Greenhouse School Websites

Greenhouse School Websites is a website and content management service built exclusively for schools, trusts and school groups. It suits teams that need multiple contributors, controlled publishing and school-specific compliance tools. Its breadth of school-focused features is balanced by setup fees and package limits on initial content population.

Overview

Founded in 2007 and based in Greenwich, London, Greenhouse designs and operates school websites as well as the CMS behind them. Staff can make updates from any internet-connected computer through a browser, with no special software to install. The CMS permits unlimited pages and menus and can hold thousands of documents, photos and videos, so the initial population allowance is not a ceiling on the site’s eventual size.

Role-based permissions let administrators assign editing, approval and publishing rights by area. That is useful where several staff contribute but not everyone should be able to publish freely. Most schools go live in around four to six weeks, depending on design, content and feedback speed. Greenhouse says its standard contracts run for 12 months and schools do not pay before launch.

Key features

Compliance, accessibility and security

Ofsted early warning alerts and an audit tool based on DfE website requirements for maintained schools and academies address recurring compliance work. The sites also include responsive layouts, keyboard accessibility, clear labels, consistent navigation, text resizing and reflow support, plus an Accessibility Statement. These are practical provisions for varied users and devices, though they do not remove a school’s responsibility for its own content.

Greenhouse says its service includes SSL certificates, cookie notifications, secure hosting with daily backups and GDPR compliance. Integrations include Greenhouse apps, Twitter, Facebook, Google Jobs, Google Analytics and Google Maps, giving school teams several common communication and measurement connections.

Apps and support

The school apps connect to websites and support push notifications; parents can download them free from the iTunes and Google Play stores. That gives schools a direct channel for updates, although the app is part of Greenhouse’s school service rather than a standalone free website plan. Support is unlimited by phone, email and live chat, supplemented by training videos and weekly webinars. For schools that expect staff to need ongoing help, that access is a meaningful part of the offer.

Pricing

Greenhouse is paid, with a free trial and a stated starting price of £945. Its plans pair a one-off setup charge with an annual fee:

Pre-designed Primary and Pre-designed Trust: £945 setup + £315pa; six templates, with initial content supplied by the school.

Pre-designed Secondary: £945 setup + £415pa; six templates, with initial content supplied by the school.

Bespoke Trust: £1795 setup + £315pa; up to four panels and 50 populated pages.

Bespoke Primary: £1895 setup + £315pa; up to four panels and 50 populated pages.

Bespoke Secondary: £2995 setup + £415pa; up to four panels and 50 populated pages.

Premium Primary: £3495 setup + £315pa; up to eight panels and 100 populated pages.

Premium Trust: £3995 setup + £315pa; up to eight panels and 100 populated pages.

Premium Secondary: £4995 setup + £415pa; up to eight panels and 100 populated pages.

The pre-designed tier keeps the setup charge lower, but the school handles initial content population. Bespoke and Premium plans include populated pages, with Premium doubling the allowance to 100 pages and permitting up to eight panels. These are initial population caps, not limits on pages, documents or photos after launch. The annual charge differs for secondary schools, so compare the relevant school-type plan rather than assuming one fee applies to all. The 12-month standard contract is a defined commitment; weigh it alongside setup costs and the content workload before choosing.

Platforms

Greenhouse supports web, Android and iOS. Browser-based editing means staff can update the website from any computer with internet access; the mobile apps extend school communications to parents on Android and iOS.

Who it's for

This is a strong fit for individual schools and multi-academy trusts that want a school-specific website service with publishing permissions, compliance tools and linked parent apps. Trusts and school groups can benefit from the distinction between trust and school plans. It is less compelling for a buyer seeking a free website service or a package without setup costs, or for teams that do not need the school-specific controls and support.

Pros and cons

Pro: Unlimited pages and menus, plus capacity for thousands of files, leave room for a growing school site.

Pro: Role-based editing, approval and publishing permissions help manage contributions from several staff members.

Pro: Accessibility provisions, DfE-based auditing and Ofsted alerts target practical school requirements.

Pro: Unlimited phone, email and live-chat support, with webinars and training videos, gives schools several routes to help.

Con: Every paid plan has a setup charge as well as an annual fee, which raises the initial cost.

Con: Pre-designed plans leave initial content population to the school; higher tiers cap the included population at 50 or 100 pages.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison of school-focused options, see School Website Builders. CatapultCMS, CMS4Schools and ESV Software CMS are paid options available on Android, iOS and web. Consider Finalsite Websites if its custom-quoted pricing, which a district page says begins at $5,000 annually, suits your district’s size, budget and communication goals.

Schoolz may suit multi-school networks: its Network plan covers 5–14 schools with a full platform per school, district-wide alerts and a shared calendar, while Large is for 30+ schools with phased rollout and custom terms. Choose Schoolzine SZapp if the priority is a parent app that is free to download and use through participating schools; its free plan is mobile-only. Sentral is another paid option for Android, iOS, web and API. eChalk is worth considering if a custom quote for school and district websites with basic support fits your needs.

Verdict

Choose Greenhouse if your school or trust wants a managed, school-focused website with controlled publishing, compliance tools, accessibility provisions and a connected parent app. The combination and ongoing support are its strongest case; the setup charge, annual commitment and content-population trade-offs are the reasons to look elsewhere if cost or a ready-populated launch matters more.