What Schools Are Legally Required to Publish on Their Website

A school website is not just a place for term dates, photos and newsletters. For schools in England, it is also a public compliance document. Parents, inspectors, local authorities, academy trusts, governors, suppliers and community partners all use it to understand how the school is run, what it offers and whether key information is easy to find.

Some of that information is optional. Much of it is useful. But some of it is legally required or expected through statutory guidance, funding conditions or Department for Education rules.

This guide explains what schools are required to publish online, why it matters, how requirements differ between maintained schools and academies, and how suppliers can use school websites responsibly as a research tool before approaching schools.

It is written mainly for schools in England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have different education systems and publication expectations, so schools outside England should check the relevant national guidance.

Why school website compliance matters

For parents, a school website is often the first place they go when deciding whether to apply, checking policies, understanding uniform rules, finding term dates or looking for contact details. For inspectors and regulators, it provides evidence that the school is transparent and meeting its duties. For governors and trustees, it is a basic accountability tool.

For schools, poor website compliance can create avoidable problems. Missing policies, outdated funding statements, broken links or unclear governance information can make the school look less organised than it really is. It can also make life harder for office staff, because parents and visitors then need to ask for information that should already be public.

For suppliers, a school website can be a useful and ethical research tool. It can help you understand the school’s phase, size, ethos, policies, curriculum priorities, governance, SEND provision, safeguarding expectations, funding priorities and procurement context before making contact. Used well, it leads to more relevant, respectful outreach. Used badly, it becomes lazy targeting.

Start with the school type

The first thing to understand is that website requirements are not exactly the same for every school. The Department for Education publishes separate guidance for:

maintained schools, which are maintained by a local authority;
academies, free schools and colleges, including academy trusts and FE colleges.

Maintained schools and academies often publish similar information, but the legal basis and some details differ. For example, academies must also follow their funding agreement and academy trust requirements. A maintained school’s governance structure is different from an academy trust’s governance structure. Colleges have additional information relevant to their context.

That means there is no single universal checklist that applies perfectly to every institution. A primary maintained school, a standalone academy, a multi-academy trust, a special school and an FE college will not all have identical website duties.

The main categories schools need to publish

Although the details vary, most school website requirements fall into a number of broad categories:

contact details;
admissions information;
Ofsted reports;
exam and assessment results;
performance tables;
curriculum information;
behaviour policy;
attendance information;
special educational needs and disability information;
pupil premium information;
PE and sport premium information, where relevant;
equalities information and objectives;
governance information;
charging and remissions information;
complaints procedure;
safeguarding and child protection information;
careers information, for secondary schools and colleges;
financial and trust information, for academies and trusts.

A good school website does not simply upload these documents somewhere obscure. It makes them easy to find, clearly labelled and up to date.

Contact details

Schools must publish basic contact information so that parents, professionals and the public can get in touch. This usually includes the school’s name, postal address, telephone number and a named person who deals with queries from parents and members of the public.

Schools should also publish contact details for key roles where required, such as the special educational needs coordinator, commonly known as the SENCO. For academies and trusts, contact and governance details may also need to make clear how the school sits within the wider trust structure.

This information should be obvious. If a parent has to search through several pages to find a phone number or office email, the website is not doing its job well.

Admission arrangements

Schools need to publish information about admissions. The detail depends on the type of school and whether the school is its own admission authority.

Parents should be able to understand how to apply, where to find the admissions policy, what the oversubscription criteria are, and how appeals work. For many maintained schools, the local authority manages admissions and the school website may link to the local authority admissions page. Academies and voluntary-aided schools are often their own admission authorities and may need to publish fuller admission arrangements directly.

Admissions pages are particularly important because parents often compare schools online before making choices. Clear admissions information reduces confusion and builds trust.

For parent-facing context, see Navigating the School Admissions Process in the UK and Understanding Catchment Areas and School Admissions Appeals.

Ofsted reports

Schools should make it easy for visitors to find their most recent Ofsted report or a link to the report. Parents frequently look for this when comparing schools, although an Ofsted grade should never be the only factor used to judge a school.

The Ofsted link should be current and should not be hidden behind outdated news posts. Schools may also link to their page on the official Ofsted inspection reports service.

