King’s Hall School and King’s College offer a through education from ages two to 18. Located on two sites, both schools are set in stunning grounds on the edges of Taunton and provide an environment that encourages children to discover their passions and develop into well-rounded, happy young adults.
Seamless Transition
When it comes to the move to ‘big school’ at age 11, many parents assume that the best choice is to progress straight to a senior school that has an 11+ intake and runs all the way to 16 or 18. At King’s, we have a different way of making this key transition.In our two-site model, pupils aged 11 join the more intimate atmosphere of the Senior Prep at King’s Hall, where they find their feet before progressing to King’s College at age 13. The move for an 11-year-old into the world of 16 or 18-year-olds can be quite daunting, so the Senior Prep allows our pupils to grow as individuals.
As senior members of the prep school, the Year 7 and 8 pupils are entrusted with real responsibility and learn invaluable leadership skills. As a result, making the change of venue to the Third Form (Year 9) at King's College after two years is an exciting and refreshing change, and when they start, they often find it much easier to relate to the senior boys and girls, and relationships between the age groups are excellent and wholly positive as a result.
Time to Grow
Having schools at two-sites also ensures that facilities and approaches are age-appropriate to a greater degree than is possible on a single site. Both schools have their own bespoke facilities including swimming pools, all-weather hockey pitches, science laboratories, design technology centres, sports grounds and theatres.
Headmaster of King’s Hall Justin Chippendale said: “King’s Hall was rated Excellent for achievement and personal development in our recent Educational Quality ISI report. They recognised that our children benefit from a genuinely rounded education where each individual is encouraged to fulfil their own potential, not only academically, but also to take advantage of the plentiful opportunities presented to them. Pastoral care is of the highest standard and the development of a child’s understanding of kindness, empathy and friendship are balanced against instilling a determination to succeed and perform to one's best.”
These final two years of a prep school are enjoyable, and amount to a rich and exciting educational experience in their own right.