[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":720},["ShallowReactive",2],{"guide-\u002Fguides\u002Fvirtual-tours-school-open-days":3,"guide-examples-\u002Fguides\u002Fvirtual-tours-school-open-days":192,"guides-other-\u002Fguides\u002Fvirtual-tours-school-open-days":231},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"date":175,"description":176,"extension":177,"image":178,"imageAlt":179,"meta":180,"navigation":181,"path":182,"sector":183,"seo":184,"stem":185,"tours":186,"__hash__":191},"guides\u002Fguides\u002Fvirtual-tours-school-open-days.md","Virtual tours for school open days - a guide for admissions teams",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":166},"minimark",[9,13,16,21,50,54,57,83,96,100,107,110,114,146,150,153],[10,11,12],"p",{},"Open days are still the moment many families fall in love with a school, but the decision usually starts much earlier - online, often late in the evening, on a phone. A 360° virtual tour lets parents and pupils walk around your school at that moment, whenever it suits them.",[10,14,15],{},"We have photographed virtual tours for primary, secondary, independent and special schools, sixth-form colleges and universities. This guide collects what works best.",[17,18,20],"h2",{"id":19},"why-schools-use-virtual-tours","Why schools use virtual tours",[22,23,24,32,38,44],"ul",{},[25,26,27,31],"li",{},[28,29,30],"strong",{},"An open day that never closes."," Families abroad, parents working shifts and pupils moving in mid-year can look around at any time.",[25,33,34,37],{},[28,35,36],{},"Better-prepared visits."," Families who have already seen the library and the science labs arrive at the open day with sharper questions.",[25,39,40,43],{},[28,41,42],{},"A true picture."," Unlike a brochure, a tour shows the actual spaces, which builds trust.",[25,45,46,49],{},[28,47,48],{},"One link for everything."," The same tour works on your admissions page, in emails to prospective parents, on social media and on Google Maps.",[17,51,53],{"id":52},"which-spaces-to-include","Which spaces to include",[10,55,56],{},"Think about what families ask about most. A typical school tour covers:",[22,58,59,62,65,68,71,74,77,80],{},[25,60,61],{},"the main entrance and reception - the first impression;",[25,63,64],{},"a typical classroom for each key stage or subject area;",[25,66,67],{},"the library and learning resource centre;",[25,69,70],{},"science labs, art, design and technology rooms;",[25,72,73],{},"the hall, theatre or performance spaces;",[25,75,76],{},"sports hall, playing fields and outdoor areas;",[25,78,79],{},"the dining hall and, for sixth forms, the common room or café;",[25,81,82],{},"boarding houses, if you have them.",[10,84,85,86,89,90,95],{},"Every panorama gets a ",[28,87,88],{},"room name"," in the tour - \"Science Lab\", \"Sixth Form Café\", \"Chapel\" - so visitors can jump straight to what matters to them. Our tour of ",[91,92,94],"a",{"href":93},"\u002Fvirtual-tours\u002Fkingston-grammar-school","Kingston Grammar School",", for example, links the library, theatre, gallery, chapel and labs into one walk-through.",[17,97,99],{"id":98},"safeguarding-and-timing","Safeguarding and timing",[10,101,102,103,106],{},"We photograph ",[28,104,105],{},"empty spaces",", so no pupils appear in the tour. Shoots are usually booked during holidays, at weekends or after the school day, and we agree the list of rooms with you in advance. Displays with pupils' names or photographs can be taken down beforehand, or blurred afterwards.",[10,108,109],{},"Plan the shoot for a time when the school looks its best: grounds in summer or early autumn, freshly decorated rooms, displays up to date. A tour photographed in July is ready well before the