Site Updates & Maintenance for UK Schools
Ensuring Site Security & SSL/TLS for UK Schools: Practical Playbook, Governance & Checklists
Published by SEO for Schools • Author: Paul Delaney
Security and SEO are joined at the hip. Parents, carers and staff expect a safe, trustworthy website that loads over HTTPS, protects data and resists tampering. Search engines prefer it, browsers warn when it’s missing, and UK guidance expects it. This guide is written for non-specialist school teams and MATs: how to set up SSL/TLS correctly, prevent mixed content, deploy HSTS and key security headers, govern renewals, and run simple monitoring and incident playbooks—without breaking your CMS.
In short
- Serve the whole site over HTTPS, force redirects from HTTP, and enable HSTS.
- Use modern TLS (1.2+), strong ciphers, and auto-renewing certificates.
- Add baseline security headers (CSP, HSTS, X-Content-Type-Options, Referrer-Policy, X-Frame-Options/Permissions-Policy).
- Keep CMS, plugins and themes patched; lock down admin access with MFA and least privilege.
- Monitor uptime, TLS expiry and changes; keep a simple incident checklist and know when to inform the ICO.
What to do now
- Check your site at
http://,https://,wwwand apex. All routes should resolve to a single HTTPS URL. - Install/confirm HSTS and fix any mixed content (images/scripts loaded over HTTP).
- Add/update security headers and schedule certificate auto-renew with alerts 14 and 3 days before expiry.
Why HTTPS & security hygiene matter for schools
- Trust & duty of care: Parents and pupils need confidence that pages and forms aren’t intercepted or altered.
- Compliance: UK GDPR requires appropriate security for personal data (ICO). Admissions and contact forms usually collect personal data.
- SEO & UX: Browsers label HTTP as “Not secure”; Google recommends serving content over HTTPS and may use it as a lightweight ranking signal. Poor security can harm discoverability and conversions.
References: ICO — Security under UK GDPR • GOV. UK Service Manual — Using HTTPS • Google — SEO Starter Guide.
SSL/TLS basics schools actually need
Certificates
- DV vs OV vs EV: Domain Validated (DV) is sufficient for most school sites. Organisation Validated (OV) may help procurement/governance. EV brings little UX benefit today.
- Wildcard: Useful for many subdomains (
*.school.sch.uk), but secure each app appropriately. - Auto-renew: Use 90-day certificates with automated renewal; set alerts before expiry.
TLS configuration
- Support TLS 1.2+ and plan for 1.3; disable legacy protocols/ciphers.
- Use modern ECDHE key exchange; prefer strong AEAD ciphers.
- Enable OCSP stapling if supported by your platform.
References: NCSC — 10 Steps to Cyber Security • GOV. UK Service Manual — Using HTTPS.
HSTS, redirects & mixed content
- Redirects: Force HTTP→HTTPS with a single 301 hop. Check
http://exampleandhttp://www.exampleboth consolidate to your chosen HTTPS host. - HSTS: Add the HTTP Strict Transport Security header so browsers only use HTTPS after the first visit. Consider
includeSubDomainswhen all subdomains are HTTPS-ready. - Mixed content: Fix HTTP links to images, scripts and styles; use protocol-relative or explicit
https://URLs. Mixed content breaks the padlock and weakens security.
Strict-Transport-Security: max-age=31536000; includeSubDomains; preloadReferences: IETF — RFC 6797 (HSTS) • GOV. UK Service Manual — Using HTTPS.
Essential security headers (safe defaults)
Core set
- HSTS — see above.
- Content Security Policy (CSP): restrict where scripts, images, fonts can load from; start in
report-onlyto avoid breaking pages. - X-Content-Type-Options:
nosniffprevents MIME-type sniffing. - X-Frame-Options or frame-ancestors (CSP): mitigate clickjacking (
SAMEORIGIN). - Referrer-Policy: e.g.,
strict-origin-when-cross-origin. - Permissions-Policy: limit APIs (e.g., camera, geolocation) if not needed.
Example (conservative)
Content-Security-Policy: default-src 'self'; img-src 'self' https: data:; script-src 'self'; style-src 'self' 'unsafe-inline'; font-src 'self' https: data:; frame-ancestors 'self';X-Content-Type-Options: nosniffReferrer-Policy: strict-origin-when-cross-originX-Frame-Options: SAMEORIGINPermissions-Policy: geolocation=(), camera=(), microphone=()Adapt for any third-party services (e.g., maps, video). Test in report-only first.
References: W3C — Content Security Policy • W3C — Referrer Policy.
