How to Build a Free Class Website in Under an Hour
A class website gives students and parents a reliable single source of truth for homework, resources, class news and schedules — and building one takes less than an hour using free tools that require zero technical knowledge. This guide walks through three options based on your school's existing tools.
Option 1: Google Sites (Best for Google Workspace Schools)
Google Sites is free for any Google account holder and requires no technical knowledge. If your school uses Google Workspace for Education, every teacher already has access and students can view the site while signed into their school accounts.
Go to sites.google.com, click "+" to create a new site, and choose a template. The drag-and-drop editor works like a simple word processor — click where you want content, type or drag in elements. Add pages for: Home (welcome message, quick links), Homework (this week's assignments), Resources (reading lists, useful websites) and Contact (your email and meeting times). Embed Google Docs, Slides, Forms and Sheets directly into any page. Publish with one click and share the link with parents via email or the school newsletter.
Option 2: Canva Website (Best for Visual Appeal)
Canva's Website feature (free for education accounts) produces the most visually appealing class website of the three options, with hundreds of professionally designed templates. Select a website template, customise it with your subject colours and content, and publish to a free Canva subdomain (yourname.my.canva.site). Canva websites scroll vertically rather than having multiple pages — ideal for a compact, visually rich class homepage.
The limitation: Canva websites are single-page, so complex multi-section sites are harder to manage than with Google Sites. But for a clean, attractive homepage that impresses students and parents immediately, Canva is the fastest route to a professional-looking result.
Option 3: Carrd (Best for Simplicity)
Carrd.co's free plan allows up to 3 single-page websites with a carrd.co subdomain. The editor is the simplest of the three — pick a template, click to edit text and images, and publish. No frills, but the result loads fast and looks clean on any device. Ideal for teachers who want a basic class page without learning any new interface features. Pro plan ($9/year) adds custom domains, forms and more elements.
What to Include on a Class Website
Keep it purposeful: a welcome message (one paragraph), current week's homework or upcoming deadlines, useful resource links for your subject, your contact method and office hours, and one piece of current student work if appropriate. Resist the temptation to add everything — the most-visited class websites are simple and updated consistently, not comprehensive and stale. Schedule 10 minutes every Friday to update the homework section and the site will remain genuinely useful throughout the year.
Privacy and Safeguarding
Never publish student names, photos or work without explicit written consent. Check your school's website policy — some schools require all class websites to use the official school platform. If in doubt, make the site accessible only to students and parents with the link (not publicly listed in search engines) by using the privacy settings in Google Sites or Canva. Always follow your school's data protection and safeguarding policies before publishing student-related content.
