Nottingham Girls’ High School faces the problem that public perception paints it, along with other private institutions, as condescending, outdated, and exclusionary, hindering its ability to attract a diverse student body and remain relevant in a modern educational landscape.

The school sought to challenge traditional stereotypes of girls’ schools, aiming to showcase their true identity as an inclusive, progressive, and forward-thinking independent day school, reflecting their core values.

My user research for this project was leveraged by my experience as a student at a nearby co-educational school, allowing me to understand the diverse profiles of prospective parents and their demographics.

A key persona emerged from this research:

Janine is a mother of two and has been happily married to her wife. They are relocating to the area for Janine’s new job as the MD of a large local business. 
Janine and Sarah both went to private schools, and have family wealth behind them to support their daughters through whatever education they need to.

I’m proud that this project was delivered successfully, on time, and within budget, thanks to a lean development process.

The client expressed their satisfaction with the final product, praising its modern, clean design, cross-device usability, intuitive backend management, and alignment with their new strategic direction.

The on-site photoshoot presented challenges. I faced scheduling conflicts due to the exam period, which limited student and teacher availability. Additionally, I had to navigate the school’s timetable and adapt to intermittent rain, requiring flexible adjustments.

I played a key role in developing a fully responsive website for Nottingham Girls’ High School, designed to reshape prospective parents’ perceptions. The site provides comprehensive information about the school and features a dedicated lead generation booking system to drive open day attendance and tour bookings.