Private or international school website cost in Cambridge: local agencies vs Kolonell (2026)

The verdict in three sentences

In Cambridge, a private or international school website built by a local agency costs, as a 2026 order of magnitude, between 6 000 and 25 000 GBP, and often more with a UK agency specialised in education. Kolonell builds the admissions journey, the section pages and the integration of your admissions software at a fixed price: 2 300, 3 900 or 6 900 GBP, delivered in 3 to 4 weeks for Starter and Growth. The right comparison is the three-year total cost, pupil photography (a local agency can organise a shoot during term, Kolonell cannot) and how each quote handles children's data and the information the school must publish.

What do Cambridge agencies, education specialists and Kolonell charge?

These ranges are cautious orders of magnitude, not official rates. They draw on public price pages of Cambridge and East Anglia agencies, minimum project sizes shown on Clutch.co profiles, day rates published by UK agencies (often 550 to 950 GBP per day) and rates visible on Upwork or PeoplePerHour.

A project manager works on your clock, with Google Meet calls at your hour and a written update every week. The team is based in Senegal (GMT): the same time as Cambridge in winter, one hour apart in summer. Payment by bank transfer or Wise, 50 % at kickoff and 50 % on delivery. The domain stays in your name and all access is handed over. Details are on our international website offer.

What does a Cambridge private school website need?

Many families visiting the site are moving from abroad or from London for a post at the university, on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, at the Science Park or in a tech company. Many hold two or three-year research contracts and look for a place mid-year, often from another time zone. The site has to answer without a meeting:

• Pages per section (nursery, prep, senior or sixth form, depending on the school) with the real entry points, for example 4+, 7+, 11+ or 13+, and how assessment works.
• Fees: showing them or not is the school's choice; if shown, they must clearly include the 20 % VAT applied to private school fees since 1 January 2025, and state registration fees and deposits.
• A short enquiry form, then booking for open mornings or a private tour, with a virtual tour for families still abroad.
• Mid-year arrivals explained honestly: places available, English as an additional language support if the school offers it.
• The programmes actually offered (English National Curriculum, GCSE, A-Levels, IGCSE or IB depending on the school), never displaying a label the school does not hold.
• A careers page for teachers, useful in a city where housing costs weigh on applications.

On compliance, the facts. Family and children's data fall under UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, which give children specific protection. Publishing photos of identifiable pupils in practice relies on written parental consent, kept up to date. In England, the Independent School Standards require certain information to be available to parents, including the safeguarding policy published on the website and the latest inspection report; your adviser will confirm the exact list. The ICO Age Appropriate Design Code may concern an online service aimed at pupils, less so a brochure site aimed at parents. The Equality Act 2010 and WCAG 2.2 AA guide accessibility. This is not legal advice.

What does each Kolonell package include for a school?

A bespoke parent portal, an intranet or a custom booking system is an application quoted on request, as is ongoing SEO. Languages other than English and French are supplied by the school or quoted separately.

How much will you really spend over three years?

Kolonell maintenance after the support period is quoted on request, so the table uses the same assumption on both sides.

These amounts structure the comparison without predicting your invoice. Ask every supplier to fill in the same lines.

Which questions should you put to every supplier?

• Is the admissions software we use integrated, or will we have to change tools?
• Who manages photo consents, and what happens when a parent withdraws theirs?
• Where is form data hosted, and who can access it?
• Can our team edit the fees and calendar pages without hourly billing?
• Are the domain and hosting in our name from day one?
• Does the proposal mention a label or accreditation the school never supplied? That is a red flag.

Mini case study

Illustrative example. Harriet L., director of admissions and marketing at a 380-pupil independent prep school (ages 3 to 13) in south Cambridge, is preparing the October open morning. An education specialist quotes 19 500 GBP plus 2 400 GBP of photo and video. Kolonell offers Premium at 6 900 GBP, with a written 5-week schedule, and a local photographer booked for 2 400 GBP in June, during term, with consents up to date.

With the same maintenance assumption (120 GBP a month for 30 months, since Premium includes 6 months of support, so 3 600 GBP on each side), the three-year total reaches 25 500 GBP for the agency and 12 900 GBP for Kolonell, a 12 600 GBP gap. Harriet starts the project in early July for a mid-September launch.

FAQ

How much does a private school website cost in Cambridge in 2026?

As an order of magnitude, 6 000 to 25 000 GBP with a local agency and 10 000 to 30 000 GBP or more with an education specialist. Kolonell offers 2 300, 3 900 or 6 900 GBP at a fixed price.

Should fees be shown including VAT?

It is the school's choice, but since 1 January 2025 fees carry 20 % VAT. If you show them, state the VAT-inclusive amount and extra charges clearly.

Does Kolonell build a parent portal?

Kolonell integrates or links the tool the school already uses, with integration from 3 900 GBP. A bespoke parent portal is an application quoted on request.

Who photographs the pupils?

Kolonell does not shoot on site. The school supplies its photos or books a local photographer, often 1 000 to 2 500 GBP as an order of magnitude, with written parental consent for every visible pupil.

Can the site be ready for the autumn open morning?

Starter and Growth are delivered in 3 to 4 weeks, Premium usually in 4 to 6 weeks. Starting in early July therefore leaves about 4 weeks of margin.

Let's scope your project. Send us your entry points, your admissions software and the photos you are cleared to use, and we will reply with a fixed-price package and delivery in 3 to 4 weeks. Request your free quote or see the international offer.