What is School Spider?
School Spider has everything your school needs in order to succeed online with a website designed specifically for your school, a parent payment system, mobile app and loads of features for parents, pupils and teachers. The software is extremely easy to use and with everything all in one place it is one login and one place to go. Simple, easy to use and cost effective.
Recommended Usage
Parent communication + other features: 2.5 hours per week. If being used just for website updating: 1 hour
Educational Impact
Additional evidence
 Age Range | 5-7, 8-10, 11-13 |
 Requirements | We aim to make the School Spider software as easy to use as possible so only a basic computer knowledge is needed of both administrative staff and students.
|
 Set Up | We work with you to plan your system and set it up to match your requirements, e.g. recreating lesson observation forms, determining check-in dates, agree your strategic goals and outcomes, etc. This is done in an session which usually lasts around an hour. We then aim to have you up and running within one working day. |
 Training | School Spider will provide a 90 minute demonstration of software to staff, who can then feed this information to their pupils and to the parents user testing group.
|
 Support |  TelephoneOnline |
  | |
School Spider PricingPricing Plans Annual Subscription  Optimised for a quick response | |
Compare School Spider with...
School Spider Reviews
from 12 Verified Reviews
User rating
Country
Apr 2019
the website is continually growing, the support is excellent and the website is easy to use
Kath Markham found school-spider:
- Slightly increases student collaboration
- Moderately reduces teacher workload“enables to let parents know what their class has done”
- Moderately improves school processes“quick and easy to use website so can get information to parents”
- Slightly saves school money
- Slightly improves parent engagement
Jan 2019
Very good value for money, easy to edit
Rachel Battersby found school-spider:
- Does not significantly increase student collaboration“Enjoy looking at blogs/gallery”
- Does not significantly reduce teacher workload“Quick to edit website”
- Significantly improves school processes“App for parents communication”
- Slightly saves school money“Good value for money with app and site”
- Significantly improves parent engagement“Parent app, blogs”
Andy Brady
Used school-spider for Approximately 8 years plus - a long time!
Jan 2019
I think School Spider is THE benchmark for what a high-quality, low-maintenance school website should be. The incredible customer service - including responding to our requests for a bespoke and tailored design - is above and beyond the call of duty. Our website has helped us to develop so many areas of our practice and has increased our awareness of the importance of branding and projecting an image which is consistent with our values. We would urge other schools to explore the tools and quality of the service School Spider offer - they will not be disappointed!
Andy Brady found school-spider:
- Slightly increases student collaboration“We choose not to make use of such functionality so it's unfair to judge.”
- Moderately reduces teacher workload“Updating school website is easy and fast and encourages staff to take ownership and post recent material.”
- Slightly improves school processes“Again, we have yet to use these tools - such as the text services, parent evening appointments etc... but I am sure most schools find these tools extremely useful!”
- Moderately saves school money“Value for money of the quality of the service and product is excellent. The referral scheme also offers a valuable incentive to spread the word.”
- Significantly improves parent engagement“Being able to share information and pupils work, along with tutorial videos and documentation helps to engage our parents.”
Jan 2019
Excellent customer service, professional staff who provide a high level of after care and set up care. Always willing to support via phone and email. The website and communication package is user friendly. Administrators can move on with tasks so quickly. The compliance checker is excellent and reporting to SLT is so much quicker.
Kash Khunkhuna found school-spider:
- Significantly increases student collaboration“School Spider App/Emails - communication is vital and we using the platforms available to us to ensure we have reached as many parents with vital information.”
- Significantly reduces teacher workload“The teachers will be using School Spider to book their parent evenings - which reduces an immense amount of administration. ”
- Significantly improves school processes“Administration processes - we are using School Spider to reduce our paper usage, smarter ways of communication - parents have got information instantly. Without letters going missing. ”
- Significantly saves school money“Started to use School Spider as communication package so that we don't have to use Teacher2Parents - which costs money. ”
- Significantly improves parent engagement“Parents prefer the simplicity of going to an app/email to get information when they require it. Website has all the information up to date where we can direct people too. ”
Jan 2019
School spider is great but we would recommend some improvements. It is very difficult to find previous texts. Other systems show the name of the pupil as part of the reporting system. Parent information is also listed by parent first name rather than by pupil name. Ideally should prefer this sorted by pupil surname and then parents linked to the child. The payment system is very basic. We have had problems with the texting system and overcharging.
Kim Rawlinson found school-spider:
- Significantly increases student collaboration“Helps with permission slip collection. Informing parents of non-uniform fundraising days.”
