An overview of the big things we’re planning to deliver across PortalHQ in the second half of 2026. Dates are our best estimate at the time of writing — we’ll update this article as the timing firms up or shifts.
June – July 2026
New newsletter editor
A significantly upgraded newsletter editor is coming to Newsroom. The current editor has served well but the new one brings:
- A more modern drag-and-drop interface.
- A much wider selection of content blocks and layouts.
- Better mobile preview while you’re designing.
- Improved image handling and gallery support.
- Tighter integration with the file manager.
- Faster performance on long, image-heavy issues.
For schools producing weekly newsletters, this is the most-anticipated upgrade of the year. Your existing templates and saved issues will continue to work — the new editor opens them seamlessly.
July 2026
PWA mobile app — rolling out to all schools
The PWA (Progressive Web App) version of PortalHQ has been in development and pilot use, and we’re rolling it out to all schools in July.
What is the PWA?
The PWA is the mobile experience delivered through your phone’s browser, but installable to your home screen like a native app. It looks and feels like a native app — full-screen, push notifications, offline support — but it’s built on web technology, which means:
- Updates are instant — no waiting for app store approval.
- One codebase covers iOS, Android and any future platforms.
- Faster feature parity between web and mobile.
What this means for you and your parents
- Parents can install the PWA from their browser by tapping Add to Home Screen.
- Existing native Flutter app users won’t be disrupted in July — both apps will run side-by-side for a transition period.
- New schools onboarded from July onwards will go straight to the PWA.
Native Flutter app — beginning deprecation
With the PWA launching, we’re starting to wind down the native Flutter app. The deprecation will be gradual:
- July 2026 — PWA goes live for all schools. Flutter app continues to work.
- Through late 2026 and into 2027 — feature parity firms up; new features land on PWA first, sometimes only PWA.
- 2027 — Flutter app moves to maintenance mode, then is eventually retired.
We’ll communicate the exact timeline once the PWA rollout has settled. No school will be left without a mobile experience — we’ll work with you to migrate parents to the PWA before retiring the Flutter app.
August 2026
Portal-wide reskin
A complete visual refresh across the entire PortalHQ web interface — a unified look and feel, cleaner typography, consistent component styling, and an updated colour system that works better in light and dark modes.
The reskin is purely visual. Workflows, URLs and data stay the same. Schools using custom CSS may need to revisit their styling to align with the new base — we’ll provide guidance ahead of the rollout.
August – September 2026
Co-curricular module redesign
Significant interface work on the Co-Curricular module — the biggest module in PortalHQ and the one staff spend most time in.
Areas being redesigned:
- Activity group dashboards — clearer at-a-glance views of signups, sessions, attendance and alerts.
- Coach overview — better daily workflow for coaches running sessions.
- Roll-marking — faster, more touch-friendly for tablet use at sessions.
- Signup management — clearer waitlists, easier team allocations, better bulk actions.
- Fixtures and scheduling — improved fixture creation and bulk scheduling workflows.
The data model isn’t changing — your activities, teams, sessions and rolls all stay intact. The reskin is about reducing the time staff spend in the module and the clicks needed to get things done.
How dates may shift
These are our current plans. Software roadmaps move — a release can slip a few weeks based on testing, customer feedback or new priorities. We’ll keep this article updated when timing changes.
If a specific item is critical to your school’s planning (e.g. you’re holding off a parent communication campaign waiting on the new newsletter editor), let your PortalHQ contact know — we can give you a tighter estimate.
What’s not on the roadmap
A few things we’re often asked about that aren’t currently on the public roadmap for this period:
- A separate parent app distinct from the PWA — the PWA is our path forward, not a hybrid native/PWA strategy.
- Major changes to the SIS integration architecture — current SIS integrations (TASS, Synergetic, Edumate, Sentral, Compass, Edge, Wonde) are stable and we don’t plan a redesign.
- AI-driven features — we’re watching this space but no major AI features are in the build pipeline yet.
If something on your wishlist isn’t here, that doesn’t mean it’ll never happen — it means it’s not committed for this specific window. Talk to your PortalHQ contact about getting it on the longer-term backlog.
Feedback
This roadmap shapes itself around what schools need. Tell us what’s important to your school, what’s working, what’s not, and what you’d like to see prioritised. Your PortalHQ contact is the right person to reach.
Last updated: 28 May 2026.