autumn open-day season.",[17,111,113],{"id":112},"where-to-use-the-tour","Where to use the tour",[22,115,116,122,128,134,140],{},[25,117,118,121],{},[28,119,120],{},"Admissions and \"visit us\" pages"," - embed the tour with the code we provide.",[25,123,124,127],{},[28,125,126],{},"Emails to enquiring families"," - one link to the full tour.",[25,129,130,133],{},[28,131,132],{},"Google Maps"," - as a Google Street View trusted photographer we can publish the tour on your Google listing, where parents searching for schools nearby will find it.",[25,135,136,139],{},[28,137,138],{},"Printed prospectus"," - a QR code that opens the tour on a phone.",[25,141,142,145],{},[28,143,144],{},"Social media"," - full-size 360° panoramas can be posted on Facebook as interactive images.",[17,147,149],{"id":148},"keeping-it-current","Keeping it current",[10,151,152],{},"Schools change: a new sports centre, a refurbished library. Individual panoramas can be replaced or added later without redoing the whole tour, and the web address stays the same, so links in old emails and brochures keep working.",[10,154,155,156,160,161,165],{},"Want to see more? Browse our ",[91,157,159],{"href":158},"\u002Fvirtual-tours\u002Fschools","virtual tours for schools"," or ",[91,162,164],{"href":163},"\u002Fcontact","contact us"," to plan a shoot for your school.",{"title":167,"searchDepth":168,"depth":168,"links":169},"",2,[170,171,172,173,174],{"id":19,"depth":168,"text":20},{"id":52,"depth":168,"text":53},{"id":98,"depth":168,"text":99},{"id":112,"depth":168,"text":113},{"id":148,"depth":168,"text":149},"2026-04-23","How a 360° virtual tour helps schools with admissions all year round - which spaces to include, when to photograph, safeguarding, and where to use the tour.","md","\u002Fimages\u002Fguides\u002Fvirtual-tours-school-open-days.webp","The Michael Frayn Theatre at Kingston Grammar School - a view from our 360° virtual tour",{},true,"\u002Fguides\u002Fvirtual-tours-school-open-days","schools",{"title":5,"description":176},"guides\u002Fvirtual-tours-school-open-days",[187,188,189,190],"kingston-grammar-school","tonbridge-grammar-school-tonbridge","lvs-ascot","sandringham-school-london","Gm0ap2rsPznMXog-qRoeDfrEsedtZLld_10GKm4tgy0",[193,202,212,221],{"slug":187,"title":94,"name":94,"location":167,"type":194,"streetView":195,"sectors":196,"image":197,"poster":198,"scenes":199,"date":200,"tourPath":201},"tour",false,[183],"\u002Fimages\u002Fportfolio\u002Fkingston-grammar-school.webp","\u002Fimages\u002Ftours\u002Fkingston-grammar-school.webp",16,"2020-08-19","kgs",{"slug":188,"title":203,"name":204,"location":205,"type":194,"streetView":195,"sectors":206,"image":207,"poster":208,"scenes":209,"date":210,"tourPath":211},"Tonbridge Grammar School, Tonbridge","Tonbridge Grammar School","Tonbridge",[183],"\u002Fimages\u002Fportfolio\u002Ftonbridge-grammar-school-tonbridge.webp","\u002Fimages\u002Ftours\u002Ftonbridge-grammar-school-tonbridge.webp",48,"2017-02-23","tonbridgegrammarschool",{"slug":189,"title":213,"name":213,"location":167,"type":194,"streetView":195,"sectors":214,"image":216,"poster":217,"scenes":218,"date":219,"tourPath":220},"LVS Ascot",[183,215],"universities-colleges","\u002Fimages\u002Fportfolio\u002Flvs-ascot.webp","\u002Fimages\u002Ftours\u002Flvs-ascot.webp",92,"2018-04-23","LVSAscot",{"slug":190,"title":222,"name":223,"location":224,"type":194,"streetView":195,"sectors":225,"image":226,"poster":227,"scenes":228,"date":229,"tourPath":230},"Sandringham School, London","Sandringham