Layout Matters

Does your school website have an easy navigation system? We advise that all content should be easily found and be organised under relevant topics ie Our Classes/Parents information/Staffing.

School Domain name

Ensure your domain name is the right one for the school.

Evidence and information

It might sound basic but if your school has gone on a school trip then evidence it and add links to where you went. Backup anything you want to show parents with links, facts and pictures (if you have the correct permission of course!)

Policies

Are all your policies clearly visible and accessible to all? Are all the policy documents present and correct? Can you open them if you have attached them as a document. As policies are reviewed regularly we would recommend checking that that are up to date every 3 months and remember to amend if a policy document changes.

Ofsted report

This is an absolute must. You can either add a link to the Ofsted page or attach the report to the relevant page.

Contact details of the school

Make sure the name of the school, address, contact details – phone number and emails are easily read. Clearly note who has responsibility for parent queries and or who the SEN leader is for the school. For an extra wow factor you can also add a google/apple map location.

Academic results and performance tables

These need to be reported for Key Stage 2 in English, Maths and writing for the following:

• Progress
• Average ‘Scale scores’ (not writing)
• Percentage of pupils who achieved at least higher scores.
• Please note you only need to report for 2018 to 2019 – due to the pandemic these are the only results that are reported on but we expect this to change. As soon as it does we will keep you in the loop.
• A link needs to be added to take parents/carers to the DfE school performance table.

Admissions

For the majority of schools we work with their admissions policy is decided by their Governing body. These policies and procedures need to be annually reviewed and published for a minimum of a year. This policy should explain the following:

• 1. How the school selects pupils for each year
• 2. What steps parents/carers need to take to apply to your school
• 3. If you are a selective school state what the arrangements you have for this.
• 4. In case of oversubscription what criteria will be used.

You also need to have a clear appeals policy visible on your website. A clear timetable for this needs to be published by the 28th February each year and this will include the following information:

• 1. What the deadline is for appealing
• 2. What the process involves ie submitting and evidence – these should be in a reasonable timescale.
• 3. Giving a minimum of 10 days notice for anyone making an appeal.
• 4. Making sure the school send out a letter within 5 days of the hearing with the result where possible.

Accessibility tools

All our websites can be used with google translate making them accessible to all.

Values and Ethos of your School

This is probably one that you are proud of so tell your parents all about it. You must state on the website that paper copies are also available should a parent/carer request one.

Remote Education

Detail your policy on how you provide remote education to pupils.

Behaviour policy

An important one. This has to be published inline with Section 89 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006.

Charging and remissions policy

You will need to mention any situation where the school can charge a parent/carer and talk about any circumstances where you will make exceptions to payments that otherwise you would normally take.

Governors

Vital information about the role of Governors includes the below:

• Detailed description of what the Governing body do and its roles and responsibilities.
• You need to name the chair of Governors and chair of each committee.
• It is also noting their name, date of appointment, who appointed them, term of appointment and when they will step down.
• Any Governor will also need to disclose any other governance roles in Educational establishments and any material interests gained including spouses to employee’s of the school.
• You might also want to include voting record and attendance to Governor and committee meetings

Financial information

If anyone in the school earns in excess of £100,000 you must disclose this (in increments of £10,000) and include a link to a webpage that is dedicated to your schools finance benchmarking service.

Pupil premium

For the academic year your school has to publish:

• 1. What grant amount you received
• 2. Why the money was given to pupils to pupils that received it ie what issues were they facing
• 3. How you will measure success from this allocated money
• 4. Next review date of the strategy

You must also detail how previous years money was spent and the results of the spend on the pupils.

Covid 19 – Catch up funding

If your school was allocated any Covid catch up funding, much like the pupil premium you will need to layout how this has been spent and the academic effects of the spend on the pupils that received it.

Special Educational Needs provision information

Each year you will need to review your policy related to SEN provision. Your policy should comply with Section 69 of the Children and Families Act 2014 and should contain the following information:

• 1. What steps you school will take to ensure disable pupils will not be treated less favourably than other pupils in the school
• 2. Arrangements for disabled pupils
• 3. Facilities you provide to allow disabled pupils/carers access your school

The plan prepared under paragraph 3 of schedule 10 to the Equality Act 2010

• 1. What steps you school will take to ensure disable pupils will not be treated less favourably than other pupils in the school
• 2. Arrangements for disabled pupils
• 3. Facilities you provide to allow disabled pupils/carers access your school

Complaints procedure

This has to comply with section 29 of the Education act 2022. This complaints procedure should also include (as included in SEN information report) any complaints the school receives in relation to support the school provides to SEN children.