King's College Prep School Kingston Road, Taunton, TA2 8AA, Somerset 01823 285920

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School type	Co-educational Day & Boarding Preparatory & Nursery
Founded	1957
Head	Mr Justin Chippendale
Co-ed Age Range	2-13 years
Number of pupils	300
Day fees per annum	£9,600 - £20,400 per annum
Associations	BSA, HMC, IAPS, ISC

King's College Prep is a co-educational Pre-Prep and Prep school with around 300 pupils, offering both day and boarding. Set in a beautiful countryside location surrounded by farmland, yet only a couple of minutes' drive from the centre of Taunton in Somerset, the school aims to provide an excellent, balanced education that is both enjoyable and fulfilling, and inspires curiosity and a life-long love of learning.

The school respects traditional values and boarding is a strong feature, which contributes to the tangible family atmosphere that exists there. Alongside full-time boarders, children can take advantage of weekly and flexi-boarding options that allow them to spend extra time with friends in the care of experienced Houseparents.

The school includes a very popular Pre-Prep located in its own dedicated area with full access to the extensive facilities and grounds, and a dedicated Nursery. The Nursery is a friendly, happy and welcoming setting for children aged two to four years, and every child has their own key worker who focuses on individual needs and supports each child. When the time comes for moving up to Reception, children and their parents take a tour of the facilities so they can see more of what is on offer for the next stage of a child's development. This gentle and smooth transition helps children become familiar with their new surroundings and feel like part of one big school family.

When pupils first join the Prep school, the door to an exciting new world of opportunities and challenges is opened, both inside and outside the classroom. King's teachers are experts in their fields and welcoming, engaging and passionate. All children study core subjects: English, maths, science, geography, history, modern foreign languages (MFL) and religious studies, and the broad curriculum also embraces Latin (from Year 6), the visual and creative arts (including music, art and drama), design technology, and an imaginative programme of PE and games (offering both traditional team sports plus a challenging and constantly evolving programme of outdoor pursuits - from sailing to archery).

Across the school site, pupils benefit from a range of facilities including a bright modern science faculty, cookery school, adventure playground, outdoor swimming pool, Astros and extensive grass pitches, a huge indoor sports centre and gym equipment, woods for outdoor education as well as an arts centre that acts as the hub for music and performing arts events. During whole-school events such as the King's Prep Literature Festival, the school hums with the sounds of happy endeavour as pupils make full use of these wonderful spaces. There are plenty of opportunities to perform too, from informal concerts and the House Music competition, major musical events, such as the Lent and Prize Day Concerts, and plays and musicals for all year groups.

The school's co-curricular offering is extensive, with children able to take part in Forest School, riding lessons at the school's off-site equestrian centre, archery, ballet, fencing, cookery, multi-sports, outdoor adventure and more. The ever-expanding range of options takes place after lessons during the week and on optional Saturday mornings, offering something for everyone - be they creative or musical, fascinated by wildlife or mad about maths. Carefully planned trips, at home and abroad for older children, provide hands-on experience, adventure and bring learning to life.

Most pupils at King's College Prep progress to King's College, which is the senior school for the King's community. The two schools benefit from having their own independent sites, furnished with excellent facilities and age-appropriate attitudes to maximise the opportunities for the children in their care. There is a close working relationship between the schools, and transitioning from King's Prep to King's College is seamless. Many pupils start at two and finish their education at 18, and the two-site model enables those joining at 11 to find their feet before moving to King's College at 13.

Headmaster Justin Chippendale added: "King's College Prep provides a fabulous educational experience. We aim to maximise potential and help develop children to be the best they can be. The school is open and friendly, with solid structures in place to support children with all aspects of their lives. They leave us ready and prepared for the next part of their educational journey."

For more information, please contact the admissions team at admissions@kings-taunton.co.uk or by calling 01823 328204