School","London",[183],"\u002Fimages\u002Fportfolio\u002Fsandringham-school-london.webp","\u002Fimages\u002Ftours\u002Fsandringham-school-london.webp",34,"2016-03-14","sandringhamschool",[232,361,517],{"id":233,"title":234,"body":235,"date":346,"description":347,"extension":177,"image":348,"imageAlt":349,"meta":350,"navigation":181,"path":351,"sector":352,"seo":353,"stem":354,"tours":355,"__hash__":360},"guides\u002Fguides\u002Fvirtual-tours-dental-practices.md","Virtual tours for dental practices - helping anxious patients feel at ease",{"type":7,"value":236,"toc":339},[237,240,244,247,250,254,257,274,282,286,292,296,322,326,329],[10,238,239],{},"For many people a visit to the dentist is stressful, and a first visit to a new practice even more so. One simple way to reduce that anxiety is to let patients see the practice before they arrive. A 360° virtual tour does exactly that.",[17,241,243],{"id":242},"familiar-surroundings-calmer-patients","Familiar surroundings, calmer patients",[10,245,246],{},"Uncertainty makes anxiety worse: where do I go, what does the waiting room look like, what will the treatment room be like? A virtual tour answers those questions in advance. Patients can walk from the entrance to reception, sit in the waiting area and look around a surgery - on their phone, at home, at their own pace.",[10,248,249],{},"A tour is especially helpful for nervous patients, for parents preparing children for a visit, and for people with disabilities who want to check access in advance.",[17,251,253],{"id":252},"show-what-patients-are-paying-for","Show what patients are paying for",[10,255,256],{},"For private and aesthetic dentistry, the setting is part of the service. A modern, clean, well-equipped practice is a reason to choose you. A virtual tour shows:",[22,258,259,262,265,268,271],{},[25,260,261],{},"the reception and patient lounge;",[25,263,264],{},"the waiting area;",[25,266,267],{},"each treatment room and its equipment;",[25,269,270],{},"consultation rooms for implant, orthodontic or cosmetic treatments;",[25,272,273],{},"accessible entrances and parking.",[10,275,276,277,281],{},"Our tour of ",[91,278,280],{"href":279},"\u002Fvirtual-tours\u002Fcassio-road-dental-practice","Cassio Road Dental Practice"," covers the entrance, reception, waiting area and every surgery - a complete picture of the practice.",[17,283,285],{"id":284},"found-where-patients-search","Found where patients search",[10,287,288,289,291],{},"Most new patients look for \"dentist near me\" on Google. As a Google Street View trusted photographer we can publish your tour on ",[28,290,132],{},", next to your reviews and opening hours, so patients can look inside straight from the search results. The same tour can be embedded on your website's \"new patients\" and \"about the practice\" pages.",[17,293,295],{"id":294},"practical-points","Practical points",[22,297,298,304,310,316],{},[25,299,300,303],{},[28,301,302],{},"No patients in the tour."," We photograph before or after surgery hours, so there is no disruption and no confidentiality concerns.",[25,305,306,309],{},[28,307,308],{},"Clinical areas look their best when clear."," Put away instruments and paperwork, and switch on the room lights before the shoot.",[25,311,312,315],{},[28,313,314],{},"Quick to photograph."," Each panorama takes about ten minutes, so even a large practice is usually photographed in one session.",[25,317,318,321],{},[28,319,320],{},"Easy to update."," New surgery or refurbished reception? We can replace individual panoramas later.",[17,323,325],{"id":324},"more-than-dentists","More than dentists",[10,327,328],{},"The same approach works for clinics, physiotherapists, aesthetic and medical practices - anywhere patients benefit from knowing what to expect.",[10,330,331,332,160,336,338],{},"See our ",[91,333,335],{"href":334},"\u002Fvirtual-tours\u002Fdental-medical","virtual tours for dental practices and clinics",[91,337,164],{"href":163}," to