The Castle School, Taunton Review 2026: Oversubscribed Somerset secondary with an established house system

A large, mixed 11 to 19 secondary in Rowbarton that combines the scale of a town school with the relationship-building benefits of a structured house model. Six pastoral houses sit at the centre of daily routines, with form tutors staying with groups across the full five-year journey, which helps continuity for students and parents.

Leadership is stable. Mr James Lamb is named as headteacher on the Department for Education’s Get Information About Schools service, and his professional biography notes he took up the role in January 2021.

The most recent Ofsted inspection (3 October 2023) judged the school Outstanding overall, with Outstanding grades across the key areas.

This is a state school, there are no tuition fees.

The strongest organising idea here is belonging through structure. The house system is presented explicitly as a way of keeping the individual in view, even as the school has grown, and it is designed to strengthen home school contact over time, including for families with multiple siblings. Each house has a named head of house, and house colours are used consistently (Balmoral in green, Buckingham in red, Caernarfon in mauve, Lancaster in orange, Sandringham in yellow, Windsor in blue).

That structure matters for families because it makes escalation routes clearer. In practice, it means the form tutor and head of house are positioned as the first line of contact for most day to day issues, rather than everything running through a single central team. The stated intention that tutors remain with groups over a five-year period supports continuity at exactly the points where many students need it most, the move into Year 7, the run up to options, and the exam years.

The school’s published mission language emphasises a three-part ambition, that every child achieves, belongs and participates, and this is an unusually helpful framing for parents because it signals that outcomes and inclusion are treated as linked, not competing priorities.

Governance context is also relevant. The school is part of Blackdown Education Partnership, a multi-academy trust operating across Devon and Somerset, which the school references in its published trust information.

The GCSE headline picture is of above-average progress with solid attainment. The school’s Progress 8 score is 0.6, which indicates students make substantially more progress than pupils with similar starting points across England.

On attainment, the average Attainment 8 score is 55.3. For families, this tends to translate into broadly positive grade profiles across a full suite of subjects rather than success concentrated in a narrow set.

In FindMySchool’s GCSE rankings based on official data, the school is ranked 1166th in England and 2nd locally (Taunton). That places performance broadly in line with the middle band of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile), while still standing out strongly in the immediate local context. Families comparing options locally should use the FindMySchool Local Hub comparison view to see how this profile sits alongside other nearby secondaries, particularly if you are weighing travel time against marginal differences in outcomes.

The EBacc average point score is 4.84, and 16.2% of pupils achieved grades 5 or above across the EBacc measure used. EBacc reporting can be difficult to interpret without knowing entry patterns and cohort size, so the more practical family takeaway is to focus on the overall progress measure and the school’s curriculum intent, which is explained in more detail below.

A level performance data is not currently available in the benchmarking set used here. The school does operate to age 19, so sixth form families should take a close look at subject availability, entry requirements and recent outcomes published by the school as part of sixth form decision-making.

Curriculum decision points are handled with a clear process. For Key Stage 4, the school describes the option process as a combination of an options evening, taster lessons, explanatory videos and careers input, which is the right mix for a large cohort because it reduces the chance that students choose subjects based purely on peer preference.

A notable feature is how enrichment is used to reinforce curriculum rather than sit separately from it. The school schedules enrichment days multiple times across the year, with year-group specific programmes linked to curriculum themes. For many families, this matters because it offers a structured form of wider learning without relying solely on after-school availability or parent transport.

Academic support is also signposted through the co-curricular offer. A past published enrichment timetable includes a mathematics lunchtime club using platforms such as Manga High and Dr Frost, and a music listening, appraising and theory group, both of which are practical supports for students who benefit from additional guided practice beyond lessons.

Because published destination statistics are not available here, the most useful evidence comes from how the school describes and organises next-steps support.

For post-16 choices, the school provides a dedicated pathways guide that explains the main routes open to students after Year 11, including A levels, vocational courses and apprenticeships. This is particularly helpful for families who want the school to talk credibly about multiple routes, not only sixth form progression.

Careers guidance is personalised. The school states that students receive one-to-one careers interviews in Years 10 and 11, with parents able to attend by arrangement, and that guidance is available around GCSE options as well as post-16 planning. A separate careers provider access policy reinforces that students should hear about the full range of education and training routes at key transition points, including technical education and apprenticeships.