Governance: renewals, ownership & roles (MAT-ready)
| Area | Policy | Owner | Cadence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate lifecycle | Auto-renew (90-day); alerts at 14 and 3 days; annual CA review | IT/Hosting | Continuous / Annual review |
| Redirects & HSTS | Single 301 hop; HSTS with includeSubDomains when safe | IT | Quarterly check |
| Security headers | Baseline set per above; CSP report-only → enforced | IT/SEO | Quarterly |
| Patching | CMS, plugins, themes updated within vendor SLA; emergency patch route | Web team | Monthly / As released |
| Access control | MFA mandatory; least privilege; remove leavers within 24h | IT/HR | Continuous |
| Backups | Daily off-site; encrypted; restore tested termly | IT | Daily / Termly test |
| Monitoring | Uptime, TLS expiry, DNS change alerts; single dashboard | IT | Daily review |
| Incidents | Runbook with contacts; ICO decision tree for personal data breaches | DSL/DP Officer/IT | Annual exercise |
References: DfE — Cyber security standards for schools and colleges • NCSC — 10 Steps.
Patching, backups & access control
Keep software current
- Apply CMS, plugin and theme updates promptly; remove unused plugins.
- Use staging to test major updates; keep a rollback path.
Access & identity
- Enable MFA for all admin accounts.
- Grant the minimum role required; use named accounts (no shared logins).
- Remove leavers’ access within 24 hours.
Backups: Daily off-site, encrypted; verify restores termly. Back up both the database and uploaded assets (images/docs). Keep at least 30 days’ retention.
References: NCSC — 10 Steps to Cyber Security • ICO — Security under UK GDPR.
Monitoring & alerting (no vendor lock-in)
- Uptime: External ping every minute; alert IT and comms if outage > 5 minutes.
- TLS expiry: Daily check of certificate expiry with email/SMS alerts.
- Change detection: Alert on DNS, certificate, and key page HTML changes.
- Search Console: Watch for “Security issues” and coverage anomalies.
Incident readiness & reporting (ICO)
If a compromise might involve personal data (e.g., form submissions), involve your Data Protection Officer (or equivalent) early. Assess whether the impact meets the threshold for reporting a personal data breach to the ICO within 72 hours of becoming aware.
- Take the site offline only if needed to contain harm; otherwise show a service banner.
- Rotate credentials, revoke tokens/keys, and patch the vulnerability.
- Preserve logs and document your timeline and decisions.
- If required, report to the ICO and communicate transparently with affected users.
References: ICO — Report a personal data breach • DfE — Cyber security standards.
Print-screen checklists
HTTPS & TLS (12 checks)
Screenshot or print this card- Single canonical HTTPS URL (HTTP→HTTPS 301, one hop).
- Valid certificate (covers apex +
www; correct SANs). - Auto-renew enabled; alerts at 14 & 3 days.
- TLS 1.2+ (ideally 1.3) only; weak ciphers disabled.
- OCSP stapling on (if platform supports).
- HSTS with
includeSubDomainswhen safe. - No mixed content warnings.
- Strict redirect chain (no loops, no extra hops).
- Robots and sitemaps served over HTTPS.
- 3rd-party assets (fonts, scripts) loaded via HTTPS.
- Forms POST to HTTPS endpoints only.
- Key pages spot-checked on mobile browsers.
Security Headers (quick start)
Screenshot or print this card- HSTS set (max-age ≥ 31536000; includeSubDomains; preload if ready).
- CSP in
report-only→ enforced; allow only known origins. - X-Content-Type-Options:
nosniff. - Referrer-Policy:
strict-origin-when-cross-origin. - X-Frame-Options:
SAMEORIGIN(or CSPframe-ancestors). - Permissions-Policy: disable unused features.
Ops & Governance (school/MAT)
Screenshot or print this card- Patch CMS and plugins monthly (or as-released for security).
- MFA on all admin accounts; least privilege; remove leavers in 24h.
- Daily encrypted off-site backups; termly restore test.
- Uptime + TLS expiry + DNS change alerts in one inbox.
- Incident runbook & ICO decision tree accessible to DSL/DPO.
Key terms
- SSL/TLS
- Protocols that encrypt traffic between browser and server. “SSL” is the old term; “TLS” is current.
- HSTS
- Strict policy that tells browsers to only use HTTPS for your domain after the first visit.
- Mixed content
- When an HTTPS page loads some resources (images/scripts) over HTTP, weakening security.
- CSP
- Content Security Policy—header that controls where a page can load resources from.
- MFA
- Multi-factor authentication (e.g., password + app code).
FAQs
Do we need OV/EV certificates for trustworthiness?
No for most school sites. DV is technically sufficient. OV may suit procurement or policy preferences; EV has limited practical benefit in modern browsers.
Will enabling HSTS break anything?
HSTS forces HTTPS; ensure all subdomains are HTTPS-ready before adding includeSubDomains or “preload”. Test on staging first.
Can security headers break our CMS or embeds?
Yes, if too strict. Start CSP in report-only, browse key pages, then gradually tighten. Document any allowed third-party domains (maps, video, forms).
Who should own certificates in a MAT?
Central IT should own issuance and renewal, with shared visibility for web/SEO leads. Use auto-renew and clear alerting.
How does this help SEO?
HTTPS avoids browser “Not secure” warnings, improves user trust and task completion, and aligns with Google’s guidance. Security issues can lead to warnings in Search Console and reduced visibility.
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.
