Taunton School’s 175th anniversary year has drawn to a close and, in the week after the end of term and my first Commemoration Day, I have had some time to reflect on a memorable year.

The ethos and atmosphere of Taunton School has been all that I had hoped for when joining in September 2022. There is a culture of ambition for every child and an understanding that success comes in many guises. We are determined to celebrate the quiet, personal triumphs every bit as much as the higher profile, national achievements. We are also equally ambitious for academic, sporting, musical and dramatic pursuits in the spirit of holistic education. We are a genuinely global and diverse community: over 50 nationalities represented and over 50% of our parent body with no prior experience of the independent sector. These are two statistics of which I am especially proud and that I know are a draw for many of our parents. In the challenges and opportunities provided by the extraordinary breadth of the school’s co-curricular programme we seek to develop the resilience and determination that will prepare our children for the demands of adulthood – in other words forging the right mindset for life. Finally, we recognise that success is remarkably difficult to achieve without feeling at home and being comfortable with one’s identity. For this reason we aim to foster a sense of belonging at Taunton School for each and every child. A culture of ambition, a global community, a mindset for life and a sense of belonging are therefore my cornerstones of a Taunton School education.

Thank you to all who filled out the RSA questionnaire and gave such valuable feedback for us. We are delighted with the confirmation of all we do well and grateful that many parents have given us a clear indication of what not to change in the school. At the same time this questionnaire was also about self-improvement and we will respond to areas in which parents feel we could be better. We want to offer the best education we can for your children and thank you for continuing to trust us to do just that.

I wish pupils and parents alike a very restful summer and look forward to seeing many of you in September for the start of another busy and productive school year. Thank you for the welcome I have received in my first year in the role. It has been challenging and rewarding in equal measure and I am extremely excited about the future of the school, as I hope, are you.