- Slightly reduces teacher workload“Website is simple to use - teachers' manage their own class pages.”
- Significantly improves school processes“Helps with good communication to parents.”
- Significantly saves school money“Parents download the App and then communications are free. Able to email letters and newsletters.”
- Significantly improves parent engagement“Helps to ensure everyone is informed of school activities.”
Jan 2019
the website is easy to use for staff and parents.
Hannah Dunn found school-spider:
- Slightly increases student collaboration
- Does not significantly reduce teacher workload
- Significantly improves school processes“Easier to organise after school clubs and parents evening”
- Slightly saves school money
- Moderately improves parent engagement
Jan 2019
School Spider has combined 3-4 previous systems in one. The software is intuitive and easy to use. One of their best features is their responsiveness to feedback. They are keen to hear feedback from those using the software daily so that they can make updates and improvements to make their offering even better. A great product run by really nice people!
Sam Rickaby found school-spider:
- Slightly increases student collaboration“We do not use the facility, but there is opportunity for students to blog, share work, comment etc.”
- Significantly reduces teacher workload“Very easy to update web pages with no technical know-how needed. Useful features such as image auto resize and uploading videos make it really easy. Homework can be set and returned the site. Communication with parents is fantastic so messages can be sent to groups, individual pupils etc quickly. ”
- Significantly improves school processes“As a direct result of implementing School Spider, our school office is now completely paper and cash free. All parental communication is via School Spider saving time, money and is better for the environment. ”
- Significantly saves school money“No more printing letters to go out. Reply slips do not have to be manually dealt with. We replaced our previous text message system with School Spider, saving approximately £550 per year. ”
- Significantly improves parent engagement“The quick message feature means that parents get the message on the app, in their email and via text - no more missed messages! The email feature allows you to see exactly who has hasn't read the email and to chase accordingly. ”
Jan 2019
Alison found school-spider:
- Does not significantly increase student collaboration“sorry no”
- Moderately reduces teacher workload“Keeping parents up to date with news and events. Easy to access site, well-organised and easy to add to/ use.”
- Moderately improves school processes“School newsletter posted weekly keeps parents up to date with our school and some of the processes we use.”
- Moderately saves school money“It's a great advert to the world. Always being added to as the software is user friendly. It might not save us money but it certainly makes money by attracting ne pupils.”
- Significantly improves parent engagement“Newsletter, class pages, photos and videos”
Jan 2019
I was thoroughly impressed with the follow up support once we had agreed to move to Spider. I was able to work closely with the team to ensure the website matched our needs exactly and that the design was both aesthetically pleasing and easy to navigate. Any questions have always been answered promptly and I have total confidence in the customer service team.
Debra Eaton found school-spider:
- Does not significantly increase student collaboration“School Council and sports council pages”
- Slightly reduces teacher workload“Teachers are able to upload information very quickly onto the site ”
- Slightly improves school processes“We have not used the site long enough to become proficient in time-saving processes. However, it would appear that this will an efficient method of enhancing our parental communication process.”
- Slightly saves school money“Although there is a texting service, it does not provide enough coverage for us so we have therefore been unable to cancel our existing texting arrangements”
- Moderately improves parent engagement“The website is exceptionally easy to use and allows for information to be uploaded as often as necessary. There is always additional support and expertise if we have any queries”
Jan 2019
the website function is easy to use and the support staff are fantasitc
Liz found school-spider:
- Slightly increases student collaboration
- Does not significantly reduce teacher workload
- Significantly improves school processes
- Slightly improves parent engagement“we don't use that function”
Jan 2019
The website looks great and is easy to use once you understand how to navigate it. There are some aspects which are not ideal (not being able to archive the calendar dates for example) but on the whole it is very good. Spider staff are very helpful and quick to respond.
Susan found school-spider:
- Significantly increases student collaboration“Children use the blogging tools a lot and enjoy seeing the news items.”
- Slightly reduces teacher workload
- Significantly improves school processes“Having the diary, parent calendar and email/app updates in one system makes things easier from an office aspect.”
- Does not significantly save school money
- Significantly improves parent engagement“We can email and message parents quickly and efficiently”
Jan 2019
We find it very user friendly, reasonably priced and the help desk is invaluable
Polly Broadhurst found school-spider:
- Does not significantly increase student collaboration
- Moderately reduces teacher workload“Homework”
- Moderately improves school processes“Used as a communication with parents ”
- Moderately saves school money“Booking parents evenings, advertising , reduces paper copies”
- Significantly improves parent engagement“ communication is done through the website ”