The verdict in three sentences
An independent school group with 1,900 pupils across 3 campuses in London should invest in a website that genuinely handles online admissions, not just a contact page: budget GBP 10,500 to 21,000 excl. VAT for the site and GBP 3,500 to 7,800 excl. VAT for the admissions module. The defining constraint is UK GDPR applied to children's data: UK or EU hosting, restricted access, written retention periods. With an 8 to 12 week project, a November launch lets you target 60 % of applications online from the January admissions round.
What families expect in 2026
Parents compare 3 to 5 schools before choosing. They browse on mobile in 70 % of cases and look for fees, the educational approach, exam results and the date of the next open day. A site that hides this information behind a form loses families.
| Page or feature | What families expect | 2026 budget (GBP excl. VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| Group home page + 3 campus pages | Find the right campus in 2 clicks | 3,000 to 5,200 |
| Pages per stage (nursery, prep, senior, sixth form) | Curriculum, timetable, options | 1,700 to 3,500 |
| Fees and bursaries | Clear grid per stage and sibling discount | 700 to 1,300 |
| Open days with slot booking | Sign-up in 1 minute, SMS reminder | 1,300 to 3,000 |
| Results and school life (news, photos) | Concrete proof, regular updates | 1,300 to 2,600 |
| Design, copywriting, WCAG accessibility | Readable, fast, compliant site | 2,500 to 5,400 |
The total of GBP 10,500 to 21,000 excl. VAT depends mainly on the number of campuses and how much copywriting is handed to the agency.
The online admissions module
Paper files tie up the admissions office for weeks: chasing missing reports, manual data entry, filing. The online module collects documents, checks they are present and feeds the school management information system directly.
| Feature | Content | Budget (GBP excl. VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-step form | Pupil, parents or guardians, siblings, target year | 1,050 to 2,200 |
| Document upload | School reports, birth certificate, references | 700 to 1,550 |
| Admissions office dashboard | Statuses, automatic reminders, export | 850 to 2,200 |
| Interview booking | Calendar per campus and per head | 450 to 1,050 |
| Registration fee payment | Card payment, GBP 75 to 150 per application | 450 to 800 |
On the data protection side the requirements are specific: UK or EU hosting, encrypted documents, role-based access (head, campus admissions office), automatic deletion of unsuccessful applications after 12 months, an up-to-date record of processing. The ICO's Children's Code calls for extra care with minors' data.
Timeline and admissions calendar
The admissions calendar drives the schedule. Most London independent schools open applications between December and February for September entry.
| Stage | Duration | Target period |
|---|---|---|
| Scoping, sitemap, content | 2 weeks | September |
| Design and sign-off | 2 to 3 weeks | September to October |
| Site + module development | 3 to 5 weeks | October to November |
| Acceptance testing with admissions office | 1 week | November |
| Go-live and training | 1 week | Late November |
Mini case study
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Catherine, principal of an independent school group in London, receives 650 applications a year. On paper, each file takes 1 h 30 of admissions office time (data entry, reminders, filing), i.e. 975 hours. With 60 % online, the time drops to 25 minutes for those 390 files: a saving of 390 x 65 minutes = 422 hours a year. At a GBP 30 loaded hourly cost, that is about GBP 12,700 a year. For an investment of GBP 15,500 (site) and GBP 5,600 (module), i.e. GBP 21,100 excl. VAT, payback comes in under 2 years, before counting the families won through better-attended open days.
FAQ
Can the module connect to our school MIS?
Yes, in most cases via CSV export or API. A direct API connection usually adds GBP 1,300 to 3,500 excl. VAT depending on the vendor.
Where is pupil data hosted?
In the UK or the European Union, with a certified host and encrypted uploaded documents. Access is limited by role and every view is logged.
What about families without a computer?
The form is designed for mobile and accepts photos of documents. Paper applications remain possible, and the admissions office can enter a file for a family in 20 minutes.
How much does maintenance cost?
Allow GBP 130 to 350 excl. VAT per month for hosting, security updates and support during the admissions round, when responsiveness matters most.
Do we need one site per campus?
No, a group site with a rich page per campus is enough and concentrates search rankings. A separate site is only justified if a campus has a very distinct identity and brand.
Let's scope your project. Group website, campus pages and a GDPR-compliant admissions module: we define the scope, an indicative budget of GBP 14,000 to 29,000 excl. VAT and a schedule aligned with your admissions round. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
