‘One community, striving for personal excellence’.

John Taylor High School is at the centre of the John Taylor Multi-Academy Trust, and as a National Teaching and Research School, this provides us with access to a wide range of opportunities, all of which keep us at the forefront of innovation and most recent developments in teaching and learning. This continually enables us to develop classroom practice to ensure that our students have the best possible learning experience.

John Taylor High School

John Taylor High school is situated in the picturesque village of Barton-Under-Needwood, with good communication links via easy access to the A38. The school is a large, popular and oversubscribed Academy with a fully comprehensive, mixed, 11-18 intake, which regularly takes from over 30 feeder schools. There are over 1600 students on roll, included a healthy sixth form of 360 students. This enables us to offer a competitive range of both academic and vocational subjects at Level 3. Our attainments placed us as one of the top performing comprehensive schools in Staffordshire. 

At John Taylor High School we have exceptionally high standards in all respects. We strive to develop our students, who through determination and resilience, reach the best that they can be, in all they do. We insist in considerate behaviour which creates a safe and highly effective learning environment for all of the school community. This is demonstrated in our school motto ‘Turn up, work hard, be nice’.

As an ‘Outstanding’ school we have a proven track record of providing a high quality education for young people, and we celebrate their academic and personal achievement with them and their families. The governors, staff and parents are not, however, complacent and share a great ambition for the future of the school community.

Our 2019 results showed that 61% of our students achieved grade 5 or above in both English and Maths GCSE. Our progress 8 score was +0.55 (well above average, DfE) with our disadvantaged students achieving a fantastic +0.57 figure. At A Level we celebrated a 99% pass rate across all A2 entries and 76% of our A Level entries achieved A*-C. Our students have high aspirations with an incredible 80% of Year 13, applied to study at University, whilst others secured competitive higher level apprenticeships, to include areas such as Law and Accountancy.

Design Student

At John Taylor High School we offer a knowledge rich, broad and balanced curriculum across Key Stage 3 and 4. Within Year 7, students also get the opportunity to develop cross-curricula links and focus on key skills as well as knowledge in the form of our STRIPE curriculum. Students take their option subjects in Year 9, to commence their GCSE courses in Years 10/11. 

We have high expectations in all aspects of what we do, most importantly our core purpose teaching, learning and behaviour. As well as a high quality academic educational experience our students have an extensive range of extra-curricular and enrichment activities available to them, which promote students reaching their individual potential. Such as sporting activities, music and drama, as well as various residential opportunities.

In July 2013 we were designated as a Teaching School and we are a School Centre for Initial Teacher Training, both in Primary and Secondary Education, enabling us to train and develop the next generation of teachers and future leaders. This also provides opportunities for our staff for their own professional development such as Subject leaders for ITT, professional mentor and ITT subject mentor.

Due to the success of the National Forest Teaching School at John Taylor High School, In July 2020 we received the prestigious designation as one of the 22 Research Schools in the country now titled Staffordshire Research School. Although in its infancy, this is an extremely exciting development and it is already providing opportunities for our staff, in relation to their own professional development but also giving our staff the opportunity to lead on national training, based on research.

John Taylor High School

We work in collaboration with the other schools within our JTMAT and these are all within close geographical proximity.  This work has afforded invaluable opportunities for collaborative working.

We enjoy extremely strong links with parents, the majority of whom are highly supportive of the school and engage fully in the development of their child's learning. 

We are extremely fortunate to have a very highly-skilled, astute and intelligent group of people on our Local Governing Body who offer real support for the school based on informed judgements and robust yet fair challenge and support. 

As you can see the school is proud of its academic achievement and this is an extremely important part of what we do. However, it is just one of the things that we do. John Taylor High School is an inclusive community, where our students are treated as individuals and supported to participate fully in all that the school has to offer. We want to educate our students to be well-rounded, responsible and caring but most importantly to be happy and to reach their potential.

We hope that you can see, that we are extremely proud and passionate about John Taylor High School.  If you like what you have read, we warmly invite you to come and visit the school.