Taunton School
{{short description|Public school in Somerset, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox school
| name = Taunton School
| image = Taunton School across the playing field.jpg
| image_size = 280px
| coordinates = {{coord|51.026282|-3.115493|type:edu_region:GB_dim:100|format=dec|display=inline,title}}
| motto = Ora et labora - Worship and Work (senior school); Carpe diem - Seize the Day (preparatory school)
| established = {{start date and age|1847}}
| closed =
| type = Public School
Private school
Boarding and Day school
| religious_affiliation = Christian
| president =
| head_label = Headmaster
| head = James Johnson
| r_head_label =
| r_head =
| chair_label =
| chair =
| founder =
| specialist =
| address = Staplegrove Road
| city = Taunton
| county = Somerset
| country = England
| postcode = TA2 6AD
| local_authority =
| ofsted =Outstanding
| staff =
| enrolment =
| gender = Co-educational
| lower_age = 0
| upper_age = 18
| houses = Fairwater, Wills East, Wills West, Weirfield, Woodyer, Evans, Bevan, Goodland, Besley, Marshall, Jenkin, Foxcombe
| colours = Blue {{color box|Blue}}, Red {{color box|Red}}, White {{colour box|White}}
| publication =
| free_label_1 = Alumni
| free_1 = Old Tauntonians
| free_label_3 =
| free_3 =
| website = {{URL|http://www.tauntonschool.co.uk}}
}}
Taunton School is public school, now co-educational, in the county town of Taunton in Somerset in South West England. It serves boarding and day-school pupils from the ages of 13 to 18.
The current headmaster is James Johnson, appointed in the autumn of 2022.[http://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/news/taunton_news/11453236.Taunton_School_headmaster_John_Newton_leaves_to_take_up_new_post/ Taunton School headmaster John Newton leaves to take up new post], Somerset County Gazette, 4 September 2014
The school campus also includes Taunton School International for overseas students; Taunton Preparatory School, serving boarding and day-school pupils aged 7 to 13; Taunton Pre-Prep School, serving day-school pupils aged 4 to 7, and Taunton Nursery, serving pupils aged 0 to 4.
History
Taunton School was founded in 1847{{cite web|url=http://www.ukboardingschools.com/school/taunton-school-international.html|title=Taunton School International|publisher=UK Boarding Schools|access-date=21 November 2010}} as Independent College, a boys-only school for dissenters - those who were not members of the Church of England.{{cite web|url=http://www.isi.net/reports/2005/1222_05_r.htm|title=Inspection report on Taunton School|publisher=Independent Schools Inspectorate|access-date=21 November 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090107165201/http://www.isi.net/reports/2005/1222_05_r.htm|archive-date=7 January 2009}}{{Cite web|url=https://issuu.com/philgriff/docs/independen_witnesst|title=Independent Witness: One hundred and fifty years of Taunton School|last=Brown|first=John|date=10 January 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171113072410/https://issuu.com/philgriff/docs/independen_witnesst|archive-date=13 November 2017|url-status=live|access-date=13 November 2017}}
In the 1870s, the school's governors purchased a site at the northern end of Taunton, on Staplegrove Road. They had built, by Joseph James, a gothic-influenced building, in the prevailing style of the period. The school is constructed in a C-plan, with a {{convert|50|ft|m|adj=on}} high tower. Grey stone came from Somerset's Mendip Hills. This large building still dominates the school's {{convert|90|acre|adj=on}} campus today. It is a Grade II listed building.{{NHLE|num=1233996|desc=Taunton School|access-date=7 September 2009}}
File:Taunton School, Valentine’s Series.jpg
The school was a founding member of the World Individual Debating and Public Speaking Championships and has hosted the tournament numerous times.{{cite web|url=http://www.bishops.org.za/BishopsBlue/200601/Debating.htm|title=Debating|publisher=Bishops Blue|access-date=7 September 2009}}
A chapel was built in 1907{{cite web|url=http://www.moviemakersguide.com/cat/lopricat.htm|title=Independent Schools|work=Film and TV locations|publisher=Movie Makers Guide|access-date=7 September 2009}} in contrasting style to the rest of the school. Its sponsor was the wealthy William Wills, 1st Baron Winterstoke. Wills was a director of Bristol-based tobacco firm, W.D. & H.O. Wills. Two features in the chapel were especially of note: the organ and the mosaics. In 2007 on the centenary of the founding of the chapel the original pipe organ was broken up,{{National Pipe Organ Register|id=D02946}} it being replaced by a new digital organ which was funded in part, by donations from Old Tauntonians.{{cite web|title=Taunton School Music Department Facilities and resources, 2011|url=http://www.tauntonschool.co.uk/downloads/1380_facilities-and-resources-11-12-pdf.pdf|publisher=Taunton School|access-date=20 October 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304210546/http://www.tauntonschool.co.uk/downloads/1380_facilities-and-resources-11-12-pdf.pdf|archive-date=4 March 2016}}
