Primary School Website Design for Melbourne Schools

Family relocates to Melbourne. They're choosing a primary school for their kids. They search "primary schools Boroondara" or "best primary schools Melbourne" on Google. Your school shows up — but does your website answer their questions? Or does it look like it hasn't been updated since 2015?

Parents judge schools by websites. Fair or not, an outdated site suggests an outdated school.

Why primary schools lose enrolments online

Parents researching schools visit multiple websites. They're comparing philosophy, programs, facilities, culture. If your website doesn't communicate these clearly, they'll cross you off the list before ever visiting.

Common website problems that cost schools enrolments:

• Enrolment process unclear — when to apply? How to apply? What documents needed?
• School philosophy buried — what's your educational approach? Values?
• Programs and facilities vague — do you have specialist music? Sports programs? STEM lab?
• No virtual tour or photos — parents want to see classrooms, grounds, facilities
• News and events outdated — last update from 2022 signals neglect

The primary schools attracting quality enrolments have clear websites. Philosophy upfront. Programs detailed. Enrolment process simple. Photos everywhere.

What a primary school website needs

Primary school websites should answer parent questions and showcase what makes your school special.

School philosophy and values prominent. What's your educational approach? Play-based learning? Inquiry learning? Montessori? Traditional? Values-driven? Parents need to know if your philosophy aligns with theirs. Make it clear on the homepage.

Programs and curriculum detailed. Specialist music program? Language programs (LOTE)? Sports offerings? STEM facilities? Wellbeing programs? Extra-curricular activities? List everything. Parents are comparing schools based on what you offer.

Virtual tour and photo galleries. Classrooms. Library. Art room. Music room. Science lab. Playground. Sports facilities. Parents want to visualise their child at your school. Show them.

Enrolment information clearly organised. When to apply. How to apply. Required documents. Enrolment zones (if applicable). School tours available? Dedicated enrolment page answering every question. Remove friction.

Principal's message with personality. Not corporate speak. A genuine message from your principal about the school community, values, and vision. Parents want to connect with school leadership.

News and events kept current. Latest school activities. Upcoming events. Term calendar. Parent newsletters. Shows an active, engaged school community.

Parent portal access. Link to your student management system for enrolled families. Compass, SIMON, Sentral — whatever you use. Convenient access for current families.

SEO for Melbourne primary schools

School searches are location-specific. "Primary schools Boroondara," "best primary schools Melbourne," "independent schools Hawthorn." Parents search by suburb or region. Your website needs to rank locally.

Primary school SEO requires:

• Location-specific content (Primary School Boroondara, Hawthorn Primary School)
• Program-based pages (STEM primary school Melbourne, music program primary school)
• Blog content for parent resources ("Choosing a primary school Melbourne," "Primary school checklist")
• Google Business Profile optimised (accurate location, photos, reviews from parents)
• High-quality photos and virtual tour content (Google ranks visual content higher)

We built a site for an independent primary school in Kew. Within four months they were ranking first page for "primary school Kew," "independent school Boroondara," "STEM school Melbourne." Enrolment enquiries up. Better-qualified families applying.

How we build primary school websites

Primary school websites need to look welcoming and handle parent enquiries efficiently. We build them with Next.js — modern, secure, and easy to update.

What's included:

• Philosophy and values page (your educational approach and school culture)
• Programs and curriculum pages (specialist subjects, STEM, sports, arts, LOTE)
• Virtual tour or extensive photo galleries of facilities
• Enrolment information page (process, requirements, timeline, zones)
• News and events system (easy to update regularly)
• Parent portal integration (link to Compass, SIMON, Sentral, etc.)
• Contact forms for enrolment enquiries and school tours
• Google Business Profile setup and optimisation
• Mobile-responsive design (parents search on phones)
• Hosting and support for the first year

Professional package ($4,995) is standard for primary schools — includes full program pages, photo galleries, news system, and local SEO.

Premium package ($7,995) adds brand refresh, professional photography of your facilities, and ongoing content support for news and blog updates.

If your primary school has strong programs and dedicated staff but you're not attracting enough quality enrolments, your website's the issue. Showcase your philosophy, detail your programs, make enrolment easy. That's how you compete for families in Melbourne.