Taunton School Senior Boys Hockey
Sport

International Sport

The school prides itself in the nurturing of excellence and the challenge of participation in a variety of sporting activities within the school co-curricular programme. The school provides a sports programme which enables those pupils striving for sporting excellence and elite performance, in county, regional and national competitions with high quality, experienced and well qualified coaches and a performance programme to support and guide them physically and mentally. However, the fundamental goal is one of enjoyment and participation and it is hoped that all students have the ability to access a broad range of activities, which will develop a passion for sport and the understanding of a healthy lifestyle and promote lifelong participation.

Our facilities across the 56 acre campus are outstanding. There are exceptional indoor and outdoor facilities for traditional team games and other sports, including three sports halls, two indoor swimming pools, a well-equipped fitness suite, eight netball courts, two multi-purpose AstroTurf pitches, two dance studios, an athletics area, two squash courts and a climbing wall, as well as our sports pitches for cricket, rugby and football.

The traditional sports in each term are below:

Autumn Spring Summer
Boys Rugby Hockey Cricket, tennis & athletics
Girls Hockey Netball Cricket, tennis & athletics

Alongside the major sports of each term, Taunton School offers everything from badminton to swimming, clay pigeon shooting to horse riding, basketball and squash. Football is also an increasingly popular option for older students.

Taunton School students enjoy an excellent record of success at local, regional and national levels. At any one time, a number of students are representing their county in their chosen sport and we are very proud that the list of students representing their country at national and international level is so impressive and ever-increasing.

Through the extensive range of activities on offer, the talented staff who lead these and the outstanding facilities in which these activities are undertaken, students are given the best possible environment to play and enjoy a very wide, diverse and exciting range of sporting practices.

Athletics

Taunton School Senior Long Jump
Athletics

Taunton School has a long tradition of producing some excellent athletes over a number of years. It is one of the most well attended summer sports with over 100 athletes representing the school each year in a number of high profile events throughout Athletics season.

Elite athletes will focus on an indoor winter programme with specific fitness and strength and conditioning sessions, as well as some technical preparation work.

We have excellent links with Taunton Athletics Club and a number of Taunton School athletes that have performed at elite or national level.

Head of Athletics – Mr Frank Tickner runs both the Cross Country and Athletics at Taunton School and has represented Great Britain in cross country and on the Athletics track in the 300m, 5000m and Steeplechase. He has also competed in the European and World Championships and captained the Great Britain Cross Country Team.

Badminton

Badminton

Badminton is a popular sport at Taunton School and is played in both the Autumn and Spring terms. There are 4 badminton courts within our large indoor sports hall, with another 3 courts available in the Prep School sports hall. We play a number of friendly fixtures against schools in the local area and enter teams in the Somerset Schools League, with several students going on to represent Somerset County.

Basketball

Taunton School Senior Basketball
Basketball

Basketball is offered in the Autumn and Spring terms. The basketball sessions take place in our two indoor sports halls and sessions cater for all abilities. Basketball players are challenged with fitness, skill and technical sessions, alongside set piece and game related sessions. Our top level performers can also access Performance Programme sessions.

There are excellent links with Taunton Tigers, a local basketball club which many of our students have had the opportunity to represent.

Climbing

Taunton School Senior Climbing Wall
Climbing

Taunton School are fortunate to have their own indoor climbing wall and well qualified staff who are able to cater for students of all abilities.

Cricket

Taunton School Senior Cricket
Cricket

The Cricket Programme operates all year round, with a winter indoor programme focusing on skill and technical development as well as a specific strength and conditioning programme, and the summer term being the predominant competition season.

We have access to four cricket squares and two sets of outdoor nets, as well as indoor facilities in the Sports Hall, which has four lanes. The cricket square on the front is one of the best known wickets in Somerset, hosting all age groups within the school, as well as Somerset 2nd XI and a number of age group county matches.

We have a good team of technically experienced coaches who want the boys to share their passion and develop their knowledge and understanding of this great game.

Director of Cricket – Mr Pete Sanderson joined Taunton School following on from his role at Somerset Cricket Club as 1st XI team analyst and coach. As a Level 4 Coach, Coach Educator and having an MA in Sports Psychology, he brings experience to the development of the cricket programme.

Head of Cricket Development – Mr Marcus Trescothick is a former England international Ashes winner and has recently retired as Somerset County Cricket Captain. He combines his numerous coaching and commentating roles with his position in coaching, mentoring and supporting the cricketers at Taunton School.

Football

Taunton School Senior Boys Football
Football

Football is played in both the Autumn and Spring terms. We play regular matches against schools in the South West region and enter into national cup competitions. We cater for all abilities and boys and girls can play alongside each other in the Sixth Form.

Training consists of a range of fitness, skill and technical sessions, set piece work and training matches. Taunton School has links with Arsenal Soccer Schools who have recently rebranded into Saints Southwest. We also have strong links with both Somerset and Taunton Area football at U18, U16 and U15 level.

Golf

Golf

Students interested in golf can join the golf club which provides access to a local driving range on a weekly basis. There is also a golf coach available to provide 1:1 at an additional cost.

Gym

Taunton School Gym Weights
Gym

Students can access the fitness suite throughout the games programme. These sessions are based on mixed abilities taking part in a varied range of skill and technical sessions with qualified fitness instructors to support them with the development of training programmes.

There are supervised sessions after school and in the evening for boarders to attend where they can have support and guidance in completing or developing their own programmes or just do activities of their choice.

Hockey

Taunton School Senior Boys Hockey
Hockey

At Taunton School we run hockey all year round, with girls’ teams competing in the Autumn term and boys’ teams competing in the Spring term. Students have access to three AstroTurf pitches and an indoor hall with boards and goals.