If parents need help interpreting inspection language, they may find Understanding Ofsted Ratings: What Parents Should Know useful.

Exam, assessment and performance information

Schools are expected to publish certain performance information, although the exact requirements depend on the phase and school type. Primary schools, secondary schools and 16 to 18 providers have different measures.

This may include links to school performance tables and information about key stage results, GCSE results, Progress 8, Attainment 8, English Baccalaureate entry, destinations or 16 to 18 performance measures, depending on the school.

The most important point is that performance information should be current, clear and not misleading. Schools should avoid leaving old performance data online without context, especially if national reporting arrangements changed in a particular year.

Curriculum information

Schools must publish information about their curriculum. Parents should be able to see what is taught, how the curriculum is organised, and how to find out more.

At a minimum, curriculum information should help parents understand:

the subjects taught;
the content covered in each year or key stage;
how the curriculum is sequenced;
how reading is taught, especially in primary schools;
what phonics or reading schemes are used, where relevant;
what qualifications are offered at secondary level;
how parents can ask for more information.

Curriculum pages are often where school websites vary most in quality. A strong curriculum section is not just a list of subjects. It explains what pupils learn, why it is taught in that order, and how the school supports different learners.

For parents trying to understand the structure of education, Understanding the UK Curriculum and Key Stages may be a useful internal link.

Behaviour policy

Schools must publish their behaviour policy. This helps parents understand expectations, rewards, sanctions, routines and how behaviour incidents are handled.

A good behaviour policy should be accessible, not just technically present. Parents should be able to understand what happens if a child repeatedly disrupts lessons, what support is available, how serious incidents are dealt with, and how the school works with families.

Behaviour information is also useful for suppliers and external providers. If you are delivering workshops, clubs, tutoring, sports coaching or mentoring in school, you should understand the school’s behaviour expectations before you arrive.

Attendance information

Attendance has become a major priority for schools and government. Schools should publish clear information about attendance expectations, absence reporting, punctuality, unauthorised absence and support for families where attendance becomes difficult.

This is not only about enforcement. Good attendance information should also show parents who to contact if their child is anxious, unwell, struggling with routines or finding school difficult.

For parent-facing guidance, see Understanding School Attendance Rules, Can I Take My Child Out of School for a Holiday? and What to Do If Your Child Refuses to Go to School.

SEND information

Schools must publish information about their support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities. This is usually presented as a SEND information report, and schools should also link to the local authority’s local offer.

SEND information should help parents understand:

how the school identifies additional needs;
how parents can raise concerns;
who the SENCO is;
what support may be available;
how pupils are involved in decisions;
how progress is reviewed;
how the school supports transition;
how the school works with external professionals;
how complaints about SEND provision can be made.

This is one of the most important pages for families. Parents of children with additional needs often look closely at SEND information before choosing a school or raising concerns.

Pupil premium information

Schools that receive pupil premium funding must publish information about how they use it. The Department for Education provides a template and guidance for pupil premium strategy statements.

The pupil premium statement should explain the school’s challenges, intended outcomes, how funding will be used, and how impact will be evaluated. It should not read like a generic spending list. It should show a clear link between barriers, evidence-informed action and outcomes for disadvantaged pupils.

For suppliers, this page can be useful, but it must be used carefully. If a school’s pupil premium statement identifies literacy, attendance, tutoring, wellbeing or parental engagement as priorities, that does not mean the school wants a generic sales pitch. It means any approach should be thoughtful, relevant and respectful.

PE and sport premium information

Primary schools receiving PE and sport premium funding are required to publish information about how the funding is used and its impact. This is especially relevant for sports coaches, physical activity providers, outdoor learning organisations and wellbeing providers.

Schools should show how funding supports sustainable improvements in PE, sport and physical activity. The strongest pages explain not only what was bought, but how it improved staff confidence, pupil participation, inclusion, competition, activity levels or curriculum quality.

If your organisation provides sports, clubs or physical activity services, this is one of the public pages that can help you understand a school’s priorities before approaching them.

Equality information and objectives

Schools have duties under the Equality Act 2010 and must publish equality information and objectives. These should show how the school is meeting the public sector equality duty and what equality objectives it is working towards.

Equality information should not be treated as a document uploaded once and forgotten. Schools should review objectives and ensure the information reflects the school’s current context.

