The verdict in three sentences
For an independent school in Perth, the real question is cost over 3 years: patching an old CMS theme or paying a school-platform licence every year often ends up dearer than a clean redesign. With Kolonell the redesign costs USD 2,900 (Starter), USD 4,900 (Growth) or USD 8,900 (Premium), delivered in 3 to 4 weeks once content is ready, with 3 months of support included. Because the Western Australian school year runs from February to December, the December to January break is the natural cutover window.
When should you rebuild rather than patch?
In Peppermint Grove, Claremont, Applecross or Mount Lawley, families (professionals, mining and resources, FIFO parents) browse on their phones, often from a mine site or an airport lounge. A redesign is due when the theme no longer gets updates, every fix breaks another page, the admissions page is unreadable on mobile, or the form asks for things that do not belong in an open form (health, additional needs, school reports, passports, custody).
What does each option cost over 3 years?
2026 ballpark, based on typical Perth agency quotes and public school-platform rate pages; AUD amounts converted approximately to USD (AUD 1 ≈ USD 0.65). Years 2 and 3 are market assumptions.
| Option | Year 1 | Years 2 and 3 | 3-year total | What you own |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patch the old theme | USD 1,300 to 3,900 | USD 1,500 to 3,000 | USD 2,800 to 6,900 | Technical debt, same limits |
| School-platform template | USD 2,000 to 5,200 a year | USD 4,000 to 10,400 | USD 6,000 to 15,600 | A licence, not the site |
| Freelance developer | USD 2,600 to 7,800 | USD 1,000 to 2,500 | USD 3,600 to 10,300 | The site, per contract |
| Perth agency | USD 9,800 to 29,000 | USD 1,600 to 4,000 | USD 11,400 to 33,000 | The site, per contract |
| Kolonell Starter | USD 2,900 | Hosting USD 400 to 1,200 | USD 3,300 to 4,100 | The site and its content |
| Kolonell Growth | USD 4,900 | Hosting USD 400 to 1,200 | USD 5,300 to 6,100 | The site and its content |
For Kolonell, years 2 and 3 hosting is a market assumption; maintenance after the 3 included months is on quote and comes on top. Also on quote: admissions portal, fee payment, the school management system, the parent app, calendar feeds and search optimisation. Tier details are on the international offer.
What does a December cutover timeline look like?
| Period | Step | Deliverable |
|---|---|---|
| October | URL and content inventory | List of ranking pages: admissions, curriculum, open days, fees if published, transport, boarding if offered |
| November | Content collection and sign-off by the school | Approved copy, policies supplied as they are |
| Late November | Design and build (2 weeks) | Mobile mock-ups, short forms |
| Early December | Migration and 301 redirect map | Every old URL redirected |
| Mid-December | Testing and go-live after term ends | Site live, portal and payment links tested |
| December to January | 6 weeks of Search Console monitoring | Errors fixed before February start |
Kolonell's own work takes 3 to 4 weeks once content is ready. Steer clear of open days, the enrolment peak and exams.
Which risks, and how do you limit them?
The first risk is lost search visibility: a complete 301 map and 6 weeks of Search Console monitoring contain it. The second is integrations: the admissions portal, fee payment and the school management system are kept and linked, never rebuilt. The third is content compliance. Many independent schools fall within the Privacy Act 1988, through turnover above AUD 3 million or other criteria; check your position. The Australian Consumer Law prohibits misleading representations: if fees are published, compulsory levies should be shown clearly, not revealed late. Curricula, registration with the Western Australian authorities and accreditations appear only as the school actually holds them. This is not legal advice.
Also: pupil photos only with documented parental consent, safeguarding and child protection pages published as the school's own documents, WCAG 2.2 AA contrast and captions, a cookie banner that really blocks analytics before consent, and a named owner for term dates after handover.
Which questions to ask, and when is a Perth agency the better choice?
Ask: what is the 3-year total including maintenance? Do we own the site at the end of the contract? Who writes the 301 map? How many links to external tools are tested? A Perth agency remains the better choice if you want on-site workshops, campus filming by the same supplier, or deep integration with software already hosted locally.
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Mini case study
Illustrative example: Riverside Banksia School, a fictional international primary school of about 180 pupils which, in this scenario, teaches the IB Primary Years Programme as an authorised school. Priya, the business manager, compares two options over 3 years.
- Option A, keep the platform template: about AUD 6,000 a year, roughly USD 3,900 x 3 = USD 11,700
- Option B, Kolonell Growth redesign: USD 4,900 + hosting USD 30 a month x 33 months = USD 990 (market assumption; Kolonell maintenance after the 3 included months on quote), so USD 5,890
- 3-year gap: USD 5,810, before maintenance on quote
Cutover is planned for 15 December, with monitoring until late January. The school makes no promise about enrolments.
FAQ
Why think in 3-year terms?
Because a platform licence of USD 2,000 to 5,200 a year often exceeds, over 3 years, the USD 4,900 of a Growth redesign. The sum must include hosting and maintenance.
When should a Perth school go live?
During the December to January break, after Term 4 ends. The 6 weeks of monitoring then finish before the February start.
Does the Privacy Act 1988 apply to our school?
It covers, among others, organisations with turnover above AUD 3 million, with exceptions. Have your adviser confirm your position.
Can we keep our admissions portal?
Yes, it is kept and linked. Integration beyond links is priced on quote, on top of the USD 2,900 to 8,900 grid.
What does the Kolonell price include?
A project manager reachable in your time zone, native English copywriting, delivery in 3 to 4 weeks and 3 months of support. Maintenance after that is on quote.
Let's scope your project. A redesign from USD 2,900 to 8,900, costed over 3 years and launched during the summer break. 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.
