Taunton School A GSG School
- Taunton School
Staplegrove Road
Taunton
Somerset
TA2 6AD - Head: Mr James Johnson
- T 01823 703703
- F 01823 703704
- E registrar@tauntonschool.co.uk
- W www.tauntonschool.co.uk
- A mainstream independent school for pupils aged from 13 to 18 with a linked junior school
- Boarding: Yes
- Local authority: Somerset
- Pupils: 598; sixth formers: 264
- Religion: Non-denominational
- Fees: Day £22,670; Boarding £41,610 - £44,910 pa
- Open days: See website
- Review: View The Good Schools Guide Review
- Ofsted report: View the Ofsted report
- ISI report: View the ISI report
- Linked schools: Taunton Prep and Pre-Prep School
What The Good Schools Guide says..
In 20 years of visiting schools this writer had never heard so many plaudits about the quality of care. We heard stories of teachers and non-teachers going the extra mile to support pupils – and other family members too. ‘The pastoral side is phenomenal,’ a parent told us. ‘I can’t speak highly enough of them.’ We were particularly struck by the students’ appreciation for the school’s approach to wellbeing – they feel listened to, encouraged and understood. A sixth former who joined in year 10 said: ‘This place has given me sanctuary…’
What the school says...
Taunton School is a leading independent boarding and day school for boys & girls aged 0 to 18 years. The aim of Taunton School is to develop personable, self-confident and articulate young adults with good academic credentials.
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Curricula
International Baccalaureate: diploma - the diploma is the familiar A-level equivalent.
Other features
All-through school (for example 3-18 years). - An all-through school covers junior and senior education. It may start at 3 or 4, or later, and continue through to 16 or 18. Some all-through schools set exams at 11 or 13 that pupils must pass to move on.
International Study Centre - school has a linked, international study centre for overseas students wishing to improve their English.
Sports
Unusual sports
Equestrian centre or equestrian team - school has own equestrian centre or an equestrian team.
Rowing
Shooting
Sailing
What The Good Schools Guide says
Headmaster
Since 2022, James Johnson, previously head of senior school at Ardingly College in West Sussex. Educated at Radley College, UCL, where he read English, and Trinity College Dublin, where he did an MPhil in Anglo-Irish literature. After a PGCE at the University of Cambridge, he spent three years at Cheltenham College, then taught English at Tonbridge, coaching the first XV rugby team, directing plays and becoming a housemaster along the way. He spent six years at Ardingly, first as senior deputy head and then as head of senior school.
He’s ‘a bit allergic’ to being asked to distil Taunton’s USP into a snappy catchphrase but tells parents that the school ‘will look after your child, fulfil their academic potential and give them a host of co-curricular opportunities’. He’s proud of...
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Overall school performance (for comparison or review only)
Results by exam and subject
Subject results
Entry/Exit
Special Education Needs
The Learning Support department is staffed and resourced to meet the needs of individual pupils with a range of learning difficulties. The department is an integral part of the academic and pastoral system of the school and its policies and practices ensure a common philosophy in support of the school's aim - that all pupils are equally valued, irrespective of ability.
| Condition | Provision for in school |
|---|---|
| ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder | Y |
| Aspergers | Y |
| Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders | Y |
| CReSTeD registered for Dyslexia | |
| Dyscalculia | |
| Dysgraphia | |
| Dyslexia | |
| Dyspraxia | |
| English as an additional language (EAL) | |
| Genetic | |
| Has an entry in the Autism Services Directory | |
| Has SEN unit or class | Y |
| HI - Hearing Impairment | |
| Hospital School | |
| Mental health | |
| MLD - Moderate Learning Difficulty | |
| MSI - Multi-Sensory Impairment | |
| Natspec Specialist Colleges | |
| OTH - Other Difficulty/Disability | |
| Other SpLD - Specific Learning Difficulty | |
| PD - Physical Disability | |
| PMLD - Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty | |
| SEMH - Social, Emotional and Mental Health | |
| SLCN - Speech, Language and Communication | |
| SLD - Severe Learning Difficulty | |
| Special facilities for Visually Impaired | |
| SpLD - Specific Learning Difficulty | |
| VI - Visual Impairment |
Who came from where
| School | Year | Places | Scholarships | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hazlegrove School | 2023 | 1 | 1 | Scholarships: 1 All Rounder |
| Millfield Prep School | 2023 | 1 | 1 | 1 Sports scholarship |
| Perrott Hill School | 2023 | 1 | 1 | 1 Academic Scholarship |
| St Peter's Preparatory School | 2023 | 4 | 3 | Music Scholarships (2), Art Scholarship |
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