We take indoor hockey very seriously as a game in its own right but also a development tool for our outdoor programme. We play indoor at U14, U16 & U18 age groups and this runs alongside our outdoor programme to allow our players to refine and improve their skills. We also compete in a range of fixtures to prepare for local and regional tournaments. We have had great success over the previous years, finishing in the top 25 in the country at U18 level for both boys and girls for the last two years running.

Director of Hockey – Mr Elliot Foweraker oversees the Boys’ and Girls’ hockey programme from Year 3 to 13 across the school, delivering a unified programme that caters for all levels of individuals and performers. Mr Foweraker is an ex-National League hockey player and he has recently completed Euro Hockey’s Top Coaches Programme, a two year course where he was the only English coach of his cohort and was graded Excellent.

Horse Riding

Taunton School Senior Horse Riding
Horse Riding

We have a number of students who represent the school in a range of equestrian disciplines.

Students can participate in Horse Riding in the games programme, where the sessions are based on mixed abilities taking part in a varied range of skill and technical sessions.

Many pupils working at the elite level will instead utilise the games lesson to have external lessons or ride their own horses to enable them to train them effectively.

Netball

Taunton School Senior Netball
Netball

The provision for netball at Taunton is extensive and allows pupils of all abilities to develop their own personal skills at recreation or team level. There are excellent facilities including 8 outdoor hard courts and 2 indoor courts.  We have a total of 8 teams from Year 9 – 13 and at least two teams for each year group from Year 3 – 8. Regular fixtures are arranged against other schools in the South West and the school participates in the National School’s competition which takes place throughout the year.

The Head of Netball, Lisa Manley has played, coached and managed at National and Regional level, including managing the Team Bath Superleague Team and England U19’s at the European Championships.

Rugby

Rugby

Rugby is played throughout the school in the Autumn term and students can also opt to play Rugby sevens during the Spring term. From Year 3 onwards, boys play in matches against some of the strongest rugby schools in the South West.  We have access to a total of eleven rugby pitches and have a good team of technically experienced coaches who are all enthusiasts and who want the boys to share their passion for this great game.

We expect pupils and students to set extremely high standards through sport and rugby provides them with the perfect vehicle to do this. It is a sport that requires control, trust and loyalty and we expect all our players to demonstrate this on and off the field.

We have excellent links with Taunton Rugby Club and North Petherton Rugby Club and we currently have a large number of players involved with Premiership Academies such as Bristol Bears and Exeter Chiefs.

Director of Rugby – Mr Nic Sestaret oversees the rugby programme from Year 3- 13. He is an experienced player who has represented France and played for Barbarians and Exeter Chiefs Rugby clubs. He is also an experienced coach having coached at club and premiership level.

Shooting

Taunton School Prep Shooting
Shooting

Clay Pigeon Shooting is run as a games option for senior students throughout the year and all abilities are welcome.

Taunton School is able to use the facilities of Ling Shooting which is based in Wellington and home to Edward Ling, who won a Bronze Medal at the Rio Olympic Games.

Squash

Taunton School Squash Court
Squash

Squash is played in both the Autumn and Spring term. We enter both the National Schools Cup and have teams entered in the Somerset League and play a number of friendly fixtures against schools in the South West.

Within our games programme, we cater for a mixture of abilities taking part in a varied range of fitness, skill and technical sessions. We also have excellent links with the Somerset Squash League, allowing students another opportunity to compete.

Swimming

Taunton School Senior Swimming
Swimming

Taunton School has a long tradition of producing some excellent swimmers over recent years, with many attending both the British and National Championships. Our swimmers are able to access training sessions throughout the year, although the main fixture list occurs in the Summer Term. We are fortunate to have two indoor swimming pools on site catering for a range of abilities. Our elite swimmers will follow a programme tailored to each individual and have access to performance programme sessions.

The school regularly competes against local schools within the county and within the South West and enters the ESSA National Relay Competition during the Summer Term. We have excellent links with Taunton Deane Swimming Club and therefore, we are able to support students within the school who compete regularly for both Taunton Deane in galas, county, regional and national competitions.

Head of Swimming Development –  Graham Davidson is also the Head Coach at Taunton Deane Swimming Club and recognised as one of England’s top swimming coaches. He was recently selected to be a coach on England’s Elite Swim Coach programme.

Table Tennis

Table Tennis

We have a number of students who have represented the school at Table Tennis in fixtures against other schools and in both the County and Regional rounds of the National School competition.

Students can participate in Table Tennis throughout the games programme and the sessions are based on mixed abilities taking part in a varied range of skill and technical sessions.

The students who are performing at a high level can also access to the Performance Programme sessions and we have a good relationship with Taunton Table Tennis Club.

Tennis

Tennis

At Taunton School we run tennis all year round, with teams competing in competitions throughout the three terms. The predominant term for tennis for both boys and girls is in the summer term, where we have a competitive fixture list. Tennis has access to eight courts throughout the year, we also use the floodlit courts at Taunton Vale and the Indoor Courts at Blackbrook Pavilion as required.

1:1 lessons can be arranged (at additional cost) and we are able to cater for any level of player from beginner to national standard.

Head of Tennis – Mr Shaun Carroll comes from an experienced and high calibre background in tennis, as a former GB/England Captain and the current Somerset County Captain. He has coached Junior Davis Cup players and various national champions. He currently coaches the Performance Academy at the Taunton Tennis Centre.

Volleyball

Volleyball

Volleyball is run as a club during the Winter and Spring terms and as a games option for senior students during the Summer term. We cater for all abilities and those performing at a high level are able to access Performance Programme Sessions.

We have a good relationship with both Taunton Volleyball and the South West Regional teams and we currently have a student who plays for England in the Under 19 age category.

We have excellent indoor facilities allowing students to train throughout the year.

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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

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