Internal linking for UK schools
Anchor Text & Context for Internal Links: A Complete UK School Guide
Published by SEO for Schools • Author: Paul Delaney
Anchors are signposts. When they use plain English and sit in the right context, parents complete tasks faster and Google understands your pages better. This hands-on guide turns editors and school leaders into power users: you’ll learn how to write anchors, where to place them, how much context to add, how to maintain a shared taxonomy across a multi-academy trust (MAT), and how to measure uplift in Search Console.
Why anchor text and context matter
For users: clear anchors reduce confusion, help on mobile, and support assistive technologies. For search: anchors and surrounding text help Google discover pages and understand their topic and importance. Google’s documentation highlights the need for crawlable links and meaningful anchor text; GOV. UK warns against vague phrases like “click here”. WCAG includes success criteria for meaningful link purpose in context.
References: Google — Make your links crawlable • Google — SEO Starter Guide • GOV. UK — Links guidance • W3C WCAG 2.2 — Link Purpose (In Context).
Principles (reader-first, Google-aligned)
| Principle | What it means | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|
| Be task-led | Anchor states the action or destination (e.g., Report a pupil absence) | Improves comprehension and relevance signals |
| Use plain English | Short, familiar words; GOV. UK tone | Better for mobile and accessibility |
| Front-load keywords naturally | Lead with the noun (Admissions, Term Dates) | Survives truncation and clarifies topic |
| Put links near relevant copy | In the first paragraph or summary of a section | Context helps users and search engines |
| Prefer text + icon | Don’t rely on icons alone | Assistive tech and Google read the words |
| Stay consistent | Shared taxonomy across pages/schools | Reduces ambiguity; strengthens signals |
Anchor taxonomy for schools (copy & adapt)
Standardise phrases across your site and trust. Keep them short, descriptive and in sentence case.
| Intent | Preferred anchor | Variants (safe) | Targets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Absence | Report a pupil absence | Report absence | /absence/ |
| Term dates | Term Dates [YEAR/YEAR+1] & INSET Days | School term dates | /term-dates/ |
| Admissions | Admissions: how to apply | Apply for a place | /admissions/ |
| Sixth Form | Sixth Form entry requirements | Sixth Form admissions | /sixth-form/entry-requirements/ |
| Safeguarding | Safeguarding at [School] | How to raise a concern | /safeguarding/ |
| Uniform | School uniform & PE kit | Uniform guidance | /uniform/ |
| Contact | Contact [School] | How to find us | /contact/ |
How to write anchors parents trust
Context windows: what to put around a link
Google reads nearby words to understand a link. Provide a small context window (roughly a sentence) before/after the anchor that explains why the link exists.
| Weak | Stronger (with context) |
|---|---|
| “Click here for dates.” | “See our Term Dates 2025/26 & INSET Days page for the full calendar and downloadable file.” |
| “Read more about absence.” | “If your child is unwell, report a pupil absence by 8:30am and read our attendance guidance.” |
| Icon-only button linking to admissions | “Applications for September are open. Admissions: how to apply includes key dates and criteria.” |
Placement, density & prominence
Where to place links
Above the fold: first paragraph of hubs; homepage intro for top tasks. Within sections: at the end of a summary sentence. In navigation: keep labels short; don’t rely on mega-menus alone—add contextual links in body copy.
How many links?
There’s no fixed limit, but attention is finite. Prioritise 3–7 meaningful links per section. Remove duplicate links that don’t add new context. Keep a link budget per page and spend it on high-intent tasks.
