Taunton School celebrates exceptional inspection results

Taunton School is celebrating after it has received exceptional feedback following an inspection by the Independent Schools’ Inspectorate.

The school has received praise in many areas, including the extraordinary breadth of academic pathways which inspectors stated is tailored to the needs, aspirations and interests of pupils, its truly global community in which pupils are proud to celebrate a range of cultures, and the preparation for students’ next steps which inspectors stated has a strong emphasis on independent living and leadership skills.

Taunton School’s leading co-curricular programme was recognised as a significant strength, the highest accolade given by the inspectorate, in a report which also praised the high level of commitment to students’ wellbeing and belonging.

The report explains: “The school’s co-curricular programme is a significant strength, with the activities on offer making a major contribution to pupils’ physical and mental health, and their social, economic and emotional wellbeing. The programme has been carefully crafted and honed by the school’s leaders, who take into account pupils’ views and show a deep understanding of how to unearth the potential of each pupil.”

Head and CEO of Taunton School, James Johnson, said of the report: “I am very proud indeed of the whole school community - students, teachers and operations staff - who all made such a positive impression on the inspectors. I am delighted that the ISI team recognised what a special community we are part of and that both the range of our academic offer and the remarkable breadth of our co-curricular programme have been singled out. It is this offer that enables each student at the school to excel.”

Inspectors noted that the school prepares pupils well for life and is a nurturing and vibrant community where leaders foster mutual respect in all aspects of school life and emphasise the importance of cherishing diversity. Leaders prioritise pupils' emotional and physical wellbeing and truly know them as people, enabling them to feel valued, safe, and happy.

The Independent Schools’ Inspectorate is the main inspection body for independent schools, directly reporting to the Department of Education. Its inspectors visit independent schools every three years and spend several days observing activities and lessons of their choice, surveying parents, students and staff, as well as interviewing a large number of staff and students to ensure a genuine insight into the school. They then produce a robust report on the findings, highlighting any areas which require improvement.

Taunton School has consistently achieved positive reports from the Independent Schools’ Inspectorate over its long history as an independent day and boarding school. The language of school inspection reports now avoids single word judgements such as ‘excellent’ or ‘good’ and instead makes a series of evidence-based statements to describe the school’s provision.

The full report and highlights from the report can be viewed on Taunton School’s website: https://www.tauntonschool.co.uk/about/inspection/.