Bishop Fox's School
Ofsted: School remains GoodAcademy converter · Secondary
Taunton · TA1 3HQ · Somerset
Ages 11–16
- Att846.6
- P80.2
- EM5+44%
- Absence8.6%
1.3 miles away
OpenSecondaryOfsted: OutstandingURN 136916
The Castle School
Academy converter · Taunton · TA1 5AU
Ages 11–19 · 1,207 pupils · Somerset
Ofsted
Outstanding
Attainment 8
55.3
Overall absence
6.7%
Admissions demand
1.32 · Competitive
Ofsted
Latest published inspection outcomes — not a ranking.
Headline
Outstanding
Inspection date
2023-10-03
- Overall effectiveness
- Outstanding
- Quality of education
- Outstanding
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Outstanding
- Personal development
- Outstanding
- Leadership and management
- Outstanding
- Safeguarding effective
- Yes
Performance
Official school-level results. Figures are not rankings — suppressed values are omitted.
Key stage 4 (2023/24)
Progress 8+0.60
−20+2
Attainment 855.3
English & maths grade 5+59%
English & maths grade 4+84%
EBacc entry21%
EBacc APS: 4.8
Absence
Academic year 2023/24. Persistent absence means 10%+ of sessions missed. Lower figures are better.
Overall absence6.7%
Persistent absence (10%+)16.0%
Unauthorised1.7%
- Authorised absence
- 5.1%
- Severe absence (50%+)
- 2.2%
- Enrolments in measure
- 1,228
Absence trend
2021/22
2022/23
2023/24
- Overall
- Persistent (10%+)
Admissions demand
Coordinated admissions for secondary entry (2024/25 cycle, national offer day). Demand ratio compares families who listed this school 1st with total offers made — not a catchment or distance guarantee.
Demand ratio
1.32 · Competitive
1st preferences
307
Places offered
233
1st-preference offers
230
- Total preferences (any rank)
- 517
- Preferred offers (top 3)
- 233
- Applications from outside LA
- 5
- Offers to outside-LA applicants
- 0
- Admissions policy (GIAS)
- Non-selective
Source: DfE primary and secondary school applications and offers. Figures reflect offers on national offer day; late applications, appeals and waiting lists are not included.
Size & intake
From the GIAS school census (15 Jan 2026).
Capacity fill102%
1,207 pupils · 1,188 places
- Pupils on roll
- 1,207
- Boys / girls
- 584 / 623
- School capacity
- 1,188
- Capacity fill
- 1,207 / 1,188 (102%)
- Free school meals
- 13.3%
- FSM pupils
- 161
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Gender
- Mixed
- School type
- Academy converter
Age range
Ages 11–19
05111619
Provision
Official GIAS characteristics
2 / 6
- Nursery
- Sixth formHas a sixth form
- Boarding
- Special school
- Independent
- Academy
School characteristics
- Special classes
- No Special Classes
- Governance
- Academy trust: BLACKDOWN EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP
- Academy trust
- BLACKDOWN EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP
- Sponsor
- Blackdown Education Partnership
- Headteacher
- Mr James Lamb
Location
- Address
- Wellington Road
- Postcode
- TA1 5AU
- Town
- Taunton
- County
- Somerset
- Local authority
- Somerset
- District
- Somerset
- Constituency
- Taunton and Wellington
- Urban/rural
- Urban: Further from a major town or city
Local context
How this school sits among open establishments in its area, using official GIAS records. These are counts, not rankings.
Mixed academy converter (secondary), Ages 11–19, in Taunton, Somerset, 1,207 pupils on roll. Notable characteristics: sixth form, academy, non-selective admissions. Free school meals: 13.3%.
Nearby secondary schools
Open schools within about 3 miles, prioritising the same phase where possible. Distances are approximate from GIAS coordinates.
Pyrland School
Ofsted: Not judgedAcademy sponsor led · Secondary
Taunton · TA2 7QP · Somerset
Ages 11–16
1.6 miles away
Monkton Wood Academy
Ofsted: InadequateAcademy sponsor led · Secondary
Taunton · TA2 8PD · Somerset
Ages 11–18
- Absence13.1%
- FSM24.5%
- Demand0.86
2.7 miles away
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Contact
- Headteacher
- Mr James Lamb
- Telephone
- 01823274073