This area may overlap with accessibility, SEND, behaviour, attendance, curriculum, anti-bullying, recruitment, community engagement and pupil wellbeing.

Accessibility information

Schools should publish accessibility information, often through an accessibility plan. This explains how the school improves access for disabled pupils, including access to the curriculum, the physical environment and information.

Parents may look at this when considering whether a school can meet their child’s needs. Suppliers may also need to understand accessibility expectations if they provide buildings, technology, learning resources, transport, events, trips, clubs or communications services.

Governance information

Schools must publish governance information. The exact details differ between maintained schools and academies, but visitors should be able to understand who governs the school, what roles they hold, and how governance is structured.

Maintained schools usually publish information about governors, committee membership, attendance and relevant business or financial interests. Academies and academy trusts publish information about members, trustees, local governors or committees, depending on the trust structure.

Governance pages matter because they show accountability. They are also useful for suppliers researching whether a school is part of a multi-academy trust, whether decisions may sit at trust level, and who may be involved in strategic oversight.

For suppliers trying to understand trust structures, see MATs vs Individual Schools: Who Should Suppliers Target First?.

Charging and remissions policy

Schools should publish information about charging and remissions. This explains when the school may charge for activities, trips, materials or optional extras, and when charges may be reduced or waived.

This is important for transparency. Parents should be able to understand what is voluntary, what is chargeable, and what support may be available if costs are a barrier.

Complaints procedure

Schools must publish their complaints procedure. Parents should be able to find out how to raise a concern, how to make a formal complaint, what stages the process follows, and who to contact.

A clear complaints page can reduce conflict because it helps families understand the right route. It should distinguish between everyday concerns, formal complaints, safeguarding concerns, SEND disagreements and other processes that may have separate routes.

For parent-facing advice, see School Complaints: When to Raise a Concern and When to Make a Formal Complaint and How to Talk to Your Child’s Teacher When You’re Worried.

Safeguarding and child protection information

Schools should make safeguarding information easy to find. This normally includes the child protection and safeguarding policy, details of the designated safeguarding lead, and information about how concerns are reported.

Safeguarding information matters for parents, staff, visitors, contractors and external providers. Anyone working with pupils should know that they must follow the school’s safeguarding procedures while on site.

The Department for Education’s Keeping children safe in education guidance sets out safeguarding duties for schools and colleges in England.

For a wider overview, see How Schools Handle Safeguarding. For suppliers and contractors, What a DBS Check Covers — and What Schools Still Need to Verify Themselves is also relevant.

Careers information

Secondary schools and colleges are expected to publish careers information. This should explain the careers programme, how pupils, parents, teachers and employers can access information, and how the school measures the impact of its careers provision.

Careers pages are especially useful for employers, apprenticeship providers, FE colleges, universities, training providers, STEM organisations and community partners. They show whether the school is open to employer encounters, workplace experiences, talks, mentoring or careers events.

Suppliers should not treat this as a shortcut to selling. Careers engagement should be educational, age-appropriate and genuinely useful for pupils.

Financial information for academies and trusts

Academies and academy trusts have additional financial publication requirements. These can include annual reports and accounts, executive pay information above certain thresholds, funding agreements, articles of association and other trust-level documents.

This information is part of the accountability framework for academy trusts. It can also help suppliers understand whether a school is part of a larger organisation, where procurement decisions may sit, and how centralised the trust may be.

If you sell to schools, remember that a school website may only tell part of the story. In a multi-academy trust, the individual school may not control all spending decisions. Trust websites, procurement pages and central contact details may be just as important.

Remote education information

Schools may publish information about remote education or continuity of learning where required or recommended. This is particularly relevant where pupils cannot attend school for a period, or where the school has specific systems for online learning.

Even where remote education is not a major current priority, schools should ensure any old pandemic-era information is either updated or removed if it no longer reflects current practice.

Uniform information

Schools should publish clear uniform information. This is important for affordability, equality and parent communication. Parents should be able to understand what is required, where items can be bought, which items are branded, and whether second-hand options are available.

Uniform pages are also useful for suppliers, but they must be approached carefully. Schools are under pressure to keep uniform affordable and avoid unnecessary branded items. Suppliers should understand the school’s policy and cost concerns before making contact.

