Welcome to the Preston School website for September 2025.
I am exceptionally proud to be the Headteacher at Preston, a school which carefully balances some of the very highest academic achievement in Somerset with a level of outstanding pastoral support that means our students are happy, enjoy their education, and leave us ready to take on the world.
Our vision for education at Preston School is simple – Achieving Excellence, Inspiring Ambition – For Every Student, Every Day – and is at the heart of everything we do. We want every young person in our care to achieve outstanding outcomes, while also developing the skills, confidence and character to thrive in life beyond the school.
We place the highest value on academic progress and achievement, and are exceptionally proud of the GCSE outcomes that our students achieve. Of the thirty-two secondary schools in Somerset that form the DfE comparison tables, Preston School was ranked third for outright attainment and fourth for progress in 2024. At the same time, we recognise that education is about so much more than exam results. Our students benefit from an extensive enrichment programme, with memorable trips, visits and clubs helping to inspire ambition and nurture curiosity. Our ever-popular DofE programme sees around a hundred students undertake expeditions and camping trips each year, while our race car club recently competed at Goodwood, in their school-built car. Our ski trip to Italy, along with a new STEM trip to Iceland continue to prove popular. Our careers programme, which includes a dedicated in-house Careers Advisor, ensures that the progression of our students onto meaningful post-16 education or training is among the highest in Somerset.
Our school values – Generosity, Resilience, Enquiry, Ambition and Teamwork – are at the heart of daily life at Preston. They guide the way we work, learn and treat one another every day. We expect all members of our school community to live by these values, and we celebrate them through our reward systems and wider culture. Our students are our greatest asset and we are proud that our alumni take these values into the wider world.
Our website offers only a glimpse of the experiences available to young people at Preston. Whether a prospective parent, carer, student or colleague, I would therefore like to extend a warm invitation to visit us, tour our site, and see what makes Preston School such a special place to grow.
Matthew Doble
Headteacher
MSc (Hons), NPQH
