A “BUSY and very successful year” for Taunton School was reported at the annual Commemoration Day prizegiving ceremony.

Headmaster Dr John Newton described the school as “a place of ambition.”

He said: “Here the world’s problem solvers and high impact individuals are educated.”

The school was a community for learning, where children were happy because they were challenged, where value was added to their intellect, their sporting ability, their cultural awareness, their sense of the beautiful.

Dr Newton added: “This school has always and will always educate balanced young people who will become good professionals, good parents and good citizens, young people who know their minds.

“They are unpretentious in their attitude, global in their outlook and effective in their deeds.”

He said Taunton School combined a fine all-round provision with rigour and enrichment in the classroom.

“We once more came top in the Government league tables for our performance at upper sixth in 2013 in this area.”

Dr Newton told the ceremony that the school was improving its provision in a large number of areas for the next academic year.

But he also issued a warning to parents of younger children: “Huge turbulence is coming our way in exams both at GCSE and A level.”

Dr Newton thanked those members of staff leaving at the end of term.

He also paid tribute to two long-standing house husband and wife teams who step out of their houses this year – Alistair and Tracy Hallows and Stephen and Vicky Pugh.

He thanked the governors, the senior team of heads, deputies and those who carried major portfolios - together with the heads of school and their deputies.

The chair of governors, Jane Barrie, welcomed those attending The ceremony also heard a review of the year from the heads of school, Juan Luquin and Annabelle Wilman.

Guest speaker was the Rt Hon the Baroness Butler-Sloss GBE.