How often should schools review website information?

Some information should be updated annually. Some should be updated whenever there is a policy change, staffing change, governance change or new statutory guidance. Some pages, such as term dates and contact details, need practical checking throughout the year.

A sensible approach is to run a full website compliance review at least once a year, with lighter checks each term. Schools should also review key pages after:

new statutory guidance is published;
governance changes;
a new headteacher or SENCO is appointed;
admissions arrangements change;
funding statements are due;
policies are approved or renewed;
Ofsted inspection outcomes are published;
curriculum or assessment information changes;
the school joins or leaves a trust.

Outdated website information is more than untidy. It can mislead parents, create compliance risk and make the school appear less reliable than it is.

A practical school website compliance checklist

Schools should check the current official guidance for their school type, but the following checklist gives a useful starting point.

School name, address and contact details
Name and contact route for general enquiries
SENCO contact information
Admission arrangements or local authority admissions link
Ofsted report link
Performance data and performance tables link
Curriculum information by subject and year or key stage
Reading and phonics information, where relevant
Behaviour policy
Attendance information
SEND information report
Local authority local offer link
Pupil premium strategy statement
PE and sport premium information, where relevant
Equality information and objectives
Accessibility plan or information
Charging and remissions policy
Complaints procedure
Safeguarding and child protection policy
Governance information
Careers programme information, where relevant
Financial and trust documents, where relevant for academies
Uniform information
Privacy notices and data protection information

This checklist should not replace the official GOV.UK guidance, but it can help schools spot obvious gaps.

Common mistakes schools make

Many schools have the right information somewhere, but it is hard to find, out of date or labelled in a way that parents do not understand.

Common problems include:

policies uploaded without dates;
old pupil premium statements still showing as current;
broken links to Ofsted or performance tables;
governor information missing attendance or interests;
SEND pages with an old SENCO name;
curriculum pages that are too vague;
complaints procedures hidden in a policy folder;
admissions information that does not explain who manages admissions;
trust-level documents missing from academy websites;
PDFs that are difficult to read on mobile devices;
important information available only as an image, making it less accessible.

The best websites are not necessarily the most expensive. They are clear, current and easy to navigate.

How suppliers can use school websites responsibly

School websites are a valuable research tool for suppliers, but they should be used with care. Public information can help you understand a school’s context before making contact. It should not be used to spam staff, exploit vulnerabilities or send generic messages dressed up as personalised outreach.

A supplier might use a school website to understand:

whether the school is maintained or part of a trust;
the school phase and age range;
SEND priorities;
curriculum structure;
pupil premium priorities;
PE and sport priorities;
careers programme opportunities;
safeguarding expectations for visitors;
uniform requirements;
governance or trust structure;
who is likely to be the right contact.

This research should make your approach more relevant and more respectful. For example, a tutoring provider might read the pupil premium strategy and curriculum pages before approaching. A sports provider might review the PE and sport premium report. A SEND service might check the SEND information report. An IT supplier might check whether the school is part of a trust before assuming the individual school controls infrastructure decisions.

For supplier outreach, see How to Build a School Outreach List That Matches Your Offer, How to Follow Up Schools Professionally and What Schools Ask Before Approving a New Supplier.

What suppliers should not assume from a school website

A school website is useful, but it does not tell you everything. It may be out of date. It may not reflect current budget pressures. It may not show who really makes purchasing decisions. It may not reveal trust-level procurement arrangements. It may not show whether the school is already using a provider.

Suppliers should avoid assumptions such as:

“The school mentions literacy, so they must want our literacy product.”
“The SENCO is listed, so they are the right person to sell to.”
“The pupil premium statement includes tutoring, so there is budget available now.”
“The school is an academy, so decisions are made centrally.”
“The website is outdated, so the school needs our service.”

A better approach is to use website research to ask better questions. For example: “I noticed your published strategy places emphasis on improving attendance and parental engagement. Is that still a priority this year, and who would be the best person to speak to if relevant?”

Website compliance and safeguarding images

Schools should also think carefully about the images they publish online. This is not always framed as a website compliance issue, but it is increasingly part of safeguarding and data protection practice.

Schools should ensure they have appropriate consent for pupil images, avoid unnecessary personal information, and regularly review whether images are still appropriate to keep online. Safeguarding practice is moving towards more caution around identifiable pupil images, especially where names, uniforms and locations are visible.

