TAUNTON Academy has been praised after making 'significant changes' in teaching and learning.

The latest Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools (SIAMS) report stated that the school's leaders had shown "exceptional skill" in guiding the academy out of a period of turbulence.

Inspector, Ed Pawson, said: "Leaders​ ​at​ ​​Taunton​ ​Academy​ ​have​ ​shown​ ​exceptional​ ​skill​ ​in​ ​guiding​ ​the​ ​academy​ ​out of​ ​a​ ​sustained​ ​period​ ​of​ ​turbulence.​ ​

"They​ ​have​ ​held​ ​a​ ​firm​ ​focus​ ​on​ ​the​ ​need​ ​to​ ​raise standards,​ ​with​ ​significant​ ​improvements​ ​being​ ​made​ ​in​ ​teaching​ ​and​ ​learning.​ ​

"They demonstrate​ ​a​ ​clear​ ​vision​ ​which​ ​places​ ​student​ ​well​ ​being​ ​at​ ​the​ ​centre​ ​of​ ​everything​ ​the school​ ​does,​ ​exemplifying​ ​kindness​ ​and​ ​compassion.

"The​ ​entire​ ​leadership​ ​team​ ​has​ ​been​ ​in​ ​post​ ​for​ ​less​ ​than​ ​two​ ​years,​ ​but​ ​they​ ​have​ ​quickly gained​ ​the​ ​respect​ ​of​ ​the​ ​school​ ​community.​ ​

"The​ ​high​ ​standards​ ​they​ ​have​ ​set​ ​are​ ​building​ ​a firm​ ​foundation​ ​for​ ​the​ ​achievement​ ​of​ ​all​ ​at​ ​the​ ​academy.​ ​

"Students​ ​see​ ​school​ ​leaders​ ​as fair-minded​ ​and​ ​approachable,​ ​and​ ​believe​ ​the​ ​school​ ​supports​ ​their​ ​aspirations​ ​for​ ​high achievement.​"

Despite improvements, the school remains in the 'satisfactory' category because of its 'inadequate' Ofsted rating from January earlier this year.

​Head​teacher,​ ​Jenny​ ​Veal​, ​said:​ ​“It​ ​went​ ​very​ ​well,​ ​the inspector​ ​was​ ​really impressed​ ​with​ ​what​ ​he​ ​saw​ ​and​ ​with​ ​the​ ​staff/​ ​student​ ​relationships​ ​in​ ​particular.​ ​​

"I​t​ ​proved to​ ​be​ ​a​ ​very​ ​positive​ ​and​ ​successful​ ​inspection.​

"​I​ ​felt​ ​in​ ​a​ ​privileged​ ​position​ ​to​ ​be​ ​able​ ​to give​ ​Mr​ ​Pawson​ ​an​ ​insight​ ​into​ ​who​ ​we​ ​are​ ​and​ ​what​ ​we​ ​do.​​ ​​

"He​ ​remarked​ ​that​ ​much​ ​of​ ​what he​ ​had​ ​seen​ ​was​ ​‘good’​ ​or​ ​‘outstanding’​ ​practice​ ​despite​ ​us​ ​having​ ​a​ ​limiting​ ​judgement​ ​of ‘satisfactory’​ ​due​ ​to​ ​our​ ​Ofsted​ ​category."