Richard Huish College, Taunton
The Richard Huish College is a sixth form college in Taunton, established in 1979. The college is based on a single site, about a mile from the centre of Taunton. The college attracts students from a wide geographical area around the town, as well as from the schools for 11 to 16-year- olds in Taunton. The college also attracts students from the strong independent sector in Taunton. In Somerset as a whole, around 80% of young people aged 16 to 18 are in full-time education and training. General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) results in Somerset in 2002 were slightly above the national average. The unemployment rate in the area served by the college is low. There is a general further education college in Taunton, and four tertiary colleges within a 25 mile radius. The college caters mainly to full-time students aged 16 to 18. There were 1,281 such students in 2002/03. Most students are taking advanced-level courses. There are over 40 subjects offered at level 3 in General Certificate of Education Advanced Subsidiary (GCE AS) and GCE Advanced level (GCE A2). Advanced Vocational Certificate of Education (AVCE) courses are offered in business, leisure and recreation, performing arts (popular music industries), and health and social care. At level 2, a small number of GCSEs is offered. The college places a strong emphasis on the breadth of its enrichment activities for full-time students. There is a growing range of professional courses for adult students, mainly in business and accounting. Adult students make up less than 5% of the college's full-time equivalent students.
"To be a centre of excellence in the south-west by providing 16 to 19-year-old students with high quality advanced-level education, to prepare them for higher education (HE) and professional careers, and by contributing to workforce development in the region."
The college occupies a site of eight hectares, of which 70% is sports fields, in the south of Taunton. The college's buildings range in age from 1880 to 2003 and take their names from some of the fine tree specimens that cover the campus.
Over the period 2000 â€" 2003, two major building projects have resulted in the Willow Building and the Hawthorn Building, each providing outstanding facilities for teaching and learning, with additional facilities for music and sport. Also in 2003, the Arthur C. Clarke Learning Resource Centre, at the heart of the campus, was extended and completely refurbished. Plans are currently in place for more new building, extension and refurbishment as the college grows both in size and reputation.
*Accounting
*Applied Business
*Archaeology
*Art and Art Textiles
*Biology
*Business Studies
*Chemistry
*Computing
*Critical Thinking
*Dance
*Drama and Theatre Studies
*Economics
*English Language
*English Language and Literature
*English Literature
*Environmental Science
*Film Studies
*French
*General Studies
*Geography
*Geology
*German
*Government and Politics
*Health and Social Care
*History: Early Modern
*History: Late Modern
*Human Biology
*Information and Communication Technology
*Law
*Leisure Studies
*Mathematics and Further Mathematics
*Media Studies
*Music
*Music Technology
*Performance Studies
*Philosophy
*Physical Education
*Physics
*Popular Music Industries
*Psychology
*Religious Studies(Theology)
*Sociology
*Spanish
*Travel & Tourism
*2003/2004 - 99% pass rate
*2004/2005 - 99.7% pass rate: A-B: 51%
2004/2005*Oxbridge - 12 students
University places:*Accounting and Finance - 6
*Architecture - 2
*Business - 25
*Biology - 12
*Chemistry - 4
*Civil Engineering - 4
*Computing and IT - 8
*Dance and Drama - 6
*Economics - 6
*Education and Teaching - 29
*English - 22
*Geography - 16
*History - 32
*Languages - 15
*Law - 27
*Mathematics - 12
*Mech/General Engineering - 9
*Media and Culture - 43
*Medicine - 12
*Music - 18
*Nursing -6
*Physics - 10
*Physiotherapy - 4
*Psychology - 23
*Rural and Environment - 13
*Sport Leisure - 26
Richard Huish College is a centre of sports excellence and currently offers sport academies for Cricket, Tennis, Football and Golf.
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Arthur C. Clark, a
British author and
inventor.
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Andy Robinson, the headcoach of the
England national rugby union team.
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Andrew Castle, former British number one tennis player and television presenter.
*
Keith Parsons, cricketer.
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Richard Huish College's website