Reusable patterns for common pages
Homepage intro (text + links)
<p>Welcome to [School]. For essentials, see <a href="/term-dates/">Term Dates 2025/26</a>,<a href="/absence/">Report a pupil absence</a> and <a href="/admissions/">Admissions: how to apply</a>.</p>Policy page (body copy)
<p>If your child cannot attend, please <a href="/absence/">report a pupil absence</a> by 8:30am.</p>News → Hub
<p>Thank you for visiting our Open Evening. For applications and deadlines, see<a href="/admissions/">Admissions: how to apply</a>.</p>Spoke → Hub (first paragraph)
<p>This page summarises the sixth-form entry requirements. For an overview of the process, visit<a href="/admissions/">Admissions at [School]</a>.</p>Accessibility, semantics & compliance
| Requirement | What to do | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Link purpose clear in context | Anchor + nearby words should explain the destination | WCAG 2.4.4 |
| Keyboard focus | Underline on hover/focus; visible focus outline | MDN |
| No icon-only links | Provide a text label adjacent to any icon | GOV. UK links guidance |
| Use real anchors | HTML <a href> not JS onclick without href | |
Use rel correctly | nofollow for untrusted external links; avoid for internal links |
Quality assurance & governance (MAT-ready)
Policy: (1) one canonical hub per task; (2) descriptive anchors; (3) use the shared taxonomy; (4) each spoke links back to its hub in the first paragraph; (5) news/events link to the relevant hub; (6) no orphan pages; (7) quarterly review in Search Console.
| Check | How to verify | Owner | Cadence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anchor clarity | Read anchor without surrounding text—still clear? | Editors | Pre-publish |
| Consistency | Compare with taxonomy table | Editors | Pre-publish |
| Placement | Key tasks linked in homepage intro, Parents hub and footer | Web lead | Termly |
| Orphans | Quarterly crawl; add links or retire | SEO/Comms | Quarterly |
| Performance | GSC CTR & impressions by hub/spoke | SEO | Monthly |
Measurement with Search Console
/term-dates/). Note impressions, clicks, CTR and top queries for a matched prior period (e.g., Sept last year).References: Google Search Console — Performance report • Google — Get started with Search Console.
Print-screen cards
Anchor Taxonomy (copy & adapt)
Screenshot or print this card| Intent | Anchor | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Absence | Report a pupil absence | /absence/ |
| Term dates | Term Dates [YEAR/YEAR+1] & INSET Days | /term-dates/ |
| Admissions | Admissions: how to apply | /admissions/ |
| Uniform | School uniform & PE kit | /uniform/ |
| Safeguarding | Safeguarding at [School] | /safeguarding/ |
| Contact | Contact [School] | /contact/ |
Anchor & Context QA — 12 Checks
Screenshot or print this card| 1. | Anchor states the task (not “click here”). |
| 2. | Anchor matches the destination H1 and purpose. |
| 3. | Placed near relevant copy (first paragraph where possible). |
| 4. | Consistent with taxonomy; sentence case; no emojis. |
| 5. | Duplicate anchors removed; varied phrasing when repeated. |
| 6. | Visible text for any icon links. |
| 7. | Keyboard focus visible; link is a real <a href>. |
| 8. | Breadcrumbs present and marked up. |
| 9. | No orphan pages; hubs link to spokes and back. |
| 10. | Outbound untrusted links use rel="nofollow" (internal links do not). |
| 11. | Baseline recorded in GSC; changes logged. |
| 12. | Re-measured after 4–8 weeks; keep winners. |
FAQs
Does anchor text have to match the exact query?
No. It should be natural and descriptive. “Report a pupil absence” covers the intent and is better than keyword stuffing variations like “report school absence [town]”.
Should we add anchors in the footer only?
Footers help, but contextual anchors near relevant copy perform better for users and search engines. Use both, with priority to the body copy.
Can we use buttons instead of text links?
Yes, as long as they are implemented as real anchors (<a href>) with accessible text. Avoid <div> + onclick without an href.
Do we ever use nofollow on internal links?
No. Reserve nofollow for untrusted external content or user-generated links. Internal links should be normal followed links. Reference: Google — Nofollow guidance
Need practical SEO support?
Speak With Paul Delaney
Paul Delaney helps schools turn complex SEO into simple, effective actions. As a guest writer for SEO for Schools, Paul shares step-by-step playbooks and evidence-based guidance that busy teams can apply immediately. With three decades’ experience working with UK and international institutions, he understands the challenges school teams face and is well positioned to offer support and guidance.
For our readers, Paul offers free 30-minute sessions for institutions exploring how to raise visibility, strengthen brand trust and streamline admissions. Sessions are practical, jargon-free and free from sales pressure. You can contact him using the buttons below—please mention SEOforSchools.co.uk.
