Spring term is when schools settle back into the real work of the year. Applications have been submitted, offers are being prepared, and the focus returns to teaching, learning, and running the school well.

During this period, the school website gets more attention than many teams expect. Parents waiting for outcomes check it again. Prospective families revisit key pages to reassure themselves. Staff, governors, and external partners rely on it for accurate information. Inspectors may already be forming first impressions.

This is not about selling the school or pushing messages. It is about having a school website that accurately reflects what is happening day to day, feels looked after, and gives confidence to people who are quietly paying attention.

How spring term changes the role of the school website

By spring, most parents have already applied for places. That does not reduce the importance of the school website. It shifts its role.

Families waiting for offers often return to the website quietly and repeatedly. They look for signs of stability, warmth, and normal school life. They notice whether content feels cared for or neglected. They pick up cues about communication, organisation, and values.

Spring term becomes a reassurance phase. A clear, up-to-date school website reinforces confidence without needing to say anything explicitly.

Admissions is now a year-round school website responsibility

With falling birth rates and increased pressure on pupil numbers, admissions no longer sit neatly within one part of the year.

Spring term still matters. Appeals take place. Mid-year applications continue. Families move. Future parents begin early research. The school website supports all of this quietly in the background.

At this point in the year, admissions content is less about forms and deadlines. It is about showing what school life actually looks like. Values, routines, care, learning, and community become the deciding factors.

Your school website plays a central role in presenting that picture consistently across the year.

Celebrating school life matters more than ever

Spring term is full of everyday activity that rarely gets noticed outside the school gates. Learning, trips, performances, sports, classroom moments, enrichment, and pastoral work all continue at pace.

For many families, the school website is the only place they see this happening.

Regular news updates, photos, and simple stories do more than fill space. They show momentum. They show care. They show that school life is active and purposeful.

For parents waiting on outcomes, this content reassures. For future families, it helps them picture their child as part of the school. For current parents, it builds trust and connection.

Never has it been more important to use the school website to reflect the reality of school life.

A strong school website reduces pressure during a busy term

Spring term already carries a heavy workload. Planning, reviews, meetings, and preparation sit alongside daily teaching and support.

A well-organised school website removes friction from this. Parents find answers without calling. Staff know where to point people. Leaders feel confident that key information is visible and current.

Small improvements to structure, clarity, and content can make a noticeable difference to workload across the team.

Spring term remains a sensible point for compliance checks

Many schools use spring term to take stock of statutory content and published information.

Common school website checks at this stage include:

1. Admission arrangements: Determined admission arrangements must be published on the school website by 15 March each year.
2. Statutory policies: Policies approved during spring governing board cycles should replace older versions online promptly.
3. Safeguarding information: DSL details, child protection policies, and related pages should reflect current staffing and guidance.
4. Curriculum information: Subject and curriculum pages should match what is actually taught and how learning is organised.

Addressing these calmly during spring avoids rushed updates later in the year.

How Multi-Academy Trusts can support schools in spring

Spring term offers a valuable opportunity for trust-level support through school websites.

Helpful actions often include:

1. Light-touch compliance reviews across all school websites
2. Shared guidance on presenting admissions and school life consistently
3. Central support for policy publishing and updates
4. Clear spring priorities that keep expectations realistic for schools
5. Encouragement to use school websites to celebrate activity across the trust

This approach reduces duplication, improves consistency, and gives individual schools confidence that they are focusing on the right things.

What to prioritise on your school website this spring

Spring term works best with focus. For many schools, these areas deliver the most value:

1. Content that reassures families waiting for outcomes
2. Regular news that reflects real school life
3. Statutory information that is easy to find and up to date
4. Admissions pages written for year-round relevance
5. Clear contact routes that reduce unnecessary chasing

This does not require a redesign. Thoughtful updates often have the greatest impact.

Your school website is already shaping opinion

Your school website is being read, revisited, and shared throughout spring term, often without feedback.

Placing it at the centre of your spring strategy supports staff, reassures families, and strengthens confidence at a point in the year when reassurance matters. It is not about doing more. It is about making what you already do visible.