arrange a shoot.",{"title":167,"searchDepth":168,"depth":168,"links":340},[341,342,343,344,345],{"id":242,"depth":168,"text":243},{"id":252,"depth":168,"text":253},{"id":284,"depth":168,"text":285},{"id":294,"depth":168,"text":295},{"id":324,"depth":168,"text":325},"2026-09-10","How a 360° virtual tour of your reception, waiting area and surgeries helps nervous patients, supports private and aesthetic treatments, and brings new patients from Google Maps.","\u002Fimages\u002Fguides\u002Fvirtual-tours-dental-practices.webp","The waiting area at Cassio Road Dental Practice - a view from our 360° virtual tour",{},"\u002Fguides\u002Fvirtual-tours-dental-practices","dental-medical",{"title":234,"description":347},"guides\u002Fvirtual-tours-dental-practices",[356,357,358,359],"cassio-road-dental-practice","the-dental-and-implant-centre","sw11-medical-dental-aesthetic","the-smile-studios-richmond-london","bIXc2JJFWetgfKzaCiUloqQqNyMPzGWEWaKFkAEYvPc",{"id":362,"title":363,"body":364,"date":503,"description":504,"extension":177,"image":505,"imageAlt":506,"meta":507,"navigation":181,"path":508,"sector":509,"seo":510,"stem":511,"tours":512,"__hash__":516},"guides\u002Fguides\u002Fprepare-venue-360-photo-shoot.md","How to prepare your venue for a 360° photo shoot - a checklist",{"type":7,"value":365,"toc":497},[366,369,373,399,403,435,439,477,480,484,487],[10,367,368],{},"A 360° camera sees everything - including the pile of boxes behind you and the cable under the desk. A little preparation makes the difference between a good tour and a great one. Use this checklist in the days before the shoot.",[17,370,372],{"id":371},"a-week-before","A week before",[22,374,375,381,387,393],{},[25,376,377,380],{},[28,378,379],{},"Agree the list of spaces."," Decide which rooms and areas to include and in which order visitors should walk through them. It helps to walk the route yourself.",[25,382,383,386],{},[28,384,385],{},"Book the right time."," Choose a time when the place is closed or quiet: early morning, evening, a weekend or a holiday. For outdoor areas, think about the season - gardens and grounds look best from late spring to early autumn.",[25,388,389,392],{},[28,390,391],{},"Plan for people."," We photograph empty spaces. Let staff know the timing and, if needed, arrange for each area to be free for a few minutes.",[25,394,395,398],{},[28,396,397],{},"Fix small things."," Blown bulbs, broken blinds, marks on walls - they are more visible in a panorama than in real life.",[17,400,402],{"id":401},"the-day-before","The day before",[22,404,405,411,417,423,429],{},[25,406,407,410],{},[28,408,409],{},"Declutter every room in the tour."," Remove boxes, bags, coats, cleaning equipment, paperwork and personal items. Remember that the camera sees all four walls, the ceiling and the floor.",[25,412,413,416],{},[28,414,415],{},"Tidy cables"," behind desks, TVs and counters.",[25,418,419,422],{},[28,420,421],{},"Set the scene."," Lay tables in a restaurant, make beds in a hotel, arrange chairs neatly in classrooms and meeting rooms.",[25,424,425,428],{},[28,426,427],{},"Check displays and notice boards"," for personal information, names or photos that should not be published.",[25,430,431,434],{},[28,432,433],{},"Clean glass and mirrors"," - fingerprints show.",[17,436,438],{"id":437},"on-the-day","On the day",[22,440,441,447,453,459,465,471],{},[25,442,443,446],{},[28,444,445],{},"Switch on all the lights"," in the rooms being photographed, including lamps and display lighting.",[25,448,449,452],{},[28,450,451],{},"Open blinds and curtains"," evenly - or close them all in a room if the view outside is not attractive. HDR photography keeps both the room and the windows in balance.",[25,454,455,458],{},[28,456,457],{},"Turn