Editing Somerset (section)

==Education==
{{See also|List of schools in Somerset}}
[[State school]]s in Somerset are provided by three [[local education authority|local education authorities]]: Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset, and the larger Somerset County Council. All state schools are comprehensive. In some areas primary, [[Infant school|infant]] and [[Junior school|junior]] schools cater for ages four to eleven, after which the pupils move on to secondary schools. There is a [[three-tier education|three-tier system]] of [[First school|first]], [[Middle school|middle]] and [[Upper school|upper]] schools in the Cheddar Valley,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hughsexey.somerset.sch.uk/downloads/extended_schools/Cheddar_Valley_Cluster_Map_Directory.pdf |title=Cheddar Valley cluster map directory |publisher=Sexeys School |access-date=21 November 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111007033238/http://www.hughsexey.somerset.sch.uk/downloads/extended_schools/Cheddar_Valley_Cluster_Map_Directory.pdf |archive-date=7 October 2011 }}</ref> and in West Somerset, while most other schools in the county use the two-tier system.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.burrows.co.uk/somerset/13Lea.htm |title=Learning in Somerset |publisher=Celebrating Somerset |access-date=26 October 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090211114359/http://www.burrows.co.uk/somerset/13Lea.htm |archive-date=11 February 2009 }}</ref> Somerset has 30 state and 17 independent secondary schools;<ref name="somschools">{{cite web |url=http://www.somerset.gov.uk/somerset/learning/ |title=Education and Learning |publisher=Somerset County Council |access-date=18 December 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090829151649/http://www.somerset.gov.uk/somerset/learning|archive-date=29 August 2009 }}</ref> Bath and North East Somerset has 13 state and 5 independent secondary schools;<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bathnes.gov.uk/BathNES/educationandlearning/Schoolsandcolleges/schoolcontactdetails/ |title=Primary, Secondary and Specialist Schools |publisher=Bath and North East Somerset Council |access-date=18 December 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071211102920/http://www.bathnes.gov.uk/BathNES/educationandlearning/Schoolsandcolleges/schoolcontactdetails/| archive-date = 11 December 2007}}</ref> and North Somerset has 10 state and 2 independent secondary schools, excluding [[sixth form college]]s.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/Education/Schools/Pages/Schools.aspx |title=Schools |publisher=North Somerset Council |access-date=26 May 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150526233838/http://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/Education/Schools/Pages/Schools.aspx |archive-date=26 May 2015 }}</ref>
{| class="wikitable floatright" style="margin-left: 1em; width: 30em;"
!colspan="2"|'''% of pupils gaining 5 grades A-C including English and Maths in 2006''' (average for England is 45.8%)
|-
!Education Authority || %
|-
|Bath and North East Somerset (Unitary Authority) ||52.0%
|-
|West Somerset ||51.0%
|-
|Taunton Deane ||49.5%
|-
|Mendip ||47.7%
|-
|North Somerset (Unitary Authority) ||47.4%
|-
|South Somerset ||42.3%
|-
|Sedgemoor ||41.4%
|}

Some of the county's secondary schools have [[Specialist schools programme|specialist school]] status. Some schools have sixth forms and others transfer their sixth formers to colleges. Several schools can trace their origins back many years, such as [[The Blue School, Wells|The Blue School]] in Wells and [[Richard Huish College, Taunton|Richard Huish College]] in Taunton.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://creativesteps.org.uk/Colleges/RichardHuishCollege |title=Richard Huish College |work=Creative Steps |access-date=18 December 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080402044858/http://creativesteps.org.uk/Colleges/RichardHuishCollege |archive-date=2 April 2008 }}</ref> Others have changed their names over the years such as [[Beechen Cliff School]] which was started in 1905 as the City of Bath Boys' School and changed to its present name in 1972 when the [[grammar school]] was amalgamated with a local [[secondary modern school]], to form a [[comprehensive school]]. Many others were established and built since the Second World War. In 2006, 5,900 pupils in Somerset sat [[General Certificate of Secondary Education|GCSE]] examinations, with 44.5% achieving 5 grades A-C including English and Maths (compared to 45.8% for England).

[[Sexey's School]] is a state [[boarding school]] in [[Bruton]] that also takes day pupils from the surrounding area.<ref name="sexeyshistory">{{cite web | author=Sexey's School | title = Sexey's School&nbsp;— A Brief History | url = http://www.sexeys.somerset.sch.uk/index.php?main=history | access-date=1 July 2007|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070707163511/http://www.sexeys.somerset.sch.uk/index.php?main=history |archive-date = 7 July 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> The Somerset LEA also provides [[Special education#Special schools|special schools]] such as [[Newbury Manor School]], which caters for children aged between 10 and 17 with [[Special education in the United Kingdom|special educational needs]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.farleighcollege.co.uk/ |title=Farleigh College |publisher=Farleigh College |access-date=18 December 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071009103431/http://www1.farleighcollege.co.uk/|archive-date=9 October 2007}}</ref> Provision for pupils with special educational needs is also made by the mainstream schools.

