A School’s Perspective -
Sarah Yerkess, Fearns Community Sports College

http://www.fearns.lancsngfl.ac.uk

Two years ago, our school website was looking very outmoded and in real need of an overhaul.  I heard about the LGfL CMS system at a Network Meeting and it sounded perfect for what we were looking for.  We were told at the meeting that using this CMS system we could make changes or updates easily and the changes would be made instantly from any computer that was connected to the Internet.  I’ll admit that I was a bit sceptical about it being so easy but considering that it would cost less to get started with the CMS system than it would to attend a day’s training on Dreamweaver, it was definitely worth a try.

Rob Musker from the ICT Centre contacted us and we discussed how we wanted the site to look and what we wanted it to do.  The web team at the ICT Centre set everything up for us using the graphics and layout we asked for, then Nigel Kirkham came in to the school for two half-day training sessions to show us how to use the system properly.  There was a representative of each department at the training sessions, with varying levels of ICT confidence.  Every single person was able to create and manage areas on the site within a very short space of time, and they now control their own curriculum areas on the website.

The website is such an integral part of the school now and it is constantly evolving.  We use it to celebrate the school’s events and achievements, and to provide information for all our stakeholders, including a virtual staff room.  It is fantastic to be able to post images of exciting activities within the school almost as they happen and pupils are thrilled to see their work so publicly celebrated.  We often receive emails about the site and I would recommend the CMS system to anyone who is looking for a solution.  It is incredibly simple to use and has allowed us to develop a site that does exactly what we need it to!