Huish Episcopi Academy Review 2026: A School in Transition After Inadequate Rating

The Somerset Levels hold few secondary schools serving as community anchors over centuries, and Huish Episcopi occupies that role. Tracing its roots to 1675 when Thomas Gillett's will established a grammar school, the institution reopened in 1940 as a modern secondary, and became an academy in 2010. Today, nearly 1,350 students aged 11-18 study here in the sprawling rural landscape near Langport.

The January 2023 Ofsted inspection delivered an Inadequate rating across all areas, triggering Special Measures. This judgment represented a significant decline from the Good rating of 2017. However, important context matters: a safeguarding monitoring visit in April 2023 found inspectors rating that area as effective, acknowledging progress on behaviour and environment despite continuing challenges. The school joined United Learning in June 2023, bringing external governance and support structures (FindMySchool ranking shows the school at 2,292nd in England for GCSE, in the middle tier nationally).

For families considering Huish, this is a school genuinely in transition. Leadership has changed, trust oversight is new, and improvement work is visible. But the Inadequate rating reflects real concerns that families must weigh carefully.

Huish Episcopi sits in a rural setting where the Somerset Levels meet open countryside. The campus blends buildings from different eras, from 1940s brick structures to more modern extensions housing science facilities and sports amenities. A swimming pool, sports hall, and gym provide the physical infrastructure for active student life.

Principal Katie Boyes arrived following the Inadequate rating and has articulated a vision centred on respect, ambition, and resilience. The school operates as non-selective, drawing students from a catchment spanning approximately 200 square miles and working with 11 primary partner schools. This wide geography means students arrive from villages where secondary provision is limited; many have no realistic alternative locally.

The school population is mixed in gender and ability. The leadership acknowledges the inclusive mission: stretching the most able academically while supporting students with special educational needs and disabilities through additional staffing and tailored provision. Class sizes in the secondary phase average around 18:1 to 19:1, broadly in line with local authority ratios.

The house system organises pastoral care, with names such as Bailbrook, Chelston, and Durleigh. Sports day competitions between houses generate visible pride. The school emphasises character education as distinct from academic attainment, developing skills in leadership, teamwork, and communication through structured programmes.

GCSE Performance

In the most recent data, 73% of students achieved grade 4 or above in English and Mathematics, with 57% achieving grade 5 or higher in these core subjects. This represents solid but not exceptional outcomes.

The Attainment 8 score (which measures performance across eight subjects) sits at 46.6, below the England average of 45.9 (FindMySchool data). The school ranks 2,292nd in England for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking), placing it in the middle 50th percentile nationally. Locally, it ranks 1st among schools in Langport, though this reflects limited comparable local provision rather than outstanding regional performance.

Progress 8 measures how much progress students make from their starting points. The score of minus 0.13 indicates that pupils make slightly below expected progress relative to peers nationally with similar prior attainment. This measure, combined with the Inadequate rating, suggests inconsistent teaching quality and curriculum delivery.

The Ofsted report highlighted concerns around Leadership and Management, Behaviour and Attitudes, and Personal Development across all key stages, with Sixth Form provision rated Requires Improvement rather than Inadequate.

A-Level Performance

The Sixth Form educates 130 students across Years 12 and 13. Recent data shows 6% achieved A* grades, 21% achieved A, and 30% achieved B grades, with 57% achieving A*-B overall. This places the school at 853rd in England for A-level (FindMySchool ranking), again in the national middle tier. A-level outcomes sit marginally above the England average for A*-B attainment (57% vs. national average of 47%), suggesting stronger sixth form performance than lower school.

Specialist Subjects & Curriculum Structure

The school holds specialist designation in Science, Languages, and Applied Learning. Art and Design, Textiles, Drama, and Music are described on the school website as historic areas of strength. Design Technology encompasses Food, Textiles, and Resistant Materials. Modern Foreign Languages are taught, alongside Information Technology and Computer Science.