screens off"," or show a neutral image such as your logo.",[25,460,461,464],{},[28,462,463],{},"Keep doors open"," between connected spaces, so visitors can see where the arrows lead.",[25,466,467,470],{},[28,468,469],{},"Move vehicles"," away from the entrance if you want the front of the building in the tour.",[25,472,473,476],{},[28,474,475],{},"Have someone available"," who knows the building and has the keys.",[10,478,479],{},"Each panorama takes around ten minutes, so a tour of fifteen rooms needs a few hours including moving between spaces.",[17,481,483],{"id":482},"after-the-shoot","After the shoot",[10,485,486],{},"You will receive the tour with a hand-over page: the direct link, the code for your website, Google Street View links if ordered, and the downloads. Check it with fresh eyes - if something in a room needs changing, a single panorama can be re-shot later without affecting the rest of the tour.",[10,488,489,490,160,494,496],{},"Ready to plan your shoot? Read ",[91,491,493],{"href":492},"\u002Fhow-it-works","how it works",[91,495,164],{"href":163},".",{"title":167,"searchDepth":168,"depth":168,"links":498},[499,500,501,502],{"id":371,"depth":168,"text":372},{"id":401,"depth":168,"text":402},{"id":437,"depth":168,"text":438},{"id":482,"depth":168,"text":483},"2026-08-06","A practical checklist to get your venue ready for a 360° virtual tour shoot - tidying, lighting, screens, people and timing - so every panorama looks its best.","\u002Fimages\u002Fguides\u002Fprepare-venue-360-photo-shoot.webp","The reception at Whately Hall - a view from our 360° virtual tour",{},"\u002Fguides\u002Fprepare-venue-360-photo-shoot","hotels",{"title":363,"description":504},"guides\u002Fprepare-venue-360-photo-shoot",[513,514,515],"whately-hall","hunton-park-hotel","barry-house-hotel-london","CvWqaphZg4i17gOFIPk0SisN0Kcg1ujh03CmjDiBcVE",{"id":518,"title":519,"body":520,"date":706,"description":707,"extension":177,"image":708,"imageAlt":709,"meta":710,"navigation":181,"path":711,"sector":712,"seo":713,"stem":714,"tours":715,"__hash__":719},"guides\u002Fguides\u002Fvirtual-tour-vs-video-vs-photos.md","Virtual tour, video or photos: what works best on your website?",{"type":7,"value":521,"toc":698},[522,525,529,532,538,544,548,551,556,561,565,568,572,595,600,604,663,667,670,673,677,684],[10,523,524],{},"You want people to see your place before they visit. Should you invest in photos, a video or a 360° virtual tour? Each format does a different job, and the best websites often use more than one. Here is how they compare.",[17,526,528],{"id":527},"photos-the-first-impression","Photos: the first impression",[10,530,531],{},"Good photographs are fast to load, easy to share and work everywhere - your website, social media, printed leaflets, property portals.",[10,533,534,537],{},[28,535,536],{},"Strengths:"," quick to look at, perfect for thumbnails and galleries, great for details (a dish, a treatment, a product).",[10,539,540,543],{},[28,541,542],{},"Limits:"," a photo shows one chosen angle. Visitors cannot look behind them, see how rooms connect or judge the real size of a space. Wide-angle lenses can also make rooms look larger than they are, which some visitors have learned to distrust.",[17,545,547],{"id":546},"video-the-story","Video: the story",[10,549,550],{},"Video is excellent for atmosphere and emotion - people, sound, movement, a welcome from the head teacher or the chef.",[10,552,553,555],{},[28,554,536],{}," tells a story in a set order, great on social media, can include interviews and music.",[10,557,558,560],{},[28,559,542],{}," the viewer goes where the camera goes, at the camera's pace. Anyone who wants to look at one particular room has to scrub through the