| Motto | Changing Lives |
|---|---|
| Established | September 2010 |
| Type | Academy |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Principal | Mr Mark Trusson |
| Specialism | Science College |
| Location | Cheddon Road and Priorswood Road (Cheddon Road 2013) Taunton Somerset TA2 7QP England |
| DfE URN | 136193 |
| Students | 1,150 (plus 100 sixth form) |
| Gender | Co-educational |
| Ages | 11–18 |
| Academy sponsors | Somerset County Council Diocese of Bath and Wells |
| Website | www.thetauntonacademy.org |
The Taunton Academy is a school with academy status in Taunton, Somerset, England.[1] The school was formed by the merger of The St Augustine of Canterbury School and Ladymead Community School.[2] Its sponsors are Somerset County Council and the Diocese of Bath and Wells.[3] It was opened on 9 September 2010 by Peter Price, the Bishop of Bath and Wells. Initially the academy admitted pupils aged 11 to 16 and will be based in the existing schools' buildings. In September 2011, the academy opened a sixth form for 100 students. In 2013, the academy will move to new buildings on the Ladymead site on Cheddon Road, with the St Augustine site being sold off.[4] This plan was temporarily put on hold following the government's major review of the Building Schools for the Future programme in July 2010,[5] and will now be subject to review by the Department for Education.[6][7] The new buildings will cost £15–20 million, with £1.6m earmarked for its ICT needs.[3]
The expression of interest to become an academy was submitted by the sponsors to the Department for Children, Schools and Families in February 2009.[8] The submission document confirmed that both schools had a set of problems. St Augustine had 274 pupils on roll against its capacity of 610, was in the lowest band for deprivation with 21.2% of pupils receiving free school meals against the local authority average of 7.9%, had 38% of pupils achieving five or more GCSE qualifications including English and Mathematics against the local authority average of 46.7% and national average of 47%, and for three years between 2006 and 2009 had set deficit budgets of between 8% and 14%.[8] Ladymead had 746 pupils on roll against a capacity of 880, had 11.4% of pupils receiving free school meals, and had 41% of pupils achieving five or more GCSE qualifications including English and Mathematics.[8]
The application was approved by education minister Jim Knight in March 2009.[2] By June 2009, the plans looked to be under threat as parental consultation by governors at Ladymead showed strong opposition to the new academy.[9] However, the final go-ahead was given in January 2010, when the government agreed to the academy's funding.[4]