The verdict in three sentences
For an accredited professional training provider, the website is both a sales tool and an audit artefact: it must publish complete course specifications and up to date outcome data. A catalogue site for 85 courses with synced sessions costs GBP 8,500 to 17,000 in London in 2026, plus GBP 2,100 to 5,100 to connect the training management system. A realistic target is 30% online bookings within 12 months, against 5 to 10% with a PDF brochure.
What awarding bodies and corporate buyers expect from the site
Awarding bodies, apprenticeship frameworks and corporate procurement teams all check the site. Ofqual regulated qualifications, CPD accredited courses and levy funded programmes require clear, verifiable public information. An incomplete course page or a satisfaction rate dated 2023 raises questions during an external quality review or a tender.
| Requirement | Element to publish on each course page | Update frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Course specification | objectives, entry requirements, duration, format, price | on every change |
| Access lead time | e.g. book 15 days before session | every session |
| Assessment and accessibility | assessment method, reasonable adjustments | yearly |
| Outcome data | satisfaction, pass rate, dropout rate | at least yearly |
| Accessibility contact | named contact for learners with disabilities | permanent |
| Volume | learners trained per course | yearly |
| Funding eligibility | levy or CPD accreditation details | every published session |
With 85 courses, keeping this data current by hand in WordPress or a PDF quickly becomes unmanageable. That is the main reason syncing with the training management system pays off.
Cost of a training catalogue website in 2026
| Item | 2026 range (GBP, ex VAT) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Scoping and catalogue structure | GBP 850 to 1,700 | filters by topic, format, funding |
| Design (home, catalogue, course, session) | GBP 1,700 to 3,400 | templates built for 85 pages |
| Development and CMS | GBP 3,400 to 6,800 | search, filters, in-house pages |
| Structured course specifications | GBP 1,300 to 2,600 | blocking mandatory fields |
| Online booking and payment | GBP 850 to 2,100 | open courses, company invoicing |
| Dynamic outcome indicators | GBP 400 to 850 | automatic display per course |
| Total site | GBP 8,500 to 17,000 | 8 to 11 weeks |
| Training management system sync | GBP 2,100 to 5,100 | sessions, seats left, prices |
| Maintenance | GBP 75 to 155 per month | updates, monitoring |
Sync cost depends on the software. Platforms with a documented API connect at the lower end of the range. Without an API you rely on scheduled exports, which are more fragile and costlier to make reliable.
Expected commercial gains
| Metric | Before (PDF and form) | After 12 months (target) |
|---|---|---|
| Share of online bookings | 5 to 10% | 30% |
| Admin time per booking | 25 min | 8 min |
| In-house course requests per month | 6 | 10 to 14 |
| Sessions cancelled for low numbers | 12% | 6 to 8% |
| Monthly organic traffic | 2,500 visits | 6,000 to 8,000 visits |
| Website related review findings | 1 to 2 | 0 targeted |
The main lever is visible dates. A learner or L&D manager who sees « 3 seats left, 12 March session in London » books, whereas a page without dates generates an email and often nothing more.
Mini case study
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James, managing director of a 12 person training provider in London (2,400 learners a year), invests GBP 12,800 in the site and GBP 3,400 in the sync, so GBP 16,200. Moving from 8% to 30% online bookings on 2,400 learners means 528 bookings processed in 8 minutes instead of 25, so 150 admin hours saved a year, valued at GBP 30, or GBP 4,500. Meanwhile, cutting session cancellations from 12% to 7% on 320 sessions saves 16 sessions at an average margin of GBP 1,200, so GBP 19,200. The project pays back in under 9 months.
FAQ
Can the site guarantee compliance with our awarding body?
No, compliance depends on all your processes. However, a site with blocking mandatory fields prevents incomplete course pages, one of the most common findings in external quality reviews.
Can we sell levy funded courses directly on the site?
Levy funding goes through the apprenticeship service account of the employer. The site presents the programme and captures the enquiry, while self funded and company invoiced bookings are processed on your site.
How long does it take to load 85 course pages?
With automatic import from the management system, 1 to 2 days of checks. With manual entry, allow 30 to 45 minutes per page, so 45 to 60 hours.
How do we show satisfaction rates without updating them by hand?
Indicators are imported from the management system or a shared spreadsheet, then recalculated nightly. This module costs GBP 400 to 850.
Does the site need to be accessible?
Yes, it is expected by funders and increasingly by law. Aim for WCAG 2.2 AA, which adds 8 to 12% to the development budget.
Let's scope your project. Send us your number of courses, the name of your management software and your funding routes, and we will price the catalogue site and the sync, with an indicative budget of GBP 8,500 to 17,000 and an 8 to 11 week timeline. 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.
