Richard Huish College

Richard Huish College is a large 16-19 academy in Taunton and part of the Richard Huish Trust. At its May/June 2026 inspection, safeguarding standards were met. The college performs strongly in many areas, particularly inclusion, provision for learners with high needs, and education programmes for young people. Young learners achieve very well, make strong progress, and benefit from high-quality teaching and a welcoming, inclusive environment. Inclusion work is a notable strength: leaders identify needs early, support vulnerable and SEND learners well, and have built a strong culture of professional learning. Learners with high needs make extensive progress, including towards their education, health and care plan outcomes, and adult learners generally develop useful care-sector skills. Leadership and governance are broadly effective, though leaders were not quick enough to tackle the decline in apprenticeship achievement. The main weakness is apprenticeships, where achievement is too low: fewer than half of apprentices complete, and the level 3 accountancy pass rate is especially poor. The report also flags gaps for some level 2 learners, who lack enough work-related experience, and for adult learners and apprentices, who need stronger wider development and careers education. Leaders have begun to address these issues but need to ensure sustained improvement.

Strengths

• Highly effective inclusion processes that identify and assess learners' needs early and support transition into college.
• Strong support for vulnerable learners, including those known to social care, with rapid intervention and signposting.
• High-quality training and personalised strategies for learners with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• Excellent provision for learners with high needs, who make extensive progress and achieve well.
• Very high achievement and progress for learners on education programmes for young people, including disadvantaged learners and those with SEND.
• Strong teaching by qualified subject experts, with effective questioning, recall and inclusive practice.
• Learners develop impressive independent learning skills, and attendance is high across courses.
• A safe, respectful and welcoming college environment with high expectations and positive learner motivation.
• A well-embedded culture of professional learning and action research that supports continuous improvement.
• Governors provide appropriate support and challenge and meet statutory responsibilities.
• Well-structured careers advice, guidance and enrichment opportunities for young learners.
• Adult learning programmes help learners build confidence and care-sector knowledge, with many remaining with employers.
• Safeguarding standards are met, with an open culture and concerns actively managed.

Areas for Improvement

• Apprenticeship achievement is too low; fewer than half of apprentices achieve their apprenticeship.
• Level 3 accountancy apprenticeship pass rate is very low, with fewer than a quarter passing.
• Leaders did not intervene swiftly enough to prevent the decline in apprenticeship achievement.
• Apprentices with learning difficulties and/or disabilities achieve less well than their peers.
• Some level 2 study programme learners do not have enough work-related opportunities or workplace settings to develop employability skills.
• Apprentices generally do not take up wider opportunities such as volunteering and citizenship programmes.
• Apprentices need high-quality careers education throughout their programmes to understand all future pathways.
• Adult learners need more opportunities to extend their vocational learning significantly from their starting points.
• Adult learners and apprentices need relevant wider personal development opportunities beyond their qualifications.
• A minority of adult learners take longer to complete than planned, and adult learners with SEND achieve marginally less well than peers.
• Some adult learning does not consistently deepen or build on learners' previous knowledge from employment in the sector.

In 2024–25 Richard Huish College received £6,546 and spent £6,356 for each of its 2,166 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £652,000 (£301 per pupil).

Across all 6 schools of Richard Huish Trust, income was £6,645 and spending £6,438 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Taunton · Somerset local authority: places and applications

Richard Huish College is part of Richard Huish Trust, which runs 6 schools. The nearest others:

• North Town Academy Taunton
• Nerrols Primary School and Nursery Taunton
• Lyngford Park Primary School Taunton
• West Buckland Primary School Wellington
• North Curry CofE Primary School Taunton

What is Richard Huish College's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Richard Huish College is Expected standard, from an inspection in September 2026.

When was Richard Huish College last inspected by Ofsted?

Richard Huish College was last inspected in September 2026.

What age range does Richard Huish College cover?

Richard Huish College for pupils aged 16 to 19.

Where is Richard Huish College?

Richard Huish College is at South Road, Taunton, Somerset, TA1 3DZ.