Students follow a broad curriculum in Key Stages 3 and 4. The move toward A-levels in the sixth form includes facilitating subjects (sciences, mathematics, English literature, languages, history, geography) that open university pathways, though subject-specific entry requirements vary.

The curriculum aims for breadth across humanities, sciences, languages, technology, and arts. Teaching quality concerns featured prominently in the Inadequate rating, with inspectors identifying inconsistency in lesson planning, subject knowledge application, and use of assessment to guide next steps.

The school has emphasised adaptive teaching practices, with staff training shared across the wider United Learning network. The character education framework (labelled "Results Plus") attempts to embed communication, problem-solving, and independent thinking alongside subject content.

Students in the lower school experience a daily tutor time, described as "Extra Curriculum Time" focused on learning activities and pastoral connection. The school day runs with time blocks for lessons and dedicated support sessions.

Comprehensive leaver destination data is not published by the school. From available information, sixth form leavers progress to higher education (exact percentages unavailable). In recent years, one Cambridge place and no Oxford places were secured from applications. Russell Group progression rates are not publicly stated.

The wide catchment suggests students disperse geographically after age 16, pursuing higher education at various institutions including regional universities. The proximity to Bristol, Bath, and Exeter makes these realistic destinations, though specific data is not transparent.

The school intentionally offers extensive extracurricular provision, running clubs and societies during break times, lunch, and after 3:30pm. These offerings develop the "Huish Edge," framed as innate confidence across a range of skills.

Sports

The school competes in rugby, maintaining fixtures with local clubs such as Somerton RFC, where Year 7 boys have opportunities to play. Football, netball, and hockey feature prominently. The Year 11 visit to Twickenham for a rugby experience highlights ambition in contact sports. Sports day competitions organised by house generate school-wide engagement.

The swimming pool provides hydrotherapy-style provision alongside competitive training. The sports hall and gym support basketball, volleyball, badminton, and indoor athletics. Student performers and developing teams are noted with pride by leadership.

Expressive Arts

Drama, Music, Art and Design, and Textiles are identified as particular strengths. The school conducts performances, concerts, exhibitions, and tours throughout the academic year. Partnerships with local and national arts companies deliver workshops and seminars. A-level results in these subjects have historically been strong relative to other areas.

Academic & Special Interest Clubs

Limited detail is available about named clubs. The school indicates numerous societies run during breaks and lunches, though specific club titles are not enumerated on publicly available web pages. Leadership references "huge number of extra-curricular opportunities" that allow students to explore interests and develop talents, suggesting breadth rather than depth of published information.

Sixth Form Extended Provision

The Huish Sixth Form runs a dedicated operation within the academy, with separate admissions, enrichment, and social space. Sixth form students contribute to school leadership through prefect systems and peer mentoring. The school celebrates individual and team sporting successes and publishes destination data for leavers (though broad rather than granular).

Character & Development

The Results Plus framework emphasises soft skills alongside examination success. Duke of Edinburgh provision extends through bronze, silver, and gold levels (typical of UK secondary practice). Community service and charitable giving are embedded within tutor time and whole-school events.

Huish is a non-selective secondary and sixth form. Entry at Year 7 is coordinated through Somerset County Council admissions. The school is consistently oversubscribed, with 202 offers from 251 applications in the most recent cycle shown (1.24 applications per place). Distance from the school gate becomes the primary tie-breaker after looked-after children and siblings.

No distance data is published for the current year, but the wide rural catchment (200 square miles) means families may travel 30-45 minutes or more. Families should verify distance from their postcode using the Somerset Council catchment search tool.

For Sixth Form entry, students may apply from within Huish or external schools. Entry requirements vary by subject; leadership emphasises GCSE grades 4-5 as typical entry points, with higher grades expected for subjects like sciences and mathematics.

