Covering the whole of Cumbria we offer a full range of bespoke websites tailored to the precise needs and budgets of each individual school we work with.
Covering the whole of Cumbria we offer a full range of bespoke websites tailored to the precise needs and budgets of each individual school we work with.
Once the essential framework of the website has been developed we then look to build within it the different features and elements that help to enhance the visitor experience.
We can integrate a whole range of advanced features to enable a smoother presentation of information.
Some of our most popular ones are:
Photo GalleriesOur most popular style of photo gallery features a zoom effect that combines with a fading transition between each image.
In this way the images feel more alive as users sit back and watch an animated presentation of your school's best photos.
The photo gallery zoom and fade feature gives near broadcast quality animations between images using the latest developments in HTML5 and CSS level 3.
Whilst not all browsers support this feature the photo gallery module automatically detects when this occurs. In such conditions it renders a normal fade effect between images.
This flexibility enables those with more up to date browsers to enjoy the full effect, whilst still enabling those visitors with older browsers to enjoy the gallery as well.
For the best effect we recommend that schools use images from a professional photographer for the photo gallery.
Another popular feature are animated tables which enable school websites to present lengthy or detailed information in a more interesting way than would otherwise be possible.
This feature is especially useful for presenting curriculum information, term dates, and local offer for Special Educational Needs information.
The table is made up of tabs which can be given specific headings. When the user clicks on the heading the table expands to reveal the information contained within that section.
As they click on another heading the previous information contracts back into its original heading whilst the new information expands to be revealed.
This feature helps users to quickly navigate long or complex information in a highly interactive way. In addition to allowing a simple, manageable way to present the information it also helps to increase user engagement with the content.
Similar to 'breaking news' features on the BBC and Sky News websites this animation can be presented as a fade through animation or the more popular 'ticker-tape' style, shown below.
This feature is usually positioned on the websites homepage directly beneath the menu system so that it can be used to present urgent, or key information to visitors. As well as containing the headline text it can also link through to a specific page or section of the school website for further details.
Social Media IntegrationFor schools with Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram accounts we can integrate these within your school website.
Some schools prefer just to have a button which links through to their social media account, whereas others like to have their media stream embedded on the website.
Embedding a social media stream is sometimes a useful way of presenting the latest information about the school. In situations where you want to remain up to date with the least amount of maintenance this approach has several advantages.
For example as soon as you update your Twitter account it automatically updates the embedded Twitter feed on your website. In this way you only have to focus on updating Twitter and your website will take care of the rest.
The above examples are just some of our most popular school website features, but the list is by no means exhaustive.
In addition we provide as standard the contact form system which enables visitors to email directly from the site to a chosen email address at school. We can also provide a separate contact form specifically for the school governors. This is often helpful to demonstrate that school have an effective whistle-blower mechanism in accordance with County's whistle-blowing policy and national legislation.
All of our website features can be included in the principle site design or added at a later date. Some schools prefer to develop the site initially as an essential framework website which has all of the key functionality. Then in subsequent years they can add-on extra features and gradually expand the site. In addition to spreading the cost of the website this can also help to ensure that only the most useful features are integrated into the site design when school has identified a specific need for them.
There are also several 3rd party features that can be used alongside the school website or embedded within it such as the Blogger platform and Google calendar. Where possible we always try to identify the most cost effective way for school to develop its website and if you don't need a feature we won't recommend it to you.
Over the past 4 years we have been working hard to offer schools throughout the whole of Cumbria a better, more responsive approach to developing their websites.
Although our main office is based in Carlisle we serve the whole of Cumbria. We frequently visit schools throughout the region, so no matter where you're based we're never too far away.
Unlike other design companies we don't use off the shelf pre-designed templates because we don't believe they serve the needs of the modern school environment.
We take the time to create websites that reflect each school's different ethos and values. We also endeavour to make them practical and relevant to every different user.
It's this approach which we believe makes us different from every other school website designers in Cumbria.