of mobile sites, unaware of the shifts going on behind the scenes. With Google’s algorithm changes in April 2015, responsive web design had suddenly become not only useful but entirely necessary. Despite carrying a mobile supercomputer in my pocket, the mobile web still looked pretty rubbish to me.
And so recently, on a whim, I switched browsers to something a bit more modern. While it might have won awards back in 2011 and 2012, Dolphin’s showing its age a bit, so I decided to try out Mozilla’s mobile offering and started using Firefox. It seems that, while I’ve been ignoring it, the mobile web actually became usable, and it’s all thanks to responsive web design. No longer do I have to go through the cumbersome process of requesting desktop sites then trying to navigate the tiny menus to get to the page I want. Everything from my news sources to my social media is presented in a mobile-optimised format, the information isn’t hidden behind awful mobile websites or splash screens asking I download an app.
What does this mean for schools? It means that if your website isn’t responsive, you’re missing out on engaging parents. People getting their first smartphone now won’t be using Dolphin, they’ll be using Chrome or something similar – they won’t be requesting desktop views, they’ll be wanting the information right underneath their thumbs, and you need to provide it to them. 60% of web browsing is now done on the phone, can you afford to cut them out or give them a substandard experience?
Is your site responsive? You can check it using Google’s own mobile-friendly test tool. Come up negative? Give School Jotter a try. All new Jotter school websites are fully responsive and mobile optimised.

On May 21st Webanywhere awarded Bush Hill Park primary school with our first ever Flagship School status as a reflection of their superb website and embracement of e-learning and technology within the classroom.

The standard of e-learning at Bush Hill Park has been marked as a huge success in the UK, with their site embracing modern, responsive design that works just as well on mobile, tablets and laptops as on any standard PC. Their use of the Blog, Learn and Messages app within School Jotter also reflects a school that truly believes in an e-learning future, and with a large stock of shock proof iPads they have the hardware to back up the rhetoric.
Bush Hill Park’s Computing Teacher & Subject Leader Mr Fateh Singh accepted the award in a ceremony hosted by the school. When asked about how he felt about receiving the honour he told Webanywhere “It’s been a great success to get to where we wanted to be. We love the website, we love the design, we love working with Webanywhere.”

The award is the first of its kind to be handed out, with Bush Hill Park being the first to achieve the standard of excellence Webanywhere is hoping to bring to schools across the country. With more nominees in the pipeline however, it won’t be long before another one of the Flagship School plaques finds it’s way at another one of these exceptional schools – it might even be your school next!
To see how the event went, check out our mini-documentary on Bush Hill Park and the future of e-learning:

If you’re a Webanywhere customer and you think you’ve fully embraced e-learning and are utlising technology within your school, feel free to contact us at events@webanywhere.co.uk and apply to be a flagship school.
Related Webpages
School Jotter – Find out about the online platform that Bush Hill Park Primary School use to create and manage their website and e-learning facilities