College Website Design

Cloughside College approached Hive requiring a complete overhaul of the outdated college website design, following recommendations from other schools.

Project Background

Cloughside College is a hospital school that supports young people with mental health conditions. Their goal for the new website was to create a calm yet welcoming online presence. A major challenge was the structure of their existing site, which was difficult to navigate due to numerous pages with overlapping content and excessive levels of navigation.

In addition, they required a system that would simplify website updates. After we demonstrated our hiveCMS 2.0 content management system, they were excited by how user-friendly and efficient it would make the editing process, and they were eager to begin the project.

College Website Restructure

Before the design of the new site commenced, Hive created a new site map to address the issues in the old website. We analysed the existing site and created a pared back sitemap which would enable quick and easy navigation of the whole site. In addition, we reviewed the existing website content and reorganised it to make it easy to find. We enhanced this further with the incorporation of a mega drop-down menu, meaning each page was only one click away.

College Website Design: Sleek Visual Style

Hive built the new design based on the college’s updated logo, which features two intertwined oak leaves. We echoed this oak leaf motif as a watermark across the website. We also used the logo’s green as the primary colour, replacing the harsh burgundy of the previous site. By pairing the green with other natural tones, we created a bright, clean, and visually appealing experience.

Website Imagery

Given the sensitive nature of the college environment, we couldn’t take photographs of the pupils for use on the website. Instead, we selected close-up images of students at work and paired them with images of oak trees, reinforcing the college’s logo. We also designed a video header for the homepage, showcasing dappled sunlight shining through gently swaying oak leaves. This visual immediately sets the calming tone the college wanted to achieve.

Bespoke Features

We developed several bespoke features based on the college’s needs. We created a dynamic ‘Positivity’ infinity gallery to display uplifting messages from pupils. A ‘Student Stories’ section invites past pupils to share their success stories, with the option to post anonymously. All submissions go through moderation before being published. Additionally, we integrated a custom Health and Safety reporting form to streamline communication.

College Website Design: Conclusion

Hive successfully translated Cloughside College’s vision into a visually compelling and functional online experience. The clean, sophisticated design enhances navigation and engagement, providing visitors with a positive experience. The college was overjoyed with the professional look and feel of their new site.

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