What parents are really searching for
Parents are not only searching for information. They are looking for reassurance. Will my child be known here? Will they be supported? Does this school’s culture feel aligned with our values? Academic outcomes still matter, of course, but they are rarely the whole story.
In that sense, the digital journey has become a new version of the school tour. Before a parent meets a teacher, sees a classroom, or speaks to admissions, they are already noticing how the school communicates. Is information easy to find? Are answers written in plain language? Does the site reflect a living community or simply a collection of static pages? Is there warmth in the communication, or only administration?
The schools that do this well are not necessarily the most polished. They are often the clearest.
Five things schools can do now
- Review the basics through a parent’s eyes.
Can a family quickly find answers to their most likely questions? Not just about fees and entry requirements, but about learning support, languages, transport, and what happens during the first few weeks of joining.
- Write for human beings, not institutions.
Many school websites are full of internal language that makes sense to staff but not to families. Parents ask simple questions. Good school communication should answer them directly.
- Keep content current.
Nothing quietly erodes trust like outdated pages, broken links, or contradictory information. In a busy school, this is easy to overlook. But families notice.
- Think carefully about responsiveness.
The School Choice Awareness Foundation found that 42 per cent of parents searching for schools want clearer guidance on options in their area. Parents expect the same immediacy from a school that they experience from every other service in their lives.
- Remember that digital communication is cultural communication.
Every page, message, and reply tell families something about how the school thinks and works. In my work at EduSight, where we help schools and universities rethink their digital engagement, the institutions adapting fastest are those treating their online presence not as a marketing add-on, but as an extension of the admissions experience, meeting families on WhatsApp, chat and social media, not just behind an enquiry form.
The welcome that matters
None of this replaces the real work of schools. Relationships, teaching, belonging, and community are, of course, at the heart of education. But in a world where first impressions are increasingly formed online, schools need to see their digital presence as an extension of those same values.
The first school tour may now happen on a screen. The question for school leaders is simple: what kind of welcome does that tour provide?