King's College Taunton
Same Somerset area with a comparable local commute
School profile
Verified 17 August 2026
Taunton School is a private secondary-stage school in Taunton, Somerset, with a published age range of 8-19.
Private school Co-ed Ages 8-19 Sixth form Boarding school
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 8-19
- ISI ?
- Standards met
- Boarding ?
- Boarding school
Taunton School
1
On this page
At a glance
Key facts
- Sector
- Private school
- Gender
- Mixed
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 8-19
- Boarding ?
- Boarding school
- Route check
- Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
- ISI ?
- Standards met
Overview
Overview
Taunton School offers a long academic journey, from Nursery through Sixth Form, with senior education beginning at 13 and a separate sixth-form stage from 16. Day and boarding pupils share the wider community, while senior and sixth-form boarding can be full, weekly or flexi for ages 13 to 18. The registered establishment is co-educational and includes a sixth form.
The Senior School has three GCSE pathways shaped around different strengths and needs. A Scholars' Programme extends work in academic subjects, sport, music, drama, art and design technology, while the Carrington Library supports private study and leisure reading across the curriculum. More than 100 clubs and societies add another layer to the senior week.
Sixth Form offers four routes: A levels, the International Baccalaureate Diploma, BTEC courses in Business and Sports and Exercise Science, and an International Foundation Programme focused on business skills and English for academic study. The 59 listed courses, dedicated Sixth Form Centre, small classes and guidance on future study and work make the final stage notably varied.
Year 9 and Year 12 are the main entry points, although other-year applications can be considered. Senior entry uses an interview, online cognitive ability test, report and reference rather than an entrance examination. Sixth Form applicants need five GCSE passes at grades 9 to 5 or an equivalent assessment.
Key points
Key points
- Assessment route
- Applications are made directly to the school. Check the school's own admissions pages for registration dates, entrance assessment stages, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
- Places and demand
- Published Year 7 place numbers and applicant-per-place data are not included in GIAS for this private-school seed profile.
- Catchment
- Private-school eligibility is not controlled by the local-authority grammar catchment model; check boarding, day-pupil, transport and any sibling or faith rules on the school site.
- Results
- 1.1% grade 5+ in English and maths and 18.4 Attainment 8
- Sixth form
- Sixth form available with 25% AAB or better.
GCSE benchmark
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Somerset and England.
School Local authority England
- Attainment 8
- 18.4
- Grade 5+ English and maths
- 1.1%
- EBacc APS
- 1.58
- EBacc entry
- 0%
Attainment 8 trend
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Somerset and England.
School Local authority England
School details
School details
- Sector
- Private school
- School type
- Other independent school
- Funding
- Independent fee-paying
- Application
- Apply direct to school
- Gender
- Mixed
- Age range
- 8-19
- Headteacher
- Mr James Johnson
- Pupil roll
- 667 pupils
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Boarding
- Boarding school
Location and contact
Location and contact
Address
- Address
- Staplegrove Road, Taunton, Somerset
- Postcode
- TA2 6AD
- Area
- Somerset
School leadership
- Headteacher
- Mr James Johnson
School contact
- School phone
- 01823703703
Admissions contact
- Admissions team
- Admissions
- Admissions phone
- 01823703703
Admissions
Admissions
- Application route
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 8-19
- Gender
- Mixed
- Boarding
- Boarding school
- Day fees
- £9,785-£14,900 per term for senior day tuition and published access programmes (2026/27, including VAT)
- Boarding fees
- £13,895-£18,625 per term for senior flexi, weekly and full boarding options (2026/27, including VAT)
- Scholarships and bursaries
- Scholarships and bursaries
- Entrance details
- Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Admissions note
- GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
Oversubscription and eligibility
Use the official admissions policy for the current priority order and eligibility rules.
Exam and test format
Exam and test format
Entrance route and assessment
Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Assessment route
- Apply direct to school
- Papers and stages
- 1 paper
- Format
- Mixed format
Papers and rounds
-
Paper 1
Interview
Senior and Sixth Form entry selection
Selection is based on an interview (in person where possible), an online cognitive ability test, report, and reference.
Published assessment components
Interview is listed across the school's published assessment routes.
Published
-
Interview
Selection is based on an interview (in person where possible), an online cognitive ability test, report, and reference.
Application
Application
How to apply
- 1
Apply direct to the school
Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
Check school admissions
Results
Results
Attainment snapshot
- Attainment 8 ?
- 18.4 Attainment 8
- GCSE results
- 1.6% grade 4+ in English and maths
- Grade 5+ English and maths ?
- 1.1% grade 5+ in English and maths
- EBacc average point score ?
- 1.58 EBacc APS
- A-level results
- 25% AAB or better
- A-level average points
- 39.80 A-level points per entry
Inspection
Inspection
Standards met
Latest inspection: 23 April 2024
- Leadership, management and governance
- Standards met
- Quality of education, training and recreation
- Standards met
- Physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing
- Standards met
- Social and economic education and contribution to society
- Standards met
- Safeguarding
- Standards met
Quick summary
- Latest ISI report: Routine Inspections 2024 records an inspection beginning 23 April 2024. The report says the relevant standards were met.
Similar schools and comparisons
Similar schools and comparisons
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Shortlist comparisons
Explore this school in context
Private schools near Somerset
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Related pages and guides
Related pages and guides
Area and ranking pages
Private schools near Somerset
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Best Grammar Schools by A-level Results
Explore the best grammar schools by A-level results in the UK, ranked by the published share of students achieving AAB or better at A level.
Guides and related reading
Related guides are still being added.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How does Taunton School handle admissions?
Taunton School handles applications directly. Check the school website for registration dates, entrance assessments, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
How do I apply to Taunton School?
1. Apply direct to the school: Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
When are the key dates for Taunton School?
Use the school admissions page to confirm registration, assessment, interview and offer dates.
What does the latest inspection picture look like for Taunton School?
Taunton School is currently rated Standards met following the latest published inspection dated 23 April 2024.