About
Science Oxford is part of The Oxford Trust and is dedicated to inspiring young people, families, and communities through science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM). Based at the Science Oxford Centre in Headington, it delivers hands-on learning experiences, school outreach programmes, and public events designed to spark curiosity and support the next generation of scientists and innovators.
The Problem
The previous Science Oxford website had become outdated and difficult to manage. Over time, a number of issues had developed that limited both performance and flexibility:
- Outdated design – the visual style no longer reflected the organisation’s forward-thinking, educational mission.
- Poor navigation – users found it difficult to find key information and resources.
- Slow performance – excess bloat and legacy code affected site speed and reliability.
- Outdated architecture – the site’s underlying structure made development and maintenance inefficient.
- Inconsistency – design elements and layouts varied across pages, creating a fragmented user experience.
- Limited extensibility – the system was not easily adaptable for new features, events, or content types.
- End of life booking system – the booking system was built poorly by a previous developer; it was inaccessible and built on a poor code foundation.
- Weak SEO foundations – the code structure lacked best practices, with issues such as missing H1 tags and poorly defined hierarchy affecting search performance.
The Solution
We designed and developed a custom, component-led WordPress theme built for speed, flexibility, and long-term maintainability. Each element of the site was engineered for consistency, allowing new pages to be created quickly using reusable components that align with Science Oxford’s brand and accessibility standards.
The system was developed with extensibility in mind, making it simple to introduce new features and content types as the organisation grows.
In addition, we replaced their slow, end-of-life booking system with a bespoke solution that integrates directly with HubSpot, improving reliability, streamlining event management, and enhancing data flow between the website and CRM.
Our Impact
- New design – a new look that’s easier on the eyes and simple for users to digest.
- Exceptional performance – achieved a 99/100 Lighthouse speed rating, ensuring fast load times and smooth user experience.
- Streamlined booking system – replaced the legacy system with a custom-built solution featuring a user-friendly dashboard and seamless HubSpot integration.
- Component-led architecture – a flexible, scalable system that we’ve continued to extend over time as new requirements arise.
- Improved content structure – clearer separation of information into custom post types, making content easier to manage and reuse.
- Enhanced event discovery – intuitive filters allow users to quickly find events relevant to their age group or interests.
- Accessible, easy navigation – redesigned menus and page layouts ensure the site is inclusive and simple to navigate for all visitors.
And it doesn’t stop there
Science Oxford is constantly evolving, and we’ve been working closely with the team for a number of years, offering constant support, maintenance and training to give them ultimate peace of mind.