timeline. Video also dates quickly when people and signage change.",[17,562,564],{"id":563},"_360-virtual-tour-the-visit","360° virtual tour: the visit",[10,566,567],{},"A virtual tour lets the visitor decide where to go and where to look. Each room is a full 360° panorama, connected with arrows and labelled with room names.",[10,569,570],{},[28,571,536],{},[22,573,574,577,580,583,586,592],{},[25,575,576],{},"visitors explore at their own pace and look in every direction;",[25,578,579],{},"the real layout and size of the space is clear, which builds trust;",[25,581,582],{},"they can jump straight to the room they care about;",[25,584,585],{},"it works on phones, tablets and computers, and in full screen;",[25,587,588,589,591],{},"it can be published on ",[28,590,132],{},", where people search for businesses;",[25,593,594],{},"one panorama can be replaced later without redoing the rest.",[10,596,597,599],{},[28,598,542],{}," a tour shows spaces, not people or stories, and it is not the right format for a short social-media clip.",[17,601,603],{"id":602},"which-one-when","Which one when?",[605,606,607,620],"table",{},[608,609,610],"thead",{},[611,612,613,617],"tr",{},[614,615,616],"th",{},"You want to...",[614,618,619],{},"Best format",[621,622,623,632,640,648,656],"tbody",{},[611,624,625,629],{},[626,627,628],"td",{},"make a first impression on a listing or social post",[626,630,631],{},"photos",[611,633,634,637],{},[626,635,636],{},"tell your story, introduce the team",[626,638,639],{},"video",[611,641,642,645],{},[626,643,644],{},"let people check the space, the rooms and the layout",[626,646,647],{},"virtual tour",[611,649,650,653],{},[626,651,652],{},"appear inside your Google Maps listing",[626,654,655],{},"virtual tour on Google Street View",[611,657,658,661],{},[626,659,660],{},"help event organisers or tenants shortlist remotely",[626,662,647],{},[17,664,666],{"id":665},"combining-them","Combining them",[10,668,669],{},"The strongest pages use all three: a hero photo at the top, a short video for atmosphere, and the virtual tour for everyone who is seriously considering a visit. With a virtual tour you also receive full-size 360° panoramas and can have still photographs taken during the same visit, which covers the photo side too.",[10,671,672],{},"A short video can even be made from the tour itself - a smooth walk through the panoramas - which is a quick way to add movement to your social media.",[17,674,676],{"id":675},"in-short","In short",[10,678,679,680],{},"Photos attract, video tells the story, and a virtual tour answers the question every visitor has: ",[681,682,683],"em",{},"what is it really like inside?",[10,685,686,687,691,692,160,695,496],{},"See examples in ",[91,688,690],{"href":689},"\u002Fvirtual-tours","our virtual tours",", read ",[91,693,694],{"href":492},"how a tour is made",[91,696,697],{"href":163},"get in touch",{"title":167,"searchDepth":168,"depth":168,"links":699},[700,701,702,703,704,705],{"id":527,"depth":168,"text":528},{"id":546,"depth":168,"text":547},{"id":563,"depth":168,"text":564},{"id":602,"depth":168,"text":603},{"id":665,"depth":168,"text":666},{"id":675,"depth":168,"text":676},"2026-07-02","Photos, video and 360° virtual tours each do a different job. How to choose - or combine them - to show your venue, school or business online.","\u002Fimages\u002Fguides\u002Fvirtual-tour-vs-video-vs-photos.webp","The lounge at CIEE London - a view from our 360° virtual tour",{},"\u002Fguides\u002Fvirtual-tour-vs-video-vs-photos","offices-businesses",{"title":519,"description":707},"guides\u002Fvirtual-tour-vs-video-vs-photos",[716,717,718],"ciee","bourne-business-park","connections-trsq-london","FOgqPTrzQ_9fwZvYcO-Jv-MkycGYGSVWizm8boJ78mk",1790523050939]