In September 1971, Taunton School began the merger with Weirfield School, an independent boarding and day school for girls, which was also situated on Staplegrove Road, by admitting girls into the Sixth Form. Then in 1976 Taunton School completed this merger with the rest of the senior section of Weirfield School.{{cite news|title=Reunion for Taunton and Weirfield oldgirls|url=http://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/news/4636797.Reunion_for_Taunton_and_Weirfield_oldgirls/|access-date=20 October 2015|work=Somerset County Gazette|date=19 September 2009}} This became one of the earliest fully co-educational independent schools in England. Additional buildings were erected on the original Taunton School campus, and Weirfield continued as a girls-only junior school.{{cite web|title=Taunton Junior School Middle School Building|url=http://www.scdpartnership.co.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=main.dspTauntonJuniorSchoolMiddleSchool|publisher=Steel Coleman Davis Partnership|access-date=20 October 2015}}
In 1990, in order to create closer links between the two junior schools and Taunton School, Taunton Junior School (originally known as Thone) and Weirfield were renamed Taunton Junior Boys School and Taunton Junior Girls School, respectively. As both Junior Schools needed modernisation, building began in 1993 on the boys' site (Thone) to create a new joint boys and girls school, which was partly financed by the sale of the Weirfield site. In 1994 both schools were located at the Thone site and they were renamed Taunton Preparatory School.{{cite web|url=http://www.somersetarchitect.co.uk/projects_taunton_prep_school_002.html|title=Taunton Preparatory School: Middle School Building|publisher=Steel Coleman Davis|access-date=7 September 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060502181139/http://www.somersetarchitect.co.uk/projects_taunton_prep_school_002.html|archive-date=2 May 2006}} A classroom block in the Preparatory School is called Weirfield, as is the main senior girls' Boarding house.{{cite web|title=Taunton Senior School|url=http://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/index.php?q=filedownloading/&id=1326097&type=1&refer=0.|publisher=Ofsted|access-date=20 October 2015}}
Notable Old Tauntonians
Former pupils of Taunton School are known as Old Tauntonians.
{{Columns-list|colwidth=25em|
- Aftab Habib, cricketer{{cite news|url=http://www.cricinfo.com/england/content/player/13985.html|title=Aftab Habib|work=Cricinfo|access-date=7 September 2009}}
- Alan Gibson, cricket writer and broadcaster{{cite news|url=http://www.cricinfo.com/england/content/player/294157.html|title=Alan Gibson|work=Cricinfo|access-date=7 September 2009}}
- Alan Marshall, cricketer
- Alec Knight, clergyman
- Alexander Waugh, writer
- Alexandra Felstead, reality television star
- Barbara Jefford, actress
- Barry Hobson, cricketer
- Bryon Butler, writer and broadcaster
- Charles Deane, cricketer
- Daisy Waugh, writer and journalist{{citation needed|date=July 2020}}
- David Ford, civil servant
- David Jones, director
- Duncan Bluck, businessman
- Edward Aveling, biologist
- Edward Bluemel, actor
- Eric Hill, cricketer
- Evan Durbin, politician
- G. N. W. Thomas, medical doctor and barrister{{cite book |last=Mee |first=Arthur |date=1921 |title=Who's Who in Wales |url=https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Who_s_who_in_Wales/HHY_AQAAMAAJ |publisher=Western Mail Limited |page=460}}
- Gamal Fahnbulleh, journalist and presenter
- George Andrews, rugby player
- Gerald Chapman, director
- Graham Henderson, cultural entrepreneur
- Harold Fear, cricketer
- Harold Theobald, cricketer
- Harry Simmons, Olympic high jumper
- Henry Wilson, politician
- Howard Shaw, author
- Ian Bryant, academic
- Ian McNeice, actor{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0573862/|title=Ian McNeice|publisher=IMDB|access-date=7 September 2009}}
- J. M. Gullick, Orientalist
- Jack White, cricketer{{cite web|url=http://www.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/237639.html|title=John White|work=Wisden|publisher=Cricinfo|access-date=7 September 2009}}
- James Frith, politician
- Jay Tidmarsh, businessman
- Jeremy Wright, lawyer and politician
- John Cameron, cricketer{{cite news|url=http://www.cricinfo.com/england/content/player/51460.html|title=John Cameron|work=Cricinfo|access-date=7 September 2009}}{{cite news |url= https://www.theguardian.com/news/2000/mar/02/guardianobituaries1 |title=John Cameron |work=The Guardian |access-date=7 September 2009 |location=London |first=David |last=Foot |date=2 March 2000}}
- John Jameson, cricketer{{cite news|url=http://www.cricinfo.com/england/content/player/15468.html|title=John Jameson|work=Cricinfo|access-date=7 September 2009}}
- John Mensah Sarbah, lawyer and politician
