Most parents meet a school through its website before they ever visit the campus. They open it on a phone, usually in the evening, with three questions: is this the right school for my child, what does it cost and how do I apply. A school website that answers those quickly earns the visit. This guide sets out what a good school website needs in Saudi Arabia, drawn from two sites we built in Jeddah: Coral International School and Children’s World International Schools.
1. A homepage that answers the parent’s first questions
The first screen should say what kind of school it is: curriculum, grades covered and location. Real photos of the campus do more than stock images. If the school has more than one campus, show them straight away. On the Coral website the homepage opens with the Al Rawdah and Al Murjan campuses side by side, each with its own link, so a parent picks the right one in a single click.
2. Admissions that are never more than one click away
Admission is the reason most new visitors arrive. Keep “Apply” and “Register” in the header of every page, not buried under a menu. Explain the steps, the documents required and the age rules for each grade in plain language. An online application form saves parents a trip and saves the admissions office retyping paper forms. Children’s World has an online application on its website for exactly this reason.
3. Arabic and English, both complete
Many families in Saudi Arabia read one language far more comfortably than the other, and both parents may not prefer the same one. A school website needs two full versions, not an English site with a few translated pages. The Arabic version must be a true right-to-left layout with the menu, icons and forms mirrored. Put the language switch in the header where it is easy to find. We covered the details in our Arabic RTL design checklist.
4. Built for phones first
Design the mobile version first and the desktop version second. Menus should be reachable with a thumb, phone numbers should dial when tapped, and the map should open in the phone’s map app. Compress photos so pages load quickly on mobile data. A slow school website loses parents before they read a word.
5. Proof that the school is what it says
Parents compare schools carefully. Give accreditation, curriculum and licensing their own clear page instead of a logo in the footer. State facts that can be checked: the year the school was founded, the grades it teaches, the diploma students graduate with. Publish only numbers the school can stand behind, and keep them the same on every page.
6. News, calendar and school life that stay current
A calendar showing last year’s dates tells parents nobody is looking after the site. The school’s own staff should be able to post news, events and photos without calling a developer. That means a content management system and a short training session at handover. Decide who in the school owns each section before launch.
7. A clear door for current parents and students
Existing families use the website differently from new ones. They want the student or parent login, the calendar and announcements. Put the login in the header and keep it separate from the admissions path. Both the Coral and Children’s World websites give current families their own login link.
8. Privacy and photos of children
Schools handle children’s data, and Saudi Arabia’s Personal Data Protection Law applies to application forms and contact forms. Collect only what the school needs, say how it will be used and get consent before publishing photos of students. Our PDPL checklist explains the practical steps.
9. A plan for after launch
A school website is never finished. Term dates change, fees are updated and new staff join. Agree who will handle updates, security patches and backups before the site goes live. For Coral, Whetstonez maintains the website under a two-year agreement, so the school has one team to call.
Which technology should a school choose?
There is no single right answer. We built the Coral website in React and the Children’s World website on WordPress. WordPress suits a school whose staff will edit pages often and want a familiar editor. React suits a school that wants a custom design and fast pages, with content managed through a separate system. The right choice depends on who will update the site and how often. Our comparison of React and WordPress goes into more detail.
A short checklist before you sign off
- Curriculum, grades and location visible on the first screen
- Apply and Register in the header on every page
- Full Arabic and English versions
- Fast and easy to use on a phone
- Accreditation and licensing on their own page
- News and calendar the school can update itself
- Login for current parents and students
- Consent and privacy wording on every form
- A named team for maintenance after launch
Planning a school website?
Whetstonez designs and builds bilingual school websites in Jeddah and across Saudi Arabia. Tell us about your school and we will suggest a structure and a realistic timeline.
