The Castle School, Taunton

In its own words: "We empower every student to achieve, belong, and participate, with an unwavering commitment to creating equitable opportunities and prioritising under-resourced students. The Houses are essential in fostering the strong family ethos at The Castle School. We very much believe in the partnership between parents and the school."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include drama, photography and debating.

In 2026, pupils at The Castle School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 52.7, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 44.3 in Somerset and 47 across England.

57% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 40% in Somerset and 47% in England.

That is in line with 2025, when the score was 53.4.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.6: pupils made well above average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 39.5, against 55.1 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 15.6 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 26 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Art and Design and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 336 families put The Castle School as their first choice and 707 named it as one of their preferences, for 237 places offered. That is 1.4 first choices for every place. 102 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to The Castle School are Bishop Fox's School (1.3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 49.7); Pyrland School (1.6 miles); and Monkton Wood Academy (2.7 miles, Attainment 8 42.2).

The Castle School's 2026 results were higher than all 2 of them.

The Castle School is one of 14 schools run by Blackdown Education Partnership, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 45.5 in 2024/25.

Of the 234 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 89% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 24% to a further education college, 3% to an apprenticeship and 3% into work.

13.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 133 pupils (11%) received SEN support and 34 (2.8%) 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 social, emotional and mental health needs.

The nearest railway station is Taunton Rail Station, about 0.8 miles away in a straight line.

6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Somerset College 1 (e-bound), 170 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood The Castle School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 342 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and anti-social behaviour. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Somerset (22), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, The Castle School issued 359 suspensions, 29.9 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 2 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to The Castle School are Parkfield Primary School (0.4 miles); North Town Academy (0.4 miles); Bishops Hull Primary School (0.7 miles); and Bishop Henderson Church of England Primary School, Taunton (0.7 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.