Taunton School International - Our New Name

We are pleased to announce that from September 2009 Taunton International Study Centre's new name will be Taunton School International.

Taunton International Study Centre opened in 1996 and since then we have been successfully preparing international students for entry into boarding schools all over the UK.  At first, our focus was very much on improving a student's level of English and we still offer all our students an intensive English for Academic Purposes programme, leading to the IELTS examination needed for entry into UK universities. But over the years we have gradually extended our academic programme and today we offer our very successful One Year and Two Year GCSE / Pre-IB Programmes to all students who come to Taunton School International.

Students on our One Year GCSE Programme are able to take up to 8 GCSEs in a year from a choice of 18 different subjects.  Students who are not able to join our One Year GCSE Programme because of their level of English and/or their age take the Two Year GCSE Programme.   Students on our two-year programme will take some GCSEs in their first year and some in their second year, leaving with up to 10 GCSEs.

Students are streamed according to their English and Mathematical ability and have a very wide range of GCSE subjects offered to them.  They are able to choose almost any combination of subjects and study in small classes (maximimum 10 students per class) with specialist teachers. 

We are also pleased that in recent years we have had students whose first language is English joining us, in order to take the GCSE programme in one year instead of the usual two.

For all these reasons, we feel that the name 'study centre' no longer describes very well what we offer academically.  We are now an international school offering very successful GCSE programmes to all students and we believe that the name Taunton School International more accurately reflects that reality.

However, we will keep the best of study centre practice at the heart of what we offer.  Small classes, individual help and attention and a strong pastoral system with sympathetic care are all aimed at helping our students to settle as quickly as possible into a new system and culture.  Everything we do takes into account the needs of each of our students and we understand that starting a new school in a new country can be a daunting prospect.

With good GCSE grades, good study skills, a good standard of academic English and a thorough preparation for the reality of life in a British boarding school, our students are welcomed into sixth forms in top schools throughout Britain.

Taunton School International is very much part of Taunton School and we also wanted to change our name to describe this. Our boarding houses are part of Taunton School's house system and we take part in house competitions and weekend activities with the British boarders, as well as sharing Taunton School's excellent facilities.  We encourage our students to participate in the events, activities, excursions, music and sports that happen in school, and we are always very proud when our students play for a school sports team, swim in the school team, sing in the school choir or play a musical instrument in the school orchestra.

Being part of Taunton School is important for the students at Taunton School International as it helps them to prepare for their next school, wherever that may be, by involving them in a larger UK boarding school environment.