- John Rae, educator (Headmaster of Taunton School, 1966-1970) and novelist {{cite news |url= https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/john-rae-433546.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220526/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/john-rae-433546.html |archive-date=26 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=John Rae (obituary) |date=25 January 2007 |work=The Independent |access-date=7 September 2009 | location=London}}
- J. M. Roberts, author and historian{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/j-m-roberts-548254.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100831035654/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/j-m-roberts-548254.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=31 August 2010|title=J.M. Roberts|date=3 June 2003|newspaper=The Independent|access-date=7 September 2009 | location=London}}
- John Whiting, actor
- Jonathan Hall, army officer
- John Mackie, cricketer
- Jonathan Miller, English theatre and opera director, actor, author, television presenter, humourist and physician{{Cite book|title=In Two Minds: a biography of Jonathan Miller|url=https://archive.org/details/intwomindsbiogra0000bass|url-access=registration|last=Bassett|first=Kate|publisher=Oberon Books|year=2012|pages=[https://archive.org/details/intwomindsbiogra0000bass/page/336 336]}}
- K. R. Norman, philologist
- Leonard Irvine, doctor and cricketer
- Leslie Marshall, cricketer
- Leslie Scott, game designer
- Mark Getty, businessman{{cite news |url= http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/news/433897/MT-interview-Mark-Getty |title=The MT interview: Mark Getty |work=Management Today |first=Chris |last=Blackhurst |date=1 May 2004 |access-date= 7 September 2009}}
- Owen Franklin, organist and composer
- Patrick Newell, actor
- Peter Redgrove, poet{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/peter-redgrove-548292.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110530141809/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/peter-redgrove-548292.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=30 May 2011|title=Peter Redgrove (obituary) |date=18 June 2003 |work=The Independent |access-date=7 September 2009 |location=London}}{{cite news |url= https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1433274/Peter-Redgrove.html |title=Peter Redgrove |date=18 June 2003 |newspaper=The Telegraph |access-date=7 September 2009 |location=London}}
- Peter Green, botanist
- Peter Westmacott, diplomat{{cite web|url=http://www.hec.fr/europe-symposium/index.php?id=westmacott_peter|title=Sir Peter John WESTMACOTT KCMG LVO|publisher=HEC|access-date=7 September 2009}}
- Robert Malpas, engineer and businessman{{cite book |title='MALPAS, Sir Robert', in Who's Who 2012 |location=London |publisher=A. & C. Black |year=2012}}
- Thomas Jameson, cricketer{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/30/30588/30588.html|title=Player profile: Thomas Jameson|website=CricketArchive|access-date=14 July 2012}}
- Thomas Newton, architect
- Tim Willcox, news presenter{{cite web|url=http://www.perfectpeople.net/celebrity-star/10425/tim-willcox.htm|title=Tim Wilcox|publisher=Perfect People |access-date= 7 September 2009}}
- Tom Abell, cricketer
- W. J. Reader, historian
- William Whitehead, organist
}}
Academic results
Percentage of A level students achieving at least 3 A levels at A*-E:
The first cohort of students sat the IB Diploma in 2009. Their result ranked the school as the highest IB newcomer in the UK by the Financial Times.{{cite web|title=Taunton School's IB success|url=http://www.dickinsonboardingschools.com/news-article.html?id=48|publisher=Dickinson British School Consulting|access-date=22 August 2011}} In 2010, one student achieved the highest possible mark of 45 points.{{cite news|title=Taunton School celebrates International Baccalaureate results|url=http://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/news/10530705.Taunton_School_celebrates_International_Baccalaureate_results/|access-date=20 October 2015|work=Somerset County Gazette|date=5 July 2013}}
GCSE:
Percentage of pupils who gained at 5 grades A* - C
University progression:
Over the past years, some students have gone on to universities including Oxford and Cambridge. Approximately 96% of all Sixth Form leavers take up University or College places.{{cite web|title=Taunton School|date=16 July 2013 |url=http://www.ukboardingschools.com/schools/taunton-school/|publisher=UK Boarding Schools|access-date=20 October 2015}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- [http://www.tauntonschool.co.uk Official website]
- [http://www.tauntoninternational.co.uk/ Taunton School International]
- [https://taunton.alumni-online.com/frmWebDisplay.aspx?S=of4z7fq Taunton School Notable Alumni]
{{Schools in Somerset}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Boarding schools in Somerset
Category:Educational institutions established in 1847
Category:Private schools in Somerset
Category:Member schools of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference
Category:International Baccalaureate schools in England