Traditional websites are built using software like MS Frontpage on a designated PC. Such a school site can be difficult to maintain and keep up to date. The work load tends to fall on one member of staff. Creating new pages and their content takes time.
Why should you have a school blog?
Blogs are FREE - see Creating your own blog
They require NO SOFTWARE
Blogs can be updated from ANY COMPUTER with internet access
The pages and content are EASIER to create
All links and folders are AUTOMATICALLY created for you
Blogs LOOK COOL and professional very little effort
Blogs can have MULTIPLE AUTHORS
Blogs look UP TO DATE because the newest items always move to the top and older items are automatically put into an ARCHIVE
My advice would be to KEEP your existing school website but ADD a link to a BLOG from your homepage.
Most schools have key information which only changes once a year or term. Simplify your website. Keep fewer semi permanent pages with important school information.
Use a blog for all the other things which go on in school every day. Encourage several people to become authors of the school blog including the school office, headteacher, governors and parents association. Under adult supervision the pupils can also create content for the blog. A teacher can log on to the blog on their interactive whiteboard and get the children to write to the blog in the classroom.
A school blog can soon become an effective and popular means of communicating between school & home / outside community.
It can also be used as part of teaching and learning. Post children's work or links to learning resources.
At Sir Robert Hitcham's we have quickly developed a blog with incredibly varied content which covers the whole range of school activities. The blog also looks good because it is very easy (compared with normal website) to include pictures and video clips. In a large school you might decide to create several blogs. For example: different Key Stages, an Office Blog, Departmental Blogs etc.
It is important to always remember that child safety is paramount when posting to the internet and blogs are very easy to upload.
See further blog entry on how to CREATE YOUR OWN BLOG.
At Sir Robert Hitcham's we have quickly developed a blog with incredibly varied content which covers the whole range of school activities. The blog also looks good because it is very easy (compared with normal website) to include pictures and video clips. In a large school you might decide to create several blogs. For example: different Key Stages, an Office Blog, Departmental Blogs etc.
It is important to always remember that child safety is paramount when posting to the internet and blogs are very easy to upload.
See further blog entry on how to CREATE YOUR OWN BLOG.