There is also a range of [[Private schools in the United Kingdom|private]] or [[Public school (United Kingdom)|public schools]]. Many of these are for pupils between 11 and 18 years, such as [[King's College, Taunton]], [[Wellington School, Somerset]] and [[Taunton School]]. [[King's School, Bruton]], was founded in 1519 and received royal foundation status around 30 years later in the reign of [[Edward VI of England|Edward VI]]. [[Millfield]] is the largest [[Mixed-sex education|co-educational]] boarding school. There are also [[Preparatory school (United Kingdom)|preparatory schools]] for younger children, such as [[All Hallows Preparatory School|All Hallows]], and [[Hazlegrove Preparatory School]]. [[Chilton Cantelo School]] offers places both to day pupils and boarders aged 7 to 16. Other schools provide education for children from the age of 3 or 4 years through to 18, such as [[King Edward's School, Bath]], [[Queen's College, Taunton]] and [[Wells Cathedral School]] which is one of the five established musical schools for school-age children in Britain.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wells-cathedral-school.com/ |title=Wells Cathedral School |publisher=Wells Cathedral School |access-date=18 December 2007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071211232816/http://www.wells-cathedral-school.com/ |archive-date=11 December 2007 }}</ref>

Some of these schools have religious affiliations, such as [[Monkton Combe School]], [[Prior Park College]], [[Sidcot School]] which is associated with the [[Quakers|Religious Society of Friends]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sidcot.org.uk/about/index.html |title=About Sidcot |publisher=Sidcot School |access-date=18 December 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071203034526/http://www.sidcot.org.uk/about/index.html |archive-date=3 December 2007}}</ref> [[Downside School]] which is a Roman Catholic public school in Stratton-on-the-Fosse, situated next to the [[Order of Saint Benedict|Benedictine]] Downside Abbey,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.downside.co.uk/School/about_us/about_downside_school.php |title=About Downside School |publisher=Downside School |access-date=7 June 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121112220455/http://www.downside.co.uk/School/about_us/about_downside_school.php |archive-date=12 November 2012 }}</ref> and [[Kingswood School]], which was founded by [[John Wesley]] in 1748 in Kingswood near Bristol, originally for the education of the sons of the itinerant ministers (clergy) of the [[Methodism|Methodist Church]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kingswood.bath.sch.uk/index.php |title=A Christian Ethos |publisher=Kingswood School |access-date=21 November 2009 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080822113118/http://www.kingswood.bath.sch.uk/index.php |archive-date = 22 August 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Further and higher education===
A wide range of [[adult education]] and [[further education]] courses is available in Somerset, in schools, colleges and other community venues. The colleges include [[Weston College]], [[Bridgwater College|Bridgwater and Taunton College]] (formed in 2016 when Bridgwater College and [[Somerset College of Arts and Technology]] merged, and includes the Taunton-based University Centre Somerset), [[Bath College]], [[Frome Community College]], Richard Huish College, [[Strode College]] and [[Yeovil College]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.go-somerset.co.uk/ |title=Somerset Colleges |publisher=Somerset Colleges |access-date=26 May 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150406092320/http://www.go-somerset.co.uk/ |archive-date=6 April 2015}}</ref> Somerset County Council operates [[Dillington House]], a residential adult education college located in Ilminster.

The [[University of Bath]], [[Bath Spa University]] and [[University Centre Weston]] are higher education establishments in the north of the county. The University of Bath gained its Royal Charter in 1966, although its origins go back to the Bristol Trade School (founded 1856) and Bath School of Pharmacy (founded 1907).<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.bath.ac.uk/internal/staff/intro/history.html | author=University of Bath | title=History of the University | access-date=2 January 2008|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080803044206/http://www.bath.ac.uk/internal/staff/intro/history.html |archive-date = 3 August 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> It has a purpose-built campus at [[Claverton, Somerset|Claverton]] on the outskirts of Bath, and has 15,000 students.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bath.ac.uk/about/organisation/facts-figures/ |author=University of Bath |title=Facts and figures |access-date=26 May 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150325091103/http://www.bath.ac.uk/about/organisation/facts-figures/ |archive-date=25 March 2015 }}</ref> Bath Spa University, which is based at [[Newton St Loe]], achieved university status in 2005, and has origins including the Bath Academy of Art (founded 1898), Bath Teacher Training College, and the Bath College of Higher Education.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bathspa.ac.uk/about-us/our-vision-values-history-and-people/our-history |author=Bath Spa University |title=Our History |access-date=26 May 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130310174239/http://www.bathspa.ac.uk/about-us/our-vision-values-history-and-people/our-history |archive-date=10 March 2013 }}</ref> It has several campuses and 5,500 students.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bibliographicdata.co.uk/index.php/bds_features/bdz-at-the-heart-of-two-academic-libraries/ |title=BDZ at the heart of two academic libraries |publisher=Bibliographic Data Services |access-date=18 October 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222111441/http://www.bibliographicdata.co.uk/index.php/bds_features/bdz-at-the-heart-of-two-academic-libraries/ |archive-date=22 December 2015 }}</ref>