Secondary school recommendations Somerset.

[tulips2]

I am looking to move to Somerset with my 14 year old daughter. Can anyone recommend a good state school please? She currently attends an independent school in Berkshire but due to possible job change we are planning a relocation in the next few months.

Can anyone advise on an area of Somerset that would provide a good starting point for us? Shops, socialising, work etc....I am NNEB trained and currently run a Pre-School. I am looking for a change and enjoy working with people.......Please can anyone advise on any of the above for our new start?
We are looking to rent initially, 2 beds, but will be buying a home in approx a year so this could be a great time to explore Somerset - our first choice of location.
Thank you, in advance for any suggestions.

Kings of Wessex in Cheddar is a good school.

I think it depends on whereabouts the new job will be located and how you will be commuting i.e. by train or car.
If you need to