Second in Faculty for English

Situated in Taunton, the historic county town of Somerset, The Castle School is an outstanding and over-subscribed academy with an enviable record of academic success over many years.  Our students achieve some of the best exam results in the UK and we continue to achieve the top attendance rate in Somerset. We are equally proud of the varied and vibrant extra-curricular life of our school which enriches the experience of our students.

The enhancement of the school's reputation has inevitably led to growth in student numbers and it is a very busy and lively place. It is even more important therefore, never to lose sight of the individuality of each student and the Houses, Lancaster, Balmoral, Sandringham, Caernarvon, Windsor and Buckingham, play an important part is ensuring that no child is invisible at The Castle School. The Houses give students a strong sense of inclusion and a confidence which helps them to meet the challenges of the wider world when they leave us. Many of our students join the House that their siblings belong to and this strengthens the strong sense of family and tradition that we engender at the school.

Our belief is that every child should Achieve, Belong and Participate, and that staff should be supported to fulfil their potential and aspirations, whatever those might be.

We invest heavily in our staff and have a superb reputation for outstanding support and development for teachers, particularly for ECTs. Whatever stage you are at now, whether you are focused on your classroom practice or if you are looking to further your career, we have a superb CPD programme for everyone.

Headteacher

Mr James Lamb

Values and vision

The most important thing for our children is their safety. We foster a culture of vigilance amongst staff, students and parents. We always listen to children and take their concerns seriously. The Blackdown Education Partnership is committed to safeguarding and all staff have a duty of care towards our young people. All complaints and concerns are fully investigated.  Please note that for posts working with children the successful candidate will be required to undergo Disclosure and Barring Service checks in line with the Local Authority and School Child Safeguarding Policy.

The history and tradition of The Castle School is what makes it such a privilege to be part of this family.  We have over 1200 on roll and we are a 11-16 fully comprehensive secondary school.

Our aim continues to be for every child to achieve, belong and participate and this is at the heart of everything we do.  Rated as Outstanding in all areas by Ofsted in October 2023, we have been for some years now, not only at the top of the performance table in Somerset, and we are proud of our achievements nationally.  You can see our latest exam results on our website.

At The Castle School our priority is our student’s education: their academic and pastoral outcomes.  We focus on high quality teaching and learning, ongoing curriculum refinement and promote a climate of success and achievement for every student.  Our teaching and support staff are our greatest resource and colleagues thrive in an environment of high support and high challenge, where they go above and beyond for our students.

We are passionate about equity for all.  We have a passion for and a commitment to the core purpose of education and focus relentlessly on each student’s right to the very best provision.  We are committed to fostering self-confidence, enthusiasm, perseverance, and integrity, but also kind empathetic young adults.  We aim to ensure that students leave The Castle School very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training, or employment, and educated so that they enjoy life and live well.

Ofsted report

“Teaching is outstanding, better than the school’s relatively modest judgement. This is because the highly positive impact on students’ learning has increased markedly this year, as the full effect of initiatives to involve students more effectively in the teaching and learning process has become evident. Teachers are very confident, prepared to take innovative risk in their teaching.”

View The Castle School’s latest Ofsted report