The verdict in three sentences
For a bilingual French-English school in Brisbane, the provider question is first a language question: who can write and check both versions natively, and keep them in sync for years? A Brisbane agency is the better choice if you need frequent on-site filming, board workshops in person and a deep link to your school management system; a remote studio works well if it offers native copywriting in both languages and a project manager reachable during the Queensland school day. Kolonell's Premium tier (USD 8,900) is the multilingual tier, with the number of languages set in the quote, against roughly AUD 15,000 to 43,000 (about USD 9,750 to 28,000) for a bilingual site from a Brisbane agency once translation is added.
What does a bilingual school site have to get right?
A French-English school in Brisbane recruits from three groups: French-speaking families on assignment or settled in Queensland (France, Belgium, Switzerland, Canada, francophone Africa, New Caledonia), Australian families who want their child to grow up bilingual, and mixed couples. Each group arrives with a different question. Expat parents ask whether their child can rejoin the French system later; Australian parents ask whether English literacy will suffer; everyone asks about the timetable split between the two languages.
The site therefore needs:
- Two complete versions, not a French summary bolted onto an English site, with a clear language switcher and correct hreflang tags so Google shows the right version.
- A curriculum page explaining how the Australian curriculum and the French programme fit together, and whether the school is homologated by the French Ministry of Education or working towards it (state only what is confirmed).
- An admissions funnel: enquiry, campus tour booking, application with language assessment, then re-enrolment each year, with dates aligned to the four Queensland school terms and to families arriving mid-year from the northern hemisphere.
- Fees shown clearly if you publish them, with what they include.
- Child safety and image consent, in both languages, with the same wording.
Links to a parent portal, a school management system or an online enrolment tool are possible: integration on quote.
Which criteria separate a Brisbane agency from a remote studio?
For a bilingual school, the usual criteria shift. Here is how the two options compare in practice.
| Criterion | Brisbane agency | Remote studio (Kolonell) | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native English copywriting | Yes | Yes | Tone for Australian parents |
| Native French copywriting | Usually outsourced to a translator | Included as native French copywriting | Who signs off the French version |
| Bilingual structure (switcher, hreflang) | Varies by agency | Built into the Premium tier | Ask for an example URL structure |
| Time-zone fit (AEST, UTC+10) | Same day | PM reachable in your time zone | Real meeting slots in school hours |
| On-site photo and video | Easy to schedule | Local photographer booked by the school | Consent forms in both languages |
| Board and parents' association workshops | In person | Video calls, written sign-off | How decisions are recorded |
| Domain, hosting and code ownership | Check contract | Check contract | School's name from day one |
| Price model | Quote, translation often extra | Fixed grid | Who pays for later French updates |
The French column is where most bilingual school sites fail: an English site is built, then translated at the end, then left behind when the English pages change. Ask every provider who updates the second language after launch, and at what cost.
What does each route cost in 2026?
Ballpark ranges based on typical Brisbane agency quotes and public rate pages; USD equivalents are approximate at about USD 0.65 per AUD. Kolonell prices are its fixed international grid; every tier includes a project manager reachable in your time zone, native English or French copywriting, delivery in 3 to 4 weeks and 3 months of support. Details of each tier are on the international offer page.
| Option | Build, English site | Second language | Approx. USD total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brisbane freelancer | AUD 4,000 to 10,000 | Translator AUD 2,000 to 4,000 | 3,900 to 9,100 |
| Brisbane agency | AUD 12,000 to 35,000 | AUD 3,000 to 8,000 | 9,750 to 28,000 |
| Sydney or Melbourne education specialist | AUD 30,000 to 70,000 | Often included | 19,500 to 45,500 |
| Kolonell Growth (single language) | USD 4,900 | Not included | 4,900 |
| Kolonell Premium (multilingual tier) | USD 8,900, languages set in the quote | Included in Premium | 8,900 |
Three years on, the gap depends on photography and on keeping both languages current. Maintenance below is a market assumption applied to both sides; for Kolonell, maintenance after the 3 included months is on quote.
| Three-year line (approx. USD) | Brisbane agency (mid) | Kolonell Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Build | 13,000 (AUD 20,000) | 8,900 |
| French translation and proofreading | 2,600 (AUD 4,000) | Included |
| Photography half day | Included | 780 (AUD 1,200, local photographer) |
| Hosting and maintenance, 3 years (market assumption) | 3,500 to 6,500 | 3,500 to 6,500 |
| Indicative total | 19,100 to 22,100 | 13,180 to 16,180 |
When is the Brisbane agency clearly the better choice?
If your main asset is life on campus, with a French culture week or sports carnivals filmed every term, a local team will deliver better content at a lower total cost. If the board and the parents' association want workshops in the school library, a remote process will feel thin. If you need hands-on integration with your enrolment and fee systems, with staff training on site, local presence helps. And if a Brisbane agency already has a native French copywriter in-house, the main advantage of a remote studio narrows.
A remote studio fits when the school wants two equally strong language versions, can organise a photo half day locally, and is comfortable approving pages by video call.
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Questions to ask both providers
- Who writes and who proofreads each language, and are they native speakers?
- How will the two versions stay aligned after launch, and what does a French update cost?
- Will the domain, hosting and code be in the school's name from the start?
- How will enquiry and enrolment forms handle family data under the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles (confirm with your adviser how they apply to your school), with a privacy notice in both languages?
- Do you commit to WCAG 2.2 AA in both languages, including correct language attributes for screen readers, and will there be an accessibility statement?
Claims on accreditation or French homologation must reflect the school's current status exactly. This is not legal advice.
Mini case study
*Illustrative example.* Camille co-founded a fictional French-English school in Brisbane with 180 pupils from kindy to Year 6. Her current site is English only, with a single French page. She plans 25 pages of about 600 words each, so 15,000 words to produce in French.
Route A: a Brisbane agency at AUD 20,000, plus translation at about AUD 0.22 per word (AUD 3,300) and a French proofread (AUD 700), so AUD 24,000, about USD 15,600, delivered in 10 to 12 weeks. Route B: Kolonell Premium at USD 8,900 (the multilingual tier, languages set in the quote), plus a local photographer at about USD 780, so USD 9,680, delivered in 3 to 4 weeks. The difference, roughly USD 5,900, matters less to Camille than the timing: route B puts both versions online before the mid-year arrivals from Europe.
FAQ
Do we really need two full versions?
If French-speaking families are a core audience, yes. A single French page converts poorly; budget for 20 to 30 bilingual pages, which Kolonell covers through the Premium tier at USD 8,900, languages set in the quote.
Can a remote studio write native Australian English and native French?
Kolonell includes native English or French copywriting in every tier, and Premium covers several languages. Ask to see sample pages in both languages before signing.
How do we handle photo consent for a bilingual community?
Use one consent form available in both languages and keep a removal process. A half-day shoot in Brisbane costs roughly AUD 600 to 1,200 in 2026.
Can the site connect to our enrolment software?
Usually, depending on the tool. The integration is quoted separately and adds 1 to 2 weeks.
How do we start?
Send your page list, languages and term dates through the free quote form; you get a detailed reply within 48 hours.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your two-language page list, enrolment calendar and a budget around USD 8,900 for Premium, and we will propose a 3 to 4 week plan. See the international offer or request a free quote: detailed reply within 48 hours.
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.