This does not mean schools can never celebrate pupils online. It means they should do so thoughtfully, with clear consent, proportionate detail and regular review.

How schools can make required information easier to find

One of the simplest improvements is to create a clearly labelled “Statutory Information” or “Key Information” page. This page can act as a hub, linking to all required documents and pages.

A strong statutory information page should:

use plain English labels;
group related information together;
show policy review dates;
avoid duplicate old versions;
link to official external pages where appropriate;
work well on mobile;
use accessible PDFs or web pages;
be reviewed at least annually.

Parents should not need to know statutory language to find what they need. “How we support children with SEND” may be clearer than “SEND Information Report”. “How to make a complaint” may be clearer than “Complaints Procedure”. The legal document can still be linked, but the navigation should be human.

Maintained school vs academy: why suppliers should care

For suppliers, school type affects how decisions are made. A maintained school may be influenced by local authority frameworks, local policies or local services. An academy may be part of a trust where procurement, IT, HR, estates, finance or safeguarding are centralised.

The school website can help you identify this. Look for trust branding, governance pages, financial documents, central contact details, procurement pages and policy ownership. If policies are trust-wide, the decision may not sit only with the individual school.

This is particularly important for suppliers in areas such as IT, catering, estates, uniform, HR, compliance, safeguarding software, MIS, finance, CPD and SEND services.

Final thoughts

A school website is both a public service and a compliance tool. It helps parents understand the school, helps staff reduce repeated queries, helps governors and trustees demonstrate accountability, and helps inspectors and regulators see whether key information is available.

For schools, the priority is simple: keep required information accurate, accessible and easy to find. Do not treat the website as a storage cupboard for old PDFs. Treat it as a front door.

For suppliers, school websites are useful research sources, but they should be used responsibly. Read them to understand context, not to make lazy assumptions. The best outreach starts with evidence, relevance and respect.

Above all, website compliance is not just about ticking boxes. It is about transparency. A good school website helps the right people find the right information at the right time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do all schools have to publish the same information online?

No. Requirements differ depending on whether the school is maintained by a local authority, an academy, a free school, a college, a special school or part of a trust. Schools should check the official GOV.UK guidance for their specific type.

Where can schools check the official requirements?

Maintained schools should use GOV.UK guidance on what maintained schools must publish online. Academies, free schools and colleges should use GOV.UK guidance on what academies, free schools and colleges should publish online.

Do schools have to publish their safeguarding policy?

Schools should make safeguarding and child protection information easy to find, including the relevant policy and information about who leads safeguarding in school. They should also follow the current Keeping children safe in education guidance.

Do schools have to publish their SEND information?

Yes. Schools must publish information about their SEND provision, often through a SEND information report, and should link to the local authority’s local offer.

Do schools have to publish pupil premium information?

Schools receiving pupil premium funding must publish a pupil premium strategy statement using the required approach and keep it updated according to DfE expectations.

Do primary schools have to publish PE and sport premium information?

Primary schools receiving PE and sport premium funding are required to publish information about how the funding is used and the impact it has.

Do schools have to publish governor information?

Yes. Schools must publish governance information, although the details differ between maintained schools and academies. This may include names, roles, committee membership, attendance and relevant interests.

Do schools need a statutory information page?

It is not always required to use that exact label, but it is good practice. A clear statutory information or key information page makes required documents much easier for parents, inspectors and other visitors to find.

How often should schools update their website?

Schools should review key statutory information at least annually and update pages whenever policies, staff roles, governance, admissions, funding statements or guidance change.

Can suppliers use school website information for outreach?

Yes, as long as they use it responsibly. Public website information can help suppliers understand a school’s context and priorities, but it should not be used for spam, pressure selling or careless assumptions.

What should suppliers look for on a school website?

Useful pages include the curriculum, SEND information report, pupil premium statement, PE and sport premium report, safeguarding information, governance pages, careers programme, trust information and policies relevant to the supplier’s service.

What is the biggest mistake schools make with statutory website information?

The biggest mistake is not always missing information, but outdated or hard-to-find information. Old policies, broken links, missing review dates and unclear navigation can all create compliance and communication problems.