Applications are made directly to Huish Episcopi Academy rather than through central admissions. Open evenings are held in September; the school encourages prospective families to visit, offering treasure hunt experiences, access to facilities (swimming pool, sports hall, gym), and hands-on lessons during the event.

School operates from 8:50am to 3:20pm daily. The school day includes form tutor time in the morning and afternoon. Lunch is served, with catering provided on-site. Free school meals are available to eligible families; payment via ParentPay system for all meals and school contributions.

Transport links are variable depending on postcode. Rural students from villages such as Langport, Somerton, and surrounding hamlets rely on home transport or informal lifts. The council operates some school coach services on contracted routes, though coverage is limited. Families should check specific transport provision before confirming applications.

Uniform is required. The school operates a dress code consistent with traditional secondary practice (blazer, tie for boys; skirt or trousers, blazer for girls). Uniform suppliers are named on the website, with costs typical for secondary schools (full uniform set approximately £150-200 including PE kit).

The school structures pastoral care around house teams with designated staff responsible for cohort wellbeing. Each student meets tutor daily. Heads of Year oversee pastoral progress and parent communication.

The Inadequate rating highlighted concerns around behaviour management, attitudes to learning, and personal development. The April 2023 monitoring visit acknowledged visible improvements in safeguarding practices and environment since the November 2022 inspection, suggesting positive trajectory on these fronts.

Counselling support is available, and the school lists partnerships with external agencies for students with additional emotional or mental health needs. Whisper, an anonymous reporting system managed by SWGfL (South West Grid for Learning), allows students to report concerns safely. The system accepts SMS messages and anonymous email.

Safeguarding is overseen by a dedicated team; parents and students are directed to email huishSafeguarding@hea.ac.uk for concerns. The school emphasises zero tolerance for bullying and provides clear reporting routes.

Adequate but not outstanding outcomes. GCSE and A-level results sit in the middle national range. The Progress 8 score of minus 0.13 indicates students progress slightly below expectations. Families wanting demonstrably strong or elite academic results should explore alternative options. The Inadequate rating reflects real classroom and leadership concerns, not a statistical quirk.

Rural isolation limits alternatives. For families within the catchment (villages and rural areas of the Levels), Huish may be the only realistic secondary without significant daily transport. Parents in more accessible towns (Langport itself, Somerton) may have alternative options 10-20 minutes away, though this depends on postcode. Before applying, verify whether alternative secondaries fall within a feasible distance.

Recent inspection downgrade is significant. The shift from Good (2017) to Inadequate (2023) occurred in approximately six years. This is not a temporary wobble but a substantial institutional decline. Parents must feel confident that new leadership, United Learning governance, and improvement plans address root causes. The monitoring visit was positive, but only one inspection cycle has passed. Continued monitoring visits will follow before a full re-inspection.

Sixth Form is stronger than main school. If considering Huish for Year 12-13, note that sixth form provision was rated Requires Improvement rather than Inadequate, and A-level outcomes outperform lower-school results. This suggests upper school is more stable, though parental due diligence remains essential.

Limited transparency on provision. The school website provides general overview but limited detail on specific clubs, detailed curriculum paths, and outcomes by subject. Parent communication channels and publications may be inconsistent given recent leadership transition. Contact the school directly for specifics.

Huish Episcopi is a rural secondary serving a wide catchment where many families have limited alternatives. The school carries genuine disadvantage from low population density and the Inadequate inspection. However, visible effort toward improvement is underway: leadership change, United Learning support, and modest progress in safeguarding were acknowledged by monitoring inspectors.

For families seeking a strong alternative to Huish, explore options in nearby market towns (Somerton, Langport, Taunton) if postcode allows. For families whose catchment genuinely limits choices, visit the school, meet leadership, and judge whether confidence in the improvement trajectory justifies enrollment. The school is honest about challenges; improvement is possible but not yet assured.

Best suited to families within the rural catchment who value local provision and are willing to actively engage with a school in genuine transition, monitoring its progress closely.