DigitalWorkshop

I would definitely aim to reduce the clutter on the home page irrespective of the icon or image styles. IMO these pages look like internal content pages not a home page.
 
Actually, I think you've got three categories of content - Tutorials, Information and Free Stuff so I would just have three columns under those headings with those illustrated and list the specifics as "menu" items below that. If you feel the need to have icons for each I'd put a large image to head each column and then put mini "inline" icons against each individual entry.
 
I would also consider having a banner which highlights a particular piece of content and call it "This Month's Highlight" to encourage users to come back repeatedly to see what you highlight next month.

Since watching Interstellar again I keep returning to S.T.A.Y by Hans Zimmer and particularly the rather more upbeat Maor Levi remix on Youtube which has the benefit of a brilliant video. I just can't work out what the helicopters might be doing in the early part of the video - are the dropping something/someone into the water or lifting them out?
 

It doesn't change the fact that most of the webpages online today is build with templates. Many templates/themes are using the Bootstrap grid so they all look the same. Same icons, same structure, same width, same amount of padding, same amount of gutter, same line-height etc. Plus sitebuilders and frameworks have lowered the market barriers for "cowboys" resulting in prices so low that even agencies that used to deliver quality designs are now using templates for standard sites because they have to keep the production time down.
It is depressing but a unique webdesign based on analysis, research and tests is turning into a niche product these days.

I vaguely know someone that had a fair-sized web development company, around 12 employees but he found himself spending all his time running the business and his passion was web development.
 
He let go of most of his staff and now contracts out the more basic work that he isn't interested in - and is much happier.

Why do you need android and ios developers as a minimum? A skilled JavaScript developer will be able to develop a React application that will work on all platforms.

I agree about it needing much, much more content. There is nothing to bring customers back or recommend it. Very dry design too. Take a look at professional puzzling sites like http://puzzlemagazines.co.uk/ or http://www.puzzler.com/
 
If you'll pardon the promotional plug - you could use a product like ours ;-) - we even have a free HTML5 sudoku in our sample publications.
 
Paul

Whatever their technical and design merits, those designs simply confirm my point. They are clearly designed for mobile viewers. Of course I can see them perfectly well on my desktop - I can read them from the other side of the room!
 
Not even an attempt at a responsive grid with floating elements just a single flow of large print fluff. Exactly what I think is wrong with so many current sites.

That is so true. I get to work on a lot of sites that have been thrown together using Bootstrap (or a premade theme/template set), and when the site owner wants custom modifications the "designer" doesn't know what to do - hence we end up taking on their clients (their loss - our gain). It seems to be happening more and more, I think a lot of so called designers/developers are nothing more than "fitters".

I found the cartoon style too simple and at odds with your service in my opinion - it makes the site look quite childish not technical at all.
 
Below the image the site works well and has some neat UI and design features which demonstrate your skills nicely. I like the animated logos in particular but I expected to be able to click on them.
 
The block of images under What We Have Done needs to tidied up so the blocks are consistent sizes - presumably you will add more so that there is one isolated block on it's own at the bottom.
 
When resizing the page the logo in the menu bar overlaps the menu underline.
 
I agree with BrowserBugs that after all the work you've put in on the front page, the services page looks unfinished.
 
Hope this helps. A few tweaks and fixes and I'd say you'll have an excellent site.

While design frameworks will take a lot of the blame for the majority of new websites looking 'samey', a framework is nothing more than a guide and set of rules that you can either choose to follow or not - there are some fantastic, creative sites out there built with frameworks but unfortunately in a lot of cases there is also a serious lack of creativity too.
 
 
As well as frameworks, the blame can also be put on clients and sometimes even the designers. Clients may love that look that their competitors use, it's up to the designer to persuade them to go another direction because having a site that looks exactly like your competitors isn't going to help their brand or selling points stand out. Designers are guilty of it for the same reason if slightly different that they'll see a nice site and think 'oh thats how its meant to be done' and copy the same layout over and over and over … which is how we end up with over used and sometimes unwarranted trends.

It's not as simple as that. According to http://www.w3counter.com/globalstats.php the predominant internet traffic is performed by users with 1366x768 displays or higher.
I think it depends on what type of content you provide. Users on mobile phones will be looking for very specific and concrete info. "When does the next train arrive", "Where can I buy gas", "Who made this song". Users on tablets and PCs will likely be the majority on sites with more "in depth content".
In other words: Users with small displays will not be browsing your portfolio of artwork or reading your scientific article. So it makes sense to optimize sites with such content for larger monitors

I have to agree on the green colour, especially used against the grey or white. Presumably the green is a corporate colour so can't be tweaked.
So I'd consider white against the green and then use the grey against a white background.
 
Certainly a major improvement on the original though and meets the spec for that style of site well.

You could ask them No, seriously, in my experience by far the best way is to get students of that age involved is to get them involved in the decision :-) Ask the students themselves what they'd like to see and they'll be much more interested in what actually appears. They'll expect way more than is possible but that has learning value too. It will take time too so you may have to reserve a section of the site for what they eventually come up with.
 
Other than that...
 
We have some customers who get their students to produce web-based revision materials for those in lower years - ideal for embedding learning.
 
If the school is doing any of the digital studies or computer science qualifications or has a computer club get them to produce content. Or display their curriculum projects.
 
Include content on extra-curricular activities (within reason of course )
 
Social media may be popular but can be very dangerous and IMO tends to be seen as personal - and attempts by schools to get involved can actually backfire - it's the Dad-dancing syndrome.
 
Also worth noting that some schools restrict the external sites which can be connected to - embedding content from YouTube is a prime example.
 
Be prepared to freshen the ideas often.
 
Hope this helps.
 
Paul