Taunton Prep School art student with teacher

Explore our Prep School

In this part of the School, we welcome children from Year 3 (aged 7) to Year 8 (aged 13). Our Headmaster is Mr Ed Burnett who joined the Prep School in 2023, following 8 years in the Senior School. There are approximately 300 boys and girls in the school with an average of 17 pupils per class. We offer a wonderfully varied Saturday Enrichment Programme for Years 3 to 6 if they wish to take part, while Saturday morning School is provided for Years 7 and 8 for much of the term.

The School is non-selective, which means your child won’t be expected to sit entrance exams. Despite this, our results are well above national average and our dedicated team of teachers are committed to helping your child reach their full potential.

If your child is particularly gifted, we have a selection of scholarships available for entry into Year 7, and discretionary Headmaster’s Awards are occasionally awarded for pupils entering into other year groups. Means-tested Assisted Places are also available so do make contact with our admissions team if you’d like more information.

We also have boarding provision for our Prep School students, and “Thone House” is right in the heart of the school. There are between 30 and 40 full time boarders aged 7 to 13 who are all looked after by a team of experienced staff, and headed up by Mrs Katherine Wells, who is both Head of Boarding and Houseparent. Many of our boarders are full-time boarders, but we also offer weekly or flexi-boarding to suit your requirements.

It goes without saying that the Prep and Senior school share tremendous facilities with two swimming pools and two theatres. Taunton Prep School has some outstanding facilities of its own including a performing arts centre, sports hall, extensive sports pitches, IT Suite and state of the art design & technology equipment.

The School is committed and able to continually invest and improve infrastructure on a significant level and has recently cut the ribbon on the latest ambitious project; a redevelopment of dining facilities.  This multi-million-pound facility enables all students and staff to be together in a first-class communal and versatile space.

As a “through-school”, we offer the benefit of guaranteed school places as your child progresses from Prep onto the Senior School. Being based on one school site is a huge advantage for introducing your child to new parts of the school in preparation for their educational journey. You can be confident that your child will be fully prepared to move on and embrace the step up to the senior school with confidence.


Contact our friendly Prep School admissions team

Request a video appointment

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FAQ's

How are new pupils integrated into Taunton Prep School?

Every year, significant numbers of pupils join each of the year groups. New pupils are warmly welcomed and fit in quickly.

 

Can my child board at Taunton Prep?

We have a happy boarding community of around 30 boys and girls spanning the whole age range from 7 to 13. Full, weekly and flexi options are all popular.

Does Taunton Prep School offer Saturday School?

Saturdays are a vibrant part of the school week. Sports fixtures plus morning lessons for Years 7 and 8 and an optional Enrichment Programme for Years 3 to 6.

 

At what age do children transition to Taunton Senior School?

By the end of Year 8, pupils have held on to all of their childhood years and have become confident young people, ready to work, play and socialise, alongside the young adults of the Senior School.

Will my child be required to sit a set of examinations to progress to Taunton Senior School?

The large majority of our Year 8 pupils move into our Senior School and are not required to sit Common Entrance examinations. Pupils destined for other senior schools can sit CE and Scholarships and are fully supported.

What is the admissions process?

  • Visit Taunton School for an open morning or for a private visit to have a tour of the school and, we can arrange a Skype call and virtual tour during the COVID restrictions
  • Complete the registration form process and submit this with a current school report
  • Come to visit for a taster day or boarding taster, this will not be possible during the COVD restrictions but could be arranged at a later date
  • Referencing
  • Official offer of a place

Can I come and visit the school for a private tour and meet the Headmaster?

Providing we are not in lockdown, we would love to welcome you for a full tour and visit to show you around our vibrant school. Tours are conducted by Mr Andrew Edwards, our Headmaster, and will give you plenty of opportunity to ask questions and to meet other members of our team such as Heads of Academic, Sport, Performing Arts and Art.

Do you have places in my child’s year group?

Please complete the enquiry form below and our admissions team can then contact you to discuss.

 

Do you offer support for children with Special educational Needs?

At Taunton Prep we have a comprehensive Educational Progress department with a team of expert teachers for children with Special Educational Needs – please contact our admissions manager who will be able to discuss this with you in more detail.

What are the fees?

Please follow this link for a full explanation of our fees with a downloadable version.

What co-curricular clubs and activities are offered to pupils?

At our Prep School we offer over 70 clubs and activities over a 12 month period most of which are included in the school fees, please do navigate to our Co-Curricular pages for more detail.

 

How many pupils currently attend Taunton School?

Around 270 boys and girls aged between 7 and 13 with an average of 15 pupils per class. 2 classes in Year 3 grows to 4 classes in Year 8.

Is Taunton School academically selective?

We are a non-selective school, welcoming pupils of all abilities, personalities and interests. Attainment and progress of each year group is well above the national average. Beyond the classroom there is a superb breadth of opportunity.

My child would like to join Taunton Prep in Year 7, how do you prepare children for their transition into Senior School?

Pupils in Years 7 and 8 enjoy developing their leadership skills at the top of the Prep School. They also spend an increasing amount of time benefiting from Senior School facilities, teachers and elite sports coaches.

Can children whose first language is not English join your school?

Pupils with English as an Additional Language can either join the Prep School or our specialist facility called Taunton School International Middle School (TSIMS).

Is Taunton Prep School on the same site as Taunton Senior School?

The Nursery, Pre-Prep, Prep and Senior School, together form one School, on one impressive 56 acre site. The Prep School has superb facilities of its own, including a swimming pool and a performing arts centre.

Do you offer taster experiences for prospective children?

Yes we do, for both day and boarding pupils.

My child is currently in the IB system, how would they fit into a UK curriculum?

Taunton School is an IB World School so students can choose to take IB as a Post 16 option. We offer an enhanced UK National Curriculum, which is very flexible and pupils joining us who were previously in the IB system do very well. As part of our Personal Development program in the Prep School children are encouraged to continually self-assess their progress in this area on a termly basis and set themselves goals for the next.

 

Is there any opportunity to apply for financial support or a bursary?

At Taunton School we do offer an Assisted Places Scheme which is requires the completion of a confidential assessment of your financial circumstances.

Military families and the CEA Funding scheme?

Taunton School currently welcomes a thriving group of military families from all 3 services whether they are UK based or serving overseas.  We are familiar with the CEA provision process and would be very happy to discuss this with you in more detail.

Please do access our Military Boarding brochure for more information and the fees structure here.

Can we apply for a scholarship?

We offer a comprehensive 11+ scholarship process for children in current Year 6 seeking a scholarship for the start of Year 7. Our scholarship process is open to children with outstanding ability in Academic, Sport, Performing Arts, Art and Design Technology. Please do complete the enquiry form and our Admissions Manager will be delighted to be in touch with you with more information.

Prep School Prospectus

For more information about our Prep School, visit our Prep School pages here.

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Upcoming Open Days

Attend an upcoming Open Day in April!

Virtual Open Day for Senior and International on 20th April 2024

In-person whole school Open Day on April 27th 2024

Book your place here