The verdict in three sentences
For an independent school group in London, the website is the first school visit for parents, and often the only one for international families registering a child from Lagos, Dubai or Hong Kong. A full site with online admissions and registration fee payment costs GBP 15,000 to 40,000 (EUR 17,500 to 46,500) in 2026, over 6 to 8 weeks. The return shows up as complete applications received before the deadline and admissions hours saved. The same model, in West Africa, costs 3.5 to 8 million FCFA for a group in Cotonou.
The features that matter to parents
A group of three schools (nursery and prep, senior school, sixth form) must answer different questions for each stage. Parents shortlist three schools on average; families abroad cannot visit.
| Feature | 2026 range (GBP, excl. VAT) | Value for parents |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-school website (20 to 30 pages) | 5,000 to 12,000 | Ethos, staff, facilities, exam results |
| Admissions form with document upload | 3,000 to 7,000 | Birth certificate, school reports, photo, from a phone |
| Online registration fee payment | 2,000 to 5,000 | Card, Apple Pay, international payments |
| News section per school | 1,500 to 4,000 | Events, trips, results, calendar |
| Application tracking dashboard | 2,500 to 8,000 | Application status, automatic reminders |
| Local SEO and Google profiles | 1,000 to 4,000 | "independent school London", "prep school Richmond" |
| Total project | 15,000 to 40,000 | 6 to 8 weeks |
| Maintenance | 250 to 600 per month | Updates, backups, news publishing |
Payment fees come on top: as an order of magnitude, 1.5 to 2.5% on UK cards and 2.5 to 3.5% on international cards, depending on the provider.
Before and after: the admissions process
| Step | Paper process | Online process |
|---|---|---|
| Getting the form | Visit or email the admissions office | Form available 24/7 |
| Submitting documents | Scans by email, often incomplete | Upload by photo, mandatory fields checked |
| Paying the fee | Bank transfer, manual reconciliation | Card payment, automatic receipt |
| Incomplete applications | 30 to 40% | 10 to 15% |
| Admissions time per file | 35 to 45 minutes | 10 to 15 minutes |
| International access | Agent or relative often needed | Fully remote application |
Online payment of the registration fee has a direct effect: a parent who has paid GBP 100 to 250 rarely confirms elsewhere. It also removes manual bank reconciliation.
Protecting pupils' data
In the UK, UK GDPR and the ICO's guidance apply. For a school website, this means explicit parental consent, secure storage of uploaded documents (restricted access, encryption), a defined retention period for unsuccessful applications and no identifiable pupil photos without written permission. Building these into the specification costs little; retrofitting them can double the cost of the admissions feature.
Mini case study
Mr Adeyemi, chair of a group of three independent schools in London, receives 420 applications a year. Admissions staff spend 40 minutes per file on average, and 35% arrive incomplete. He invests GBP 28,000 in a site with online admissions, payment and tracking, plus GBP 450 a month in maintenance.
- Admissions time saved: 420 x (40 - 12) minutes = 196 hours a year, more than a month of one staff member's time.
- If international families bring 3 additional enrolments a year at an average GBP 18,000 in annual fees, extra revenue is GBP 54,000.
- Year-one cost: 28,000 + 5,400 = GBP 33,400.
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2026 order of magnitude: payback within one admissions cycle, after which only maintenance remains.
FAQ
One site per school or one shared site?
A shared site with a section per school is cheaper and strengthens the group brand. It costs roughly 30 to 40% less than three separate sites.
Which payment methods should we offer for registration fees?
UK cards and digital wallets for local families, plus international cards for families abroad. Integration costs GBP 2,000 to 5,000.
Can we also collect termly fees online?
Yes, with instalments per term and automatic reminders. This module is usually quoted separately, from about GBP 5,000 depending on the number of instalments.
How much lead time do we need?
Start at least 3 months before admissions open. Build takes 6 to 8 weeks and testing 2 weeks.
Who publishes news after launch?
One trained contact per school, after a 2-hour session, is enough. If you outsource publishing, maintenance moves from GBP 250 to about GBP 600 a month.
Let's scope your project. Send us the number of schools, pupil numbers and your current admissions process, and we will propose a scope, an indicative budget and a timeline aligned with your admissions calendar. 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.
