Families considering a British boarding education often start by looking at the independent schools of the English South West. Taunton School（汤顿学校）is an independent day and boarding school for ages 0 to 18, set on a 56-acre campus in the market town of Taunton, Somerset, and founded in 1847. Everything in this guide comes from the Taunton School website as of 5 August 2026; fees, dates and requirements change every year, so the latest version of the official site remains the reference.
About Taunton School
Taunton School describes itself on its homepage as an independent day and boarding school for ages 0 to 18, and it has been welcoming international students for over 100 years; the school’s website says students currently come from more than 60 nationalities. The school is organised into five sections by age: Nursery (0–4), Pre-Prep (4–7), Prep (7–13), Senior (13–16) and Sixth Form (16–18), with a dedicated International department (7–18) and a Summer School (8–17). The campus has real architectural depth: the school began teaching in 1847 in what later became the boys’ boarding house Fairwater, moved to its current site in 1870, and the main building is a Grade II listed Gothic structure designed by Joseph James. The chapel was built in 1907, the school became an IB World School in 2007, and a £4 million dining hall opened in 2020. Taunton School was also one of the first independent schools in the UK to go fully co-educational, in 1973.
Academic Programs
The Taunton School curriculum runs from the early years through to the end of secondary education. In the Prep School (ages 7–13) the website lists more than 60 co-curricular clubs and 15 instruments on offer. In the Senior School (13–16) the core qualification is GCSE, and the school highlights three distinct pathways at GCSE so that students can follow routes suited to their strengths. The Sixth Form (16–18) is where Taunton School’s range is widest: the website says it is one of the few schools in the country offering four distinct curricula — A-Levels, the IB Diploma, BTEC qualifications and an International Foundation Programme — with 59 courses in total. A-Level subjects listed on the site include mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics, economics, psychology, computer science, design and technology, art, music, photography, drama, geography, history, English literature, philosophy and classical civilisation, and students can add an EPQ extended project, which involves writing a 5,000-word essay and giving a presentation. The Carrington Library, opened in September 2022, holds approximately 14,000 volumes and 7,500 catalogued journal articles.
International Pathways and Entry Requirements
International students join Taunton School at the age and English level that fit them. The official pathways are: Young Learners Programme (ages 7–13), Pre-GCSE (13–14), two-year GCSE/Pre-IB (14–16), one-year GCSE/Pre-IB (15–16), A-Level/IB/BTEC (16–18) and the Business Foundation Programme (17–18). The school notes that it is not unusual for international students to be a year older than their British counterparts — joining Year 10 at 15 or the Sixth Form at 17, for example, is acceptable. For English, the GCSE Access Pathway is aimed at international students with levels A1 to B1, while all other courses generally require B2 or higher. For the Sixth Form, entry normally requires at least five GCSEs at grades 9–5, and applicants without recognised examinations sit an assessment. The Business Foundation Programme asks for students aged 16 or 17 at the start, IELTS 4.5 or above (or CEFR B1), preferably three or four GCSEs already passed at grade 4 or higher, and maths ability equivalent to GCSE grade 5 or above.
Fees for the 2026/27 Academic Year
Taunton School publishes termly fees for 2026/27 including VAT. For the Senior and Sixth Form years 9 to 13, day fees are £9,785 per term, full boarding £16,995, weekly boarding £15,330 and flexi boarding £13,895. In the Prep years 7 and 8, day fees are £7,800 and full boarding £13,145; years 3 to 6 range from £4,295 to £5,860 per term as a day pupil with full boarding at £10,390; Pre-Prep day places (Reception, Years 1 and 2) are £3,730 per term. International programmes are priced separately: the GCSE Access Pathway (Years 9–10) costs £14,195 per term as a day pupil or £17,745 boarding; the one-year GCSE/Pre-IB (Year 11) is £14,900 day or £18,625 boarding; and the Foundation Programme (Years 12–13) is £14,000 day or £17,510 boarding. New Sixth Form boarders pay £17,510, with weekly boarding at £15,760 and flexi boarding at £13,990. Prep international students needing EAL support pay approximately £1,000 extra per term. The registration fee is £150 for UK and international families alike; acceptance deposits are £1,000 for UK-based pupils, £3,000 for EU pupils and one term’s fee for the rest of the world, offset against the final invoice when a student leaves. Siblings attending at the same time receive a 10% remission of fees, as do children of Old Tauntonians. Fees are normally adjusted each September, so treat the 2026/27 figures as the current official version.
The Application Process and Timeline
The international admissions process at Taunton School has six steps: submit an enquiry; join an online open event; register and apply, sending a copy of the child’s passport, their latest school report translated into English and the £150 registration fee; complete online assessments and an interview, online or in person, with the Head or Deputy Head — the number and type of tests depend on the pathway, with older applicants tested more comprehensively, and tests are supervised by a third party; receive the offer and return the acceptance form with the deposit by the stated deadline; and, for students who need one, apply for a Child Student Visa, with the school issuing a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) — there is a £150 administration fee for the CAS. Every student whose parents live overseas must have an adult guardian in the UK during their time at the school. For 2026/27, boarders return on 7 September 2026 with day students starting on 8 September; the autumn term ends 11 December, the spring term runs from 4–5 January 2027 to 24 March, and the summer term ends on 2 July 2027. Joining packs for September entry are sent out in mid-July.
Support for International Families and Next Steps
Taunton School’s website describes boarding as available for students aged 7 to 18 across eight boarding houses, six of which are fully integrated between British and international students, while two — Foxcombe East and Foxcombe West — serve Taunton School International students specifically. Younger boarders live in Thone House. The school also publishes guardianship guidance: the guardian must be at least 25, not in full-time education, and must be confirmed before entry. The campus itself carries most of daily life: two indoor pools, two sports halls, a climbing wall, tennis and squash courts, a 220-seat theatre, a music school, a design and technology department with 3D printers and laser cutters, and a health and wellbeing centre staffed around the clock. On outcomes, the school reports that approximately 96% of Sixth Formers take up university or college places in the UK or overseas.
This guide reflects the Taunton School website as of 5 August 2026; fees, dates and entry requirements are updated regularly, so always check the latest official pages. Every family’s situation is different — age, English level, target entry point and budget all interact. If you would like to work out how Taunton Schoolfits your child’s particular profile and build a realistic application timeline, talk to our consultants here and we will go through it with you in detail.