Public sector · UK-wide
Websites and systems for schools, colleges and public bodies.
We build accessible websites, payment journeys and database-driven systems for organisations across the UK that answer to accessibility regulations, data protection law and procurement rules, and we write our documentation with that in mind.
Accessibility
Built and tested to WCAG 2.2 AA.
Accessibility is designed in from the first sketch, tested before launch and protected after handover, so the site stays compliant with the Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations 2018.
- Designed in – colours, text sizes, focus states and spacing are checked at the design stage, not patched at the end.
- Automated checks on every build – axe-core and Pa11y catch problems before they reach the live site.
- Manual testing – keyboard-only use, screen readers (NVDA, VoiceOver, TalkBack), zoom to 400% and layouts at 320px wide.
- Guard-rails for editors – required alt text, controlled heading levels and accessible components in the CMS.
- Evidence at handover – a WCAG 2.2 AA conformance report and a draft accessibility statement ready to publish.
Data protection & security
Your data stays in your systems.
- UK GDPR by design – we collect only what a form needs, and access is limited by user role.
- Read-only connections – sites read from your existing databases through least-privilege logins, so your tables stay the single source of truth.
- Secure payments – card details are entered on the payment provider's certified pages and never touch your servers.
- No personal data in AI tools – we may use AI coding assistants to speed up development, but never with your personal or live data.
- Backups you can trust – a written recovery runbook, and a test restore with your IT team before go-live.
Works with what you have
Built on proven, supported technology.
Content management
- ASP.NET and Umbraco, open source with no licence fees
- Block-based editing your team can use without us
- Scheduled publishing, previews and version history
Integrations
- Existing SQL Server databases
- MIS and finance exports
- Stripe or your existing payment provider
Hosting
- On your own servers, with a written specification for your IT team
- Or hosted and monitored by us
- Source code handed over to you
Education experience
Our Lady of Pity Annexe Pre-School.
We designed, built, hosted and supported the website for this Ofsted-registered pre-school in Hoylake, run as a charity for children aged two to four. It promotes the pre-school locally and gives parents the essential information they need, on ASP.NET and Umbraco, the same platform we use for school and college websites today.
Working across the UK
Wherever you are in the UK.
We work with organisations across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Distance makes no difference to how a project runs or how quickly we respond.
- Delivered remotely – discovery, design reviews, show-and-tells and support run over Microsoft Teams, with shared documentation throughout.
- On site when it matters – we come to you for kick-off workshops, user research, training and launch, wherever you are.
- The same support everywhere – the service levels below apply to every client, whatever their location.
Support & training
Clear support terms, written down.
Every build includes a 30-day warranty after go-live. After that, optional support runs on these service levels, Monday to Friday, 9:00–17:30.
| Priority | Example | Response | Target fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| P1 – Critical | Site down, payments failing, security issue | 1 business hour | Workaround within 4 business hours |
| P2 – High | Course search or application form not working | 4 business hours | 1 business day |
| P3 – Medium | A non-critical feature or page displaying incorrectly | 1 business day | 5 business days |
| P4 – Low / change | Small change or new content type | 2 business days | Scheduled and quoted |
Training for your editors and IT team is included in every build: CMS essentials, accessible content and a technical handover, delivered on site or over Teams and recorded, with written guides to keep.
Procurement details
For your supplier checks.
Everything a procurement team usually asks for first. Contact us for insurance certificates, references and policies.
- Company
- The Software Collective
- Company number
- 12014155
- VAT number
- 324 3534 25
- Registered office
- 5 Parkgate Road, Neston, Cheshire, CH64 9XF
- Coverage
- The whole of the UK: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity £1,000,000
Public and products liability £1,000,000
Policy number PL-PSC10002928315/0 - Contact
- David Godfrey, Director
hello@thesoftwarecollective.co.uk