Maintaining a school website that meets all statutory and Ofsted compliance requirements is a non-negotiable responsibility for school leaders across England. An Ofsted inspector visiting your school will check your website — and a non-compliant site can directly influence inspection judgements around your school’s leadership effectiveness and communication with parents.
This comprehensive guide covers every piece of information that UK schools are legally required to publish on their website in 2026, along with best practice recommendations for presenting it clearly and accessibly.
Statutory vs Non-Statutory Requirements
There are two categories of school website compliance: statutory requirements (legally mandated by the Department for Education) and non-statutory requirements that Ofsted inspectors evaluate as good practice. Both categories matter — statutory non-compliance creates legal and regulatory risk, while failing non-statutory good practice expectations influences inspection outcomes.
Statutory Information: What Every UK School Must Publish
Admissions
All state-funded schools must publish their admissions arrangements for the current and following year, clearly explaining oversubscription criteria, application timelines, and appeal procedures.
School Performance Information
Schools must include a link to their school performance page on the DfE’s Performance Tables website. They are not required to reproduce all performance data on their own site, but the link must be clearly accessible.
Curriculum Information
Schools must publish: the curriculum followed for each subject at each year group, how parents can find out more about the curriculum, and information about the school’s approach to the National Curriculum.
SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disability)
All schools must publish a SEND Information Report that is updated annually, including: the types of SEND the school supports, how SEND pupils are identified and assessed, what provision is available, how parents are involved, and how the effectiveness of SEND provision is evaluated.
Behaviour Policy
Schools must publish their behaviour policy, including: the school’s approach to behaviour management, the range of sanctions applied, and the procedures for permanent exclusion.
Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy
The school’s safeguarding and child protection policy must be published, along with the name of the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and Deputy DSL(s).
Staff and Pay Information
Schools must publish: the number of teachers whose salary is in each pay scale band above £100,000, the headteacher’s pay range, and for multi-academy trusts, specific senior pay disclosures.
Governance Information
Maintained schools and academies must publish details of their governing body or trust board, including names of all governors/trustees, their roles, terms of office, business interests, and attendance records at meetings.
Financial Information (Academies)
Academies must publish their annual accounts, funding agreement, and academy trust governance statement in accordance with the Academies Financial Handbook.
Equalities
Schools must publish their Equality Objectives (updated every 4 years) and their Equality Information Report (updated annually) in line with the Equality Act 2010 Public Sector Equality Duty.
Pupil Premium
Schools in receipt of Pupil Premium funding must publish: the amount received, how it was spent, and the impact on eligible pupil attainment — updated annually.
PE and Sport Premium (Primary Schools)
Primary schools receiving PE and Sport Premium funding must publish: the amount received, how it is being spent, and the impact on physical education, school sport, and physical activity.
Accessibility: A Compliance Requirement of Its Own
Since September 2019, all public sector websites in the UK — including school websites — must meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility standards under the Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations. This means your school’s website must be accessible to users with visual, auditory, motor, and cognitive disabilities. Non-compliance creates legal risk and is increasingly scrutinised by Ofsted.
How Techcited Ltd Ensures Your School Website Is Fully Compliant
Techcited Ltd’s school website service includes a comprehensive compliance audit covering all statutory DfE requirements, Ofsted best practice expectations, and WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards. Every website we build for schools is compliance-ready from day one — with a structured content framework that makes it straightforward to maintain compliance as policies and requirements evolve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What happens if a school’s website fails Ofsted’s compliance check?
A: Inspectors typically flag website non-compliance as a recommendation or area for improvement in their inspection report. In cases of significant statutory non-compliance, it may influence judgements on Leadership and Management effectiveness. The DfE can also intervene directly.
Q: How often do DfE school website statutory requirements change?
A: The DfE updates its statutory guidance periodically. Techcited Ltd monitors all updates and provides notifications to clients when their website requires updating to reflect new requirements.
Q: Does Techcited Ltd provide a compliance review for existing school websites?
A: Yes. We offer free compliance audits for existing school websites, identifying any gaps in statutory requirements and providing a clear remediation plan.
Ready to get started?
Is your school’s website fully Ofsted and DfE compliant? Get a free compliance audit from Techcited Ltd — the UK’s trusted school website specialists. Visit: edu.techcitedltd.co.uk
