The verdict in three sentences
A boarding school in Gibraltar recruiting pupils from Spain, the UK, the Gulf and further afield needs a website that reassures parents who may never visit before enrolment, and that need shapes the choice of provider more than the price. A Gibraltar or Costa del Sol agency is the better pick when the school wants regular filming of boarding life and in-person workshops with the head and governors; a remote studio is enough when the school can organise one strong photo and video shoot per year and wants a clear, multilingual admissions site at a fixed price. Kolonell's grid (£2,300, £3,900 or £6,900, Premium being the multilingual tier) is fixed and delivered in 3 to 4 weeks, but clarify domain ownership, guardianship content and maintenance terms before signing with anyone.
What does an international boarding school site in Gibraltar have to prove?
A family in Madrid, Lagos, Riyadh or Kent choosing a boarding place is buying trust in pastoral care first, and academic results second. On a small territory with a limited number of independent schools, the website often does the job of the first two visits. It must answer, without a phone call:
- Boarding life: houses, room types, house parents, weekend programme, how pupils travel home via Gibraltar airport or Málaga.
- Pastoral care and safeguarding: designated safeguarding lead, health care, guardianship arrangements for pupils whose parents live abroad.
- Curriculum: British curriculum, IB or a mix, with clear entry points by age.
- Admissions funnel: enquiry, virtual or campus visit booking, application with documents, placement test or interview, then re-enrolment each spring.
- Fees: many boarding schools publish fee ranges; if you do, state them clearly with what is included (boarding, meals, trips), otherwise explain how to request them.
Gibraltar's daily life runs in English and Spanish, and many international families read a third language. Premium is the multilingual tier, with the number of languages set in the quote. An agent portal, an admissions platform or a parent portal can be linked: integration on quote.
Four types of provider, compared on what matters
Gibraltar schools rarely compare just "local versus remote". In practice, quotes come from four directions.
| Criterion | Gibraltar agency | Costa del Sol agency | UK boarding-school specialist | Remote studio (Kolonell) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time zone | CET, same day | CET, same day | One hour behind | PM reachable in your time zone |
| Campus meetings | Easy | Easy, border crossing | Occasional trips | Video calls, written sign-off |
| Photo and video of boarding life | On demand | On demand | Planned shoot days | Local photographer booked by the school |
| Native copy in English | Usually | Varies, often Spanish-first | Yes | Yes, native English or French copywriting |
| Spanish version | Often in-house | Native | Usually outsourced | Premium tier, languages set in quote |
| Price predictability | Hourly or quote | Quote, often in EUR | Quote, phased | Fixed grid |
| Domain and code ownership | Check contract | Check contract | Check contract | Check contract |
The last row is identical on purpose: ownership has nothing to do with geography. Ask for the domain, the hosting account and the source files to be in the school's name, whoever you hire.
What do the quotes look like in 2026?
These are 2026 ballpark ranges based on typical agency quotes and public rate pages, not a survey. Costa del Sol quotes usually come in euros; the GBP equivalent below is approximate. Kolonell tiers each include a project manager reachable in your time zone, native English or French copywriting, delivery in 3 to 4 weeks and 3 months of support; see the international offer for the scope of each tier.
| Provider | Build cost (2026 ballpark) | Typical delivery | Usual extras |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freelancer (Gibraltar or Campo de Gibraltar) | £2,000 to £5,000 | 6 to 10 weeks | Photography, translation |
| Gibraltar agency | £6,000 to £18,000 | 8 to 12 weeks | Video, hosting contract |
| Costa del Sol agency | EUR 4,000 to 15,000 (about £3,400 to £12,800) | 8 to 12 weeks | English copy review |
| UK boarding-school specialist | £15,000 to £40,000 | 12 to 20 weeks | Travel for shoot days |
| Kolonell Starter / Growth | £2,300 / £3,900 | 3 to 4 weeks | Integrations on quote |
| Kolonell Premium (multilingual) | £6,900 | 3 to 4 weeks | Integrations on quote |
Three-year view: build, shoots and upkeep
A boarding school website lives on fresh images: new houses, new sports fixtures, a new head of boarding. The three-year view below assumes one shoot a year. Maintenance and hosting are a market assumption applied to every column; for Kolonell, maintenance after the 3 included months is on quote.
| Three-year line | Gibraltar agency (mid) | UK specialist (mid) | Kolonell Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build | £12,000 | £25,000 | £6,900 |
| Annual photo and video day x 3 | £3,600 (in-house team) | £6,000 incl. travel | £3,600 (local crew) |
| Hosting and maintenance, 3 years (market assumption) | £4,500 | £4,500 | £4,500 |
| Spanish translation if not included | Included | £1,500 | Included in Premium |
| Indicative three-year total | £20,100 | £37,000 | £15,000 |
When should you choose the local agency without hesitation?
If boarding life is your main argument and you want monthly short videos of house events, a team ten minutes away will be cheaper and better than flying anyone in. If your governors prefer workshops in the boardroom at each milestone, choose a provider who can be there. If the project includes a complex integration with your school information system and boarding registers, with on-site sessions with the bursary and IT, local presence pays for itself. In those cases, the remote option saves money on paper but costs time on your side.
A remote studio fits when the school wants a sharp admissions site, already has a photo library or books a local crew once a year, and the head is comfortable signing off pages by video call and written comments.
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Questions to ask every provider
- Will the domain, hosting and code be registered to the school from day one, with written handover terms?
- How will you present guardianship and safeguarding so that parents abroad understand who is responsible for their child?
- How do you manage consent for images of boarders under 18, including removal on request?
- What accessibility level do you deliver (WCAG 2.2 AA is a sensible 2026 target), and will there be an accessibility statement?
- How will enquiry and application forms comply with Gibraltar's data protection framework (the Gibraltar GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2004, supervised by the Gibraltar Regulatory Authority), and where is the data hosted?
Results claims, such as university destinations or inspection outcomes, must be accurate and current. This is not legal advice.
Mini case study
*Illustrative example.* Marcus is head of international admissions at a fictional boarding school in Gibraltar with 60 boarders. Today, most overseas boarders arrive through education agents. For this calculation only, assume a boarding fee of £30,000 a year and an agent commission of 12% on the first year, so £3,600 per pupil.
If a clearer multilingual site with a visit booking page, a guardianship explainer and an application checklist brings in just 2 additional boarders a year directly, the school avoids £7,200 of commission, slightly more than the £6,900 Premium build. Over three years, with the £15,000 total from the table above, the site pays back if it converts 5 direct boarders in that period (5 x £3,600 = £18,000).
FAQ
Can a remote studio capture boarding life properly?
Only with local images. The usual setup is one shoot day a year with a Gibraltar crew, about £1,200 per day in 2026, booked by the school and briefed by the studio.
Do we need the site in Spanish?
For families from Spain and Latin America, a Spanish version helps conversion. Premium (£6,900) is the multilingual tier, with the number of languages set in the quote.
Should we publish boarding fees?
Many boarding schools do, with what is included. If you prefer not to, a fees request form with a reply within 2 working days is a reasonable alternative.
How long does the project take?
Kolonell delivers in 3 to 4 weeks once content and images are available; local agencies typically quote 8 to 12 weeks, and UK specialists 12 to 20 weeks.
What should we send to get a quote?
Your page list, languages, admissions calendar and any portal to link. Use the free quote form; you get a detailed reply within 48 hours.
Let's scope your project. Share your boarding offer, target countries and a budget between £2,300 and £6,900, and we will propose a 3 to 4 week plan with integrations quoted separately. 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.