Orchard Grove Primary School, Taunton

Ofsted's report card from its 2 June 2026 inspection grades Orchard Grove Primary School on 7 areas: 7 strong standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Strong standard. "Pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, achieve highly across the curriculum."

Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Pupils' attendance is high."

Curriculum and teaching - Strong standard. "Teaching throughout the school is of a high standard."

Early years - Strong standard. "The early years is pivotal to the school's success."

Inclusion - Strong standard. "Inclusion is central to the school's ethos."

Leadership and governance - Strong standard. "Leaders have fully grasped the opportunity of opening a new school."

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "Leaders have crafted a very well-considered and comprehensive personal development programme."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that as the school grows, systems are consistently applied across all areas to the same high standard so that all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, achieve well, feel a sense of belonging and flourish".

In its own words: "The Trust’s aim is to provide exceptional education for its pupils and to work closely with its families to identify needs as early as possible. By engaging families at an early stage in their child’s school life we can focus on the child’s educational and developmental requirements quickly to ensure the best educational journey for the individual."

From the headteacher's welcome: "On 6 September 2023, Orchard Grove opened its doors for the first time to their Reception cohort, with the unique experience of it being within their sister school, IKB in Wellington. We have now moved into our fabulous new building in Taunton and were delighted to welcome our new and existing pupils."

The school runs a breakfast club from 7:45am and after-school care.

For September 2026 entry, 46 families put Orchard Grove Primary School as their first choice and 80 named it as one of their preferences, for 49 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Orchard Grove Primary School are Bishop Henderson Church of England Primary School, Taunton (0.6 miles, Good, 86% reading, 81% maths); Trull Church of England VA Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 97% reading, 97% maths); Bishops Hull Primary School (1 mile, 76% reading, 76% maths); and Parkfield Primary School (1 mile, Good, 73% reading, 73% maths).

Orchard Grove Primary School is one of 14 schools run by Blackdown Education Partnership, an academy trust.

8.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 33.1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (55%), Black (17%) and Asian (16%).

In 2026, 17 pupils (13.1%) received SEN support and 2 (1.5%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.

Orchard Grove Primary School had 5 teachers in 2026, one for every 8 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.

The nearest railway station is Taunton Rail Station, about 2 miles away in a straight line.

4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Colman Road (n-bound), 150 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Orchard Grove Primary School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 58 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and public order offences. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Somerset (22), as is usual near a town centre.

Orchard Grove Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.

The secondary schools closest to Orchard Grove Primary School are The Castle School (1.2 miles) and Bishop Fox's School (1.7 miles).