For sixth form families already planning beyond 16, the key question is the balance between internal progression and external pathways. In many Somerset areas, students move between school sixth forms, specialist sixth forms, and local colleges depending on subject mix and learning style. The school’s published careers materials and pathways guide make clear that these choices are actively discussed rather than treated as a default.

Year 7 admissions are coordinated through Somerset. The school is oversubscribed on the most recent demand figures available here, with 583 applications for 237 offers, which is about 2.46 applications per place. First preferences also exceed places, with a first preference ratio of 1.56, so this is not a school where a casual “backup choice” application is likely to succeed in a competitive year.

For families applying for a September 2026 start (Year 7), Somerset Council states the closing date was 31 October 2025, and it also publishes that secondary offers are issued on 1 March 2026. Families who miss the deadline are treated as late applicants, which generally reduces the chance of receiving a preferred school.

In-year admissions are handled via the local authority’s in-year process, with the school signposting families to Somerset guidance for changing schools.

Given the level of demand, families should use the FindMySchool Map Search to check how their address relates to likely catchment priorities and travel practicality. Even when schools do not publish a single fixed catchment line, small geographic differences can affect the likelihood of a place.

Pastoral systems are designed around known, named adults. The house model establishes clear points of contact and oversight (tutor, head of house), and the school also identifies a designated safeguarding lead in its senior team listings, which is relevant for parents who want clarity on safeguarding leadership and escalation.

The school’s public messaging places safeguarding at the centre of its responsibilities, with an explicit statement that student safety is treated as paramount.

For many families, wellbeing is also practical. Strong routines, predictable contact points, and structured year-group transitions often matter as much as any single intervention, particularly for students moving from small primaries into a large secondary setting. Where SEN support is relevant, the school publishes a SEND information report that references Year 6 to Year 7 induction processes and post-16 open evening engagement, which indicates attention to transitions.

The extracurricular offer is broad and includes both creative and interest-led clubs alongside sport.

On the creative and speaking side, the school lists clubs including creative writing, public speaking, debating, drama, Warhammer, photography, art and languages. This mix is a good indicator that co-curricular life is not limited to a single “sport plus homework” pattern, and it creates different entry points for different personalities, from performance to making to competitive thinking.

Sport enrichment is signposted in a more structured way than many schools, with timetabled clubs and facilities use. A published enrichment sheet includes basketball club, cross country club, girls’ football club and cheerleading, and other material references access to a fitness suite, including sessions targeted at older year groups. That matters because it suggests sport is organised both as participation and as training, rather than only as seasonal team selection.

There is also a clear outward-facing element through trips. The school publishes a five-year trips planner with approximate costings, which is unusually useful for family budgeting. The range includes lower-cost residential experiences such as the Year 7 Pinkery trip, and higher-cost overseas options in later years, so families should plan ahead and treat the published costs as indicative rather than fixed.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is part of the programme (Bronze), with published information for the 2025 to 26 cycle, which is often a strong fit for students who respond well to goal-setting outside the classroom.

The published school day structure is clear. Students begin with form time after the morning bell, with lessons running through to a 3.20pm finish, and the site remains open beyond the end of formal lessons.

As a large town school, travel and drop-off planning matter. Families should expect peak-time congestion on surrounding roads and should consider walking, cycling, or public transport where possible. Parking arrangements and transport routes can change, particularly during road works or adverse weather events, so it is sensible to confirm current arrangements close to September intake.

• Admission pressure. With 583 applications for 237 offers in the latest demand snapshot, competition for places is the limiting factor. Families should plan with realistic alternatives in mind if you are outside the strongest priority groups.

• A level transparency. Sixth form provision exists, but comparable A level benchmark data is not available here. Families considering post-16 study should scrutinise subject availability, entry requirements and recent results before committing.

• Scale. A capacity around 1,188 students means the school can offer breadth in curriculum and activities, but some children moving from small primaries may need time to adjust to the size and pace.

• Costs beyond tuition. There are no school fees, but trips and enrichment can carry costs, including higher-cost overseas options in some year plans. Families should review trip expectations early to avoid surprises.

This is a high-performing, oversubscribed Somerset secondary that relies on an established house structure to keep relationships personal within a large setting. The 2023 Outstanding Ofsted judgement provides strong external assurance, and the demand profile suggests it is a first-choice school for many local families.

Who it suits: students who benefit from clear routines, a structured pastoral system, and plenty of choice in clubs and enrichment. The main hurdle is admission rather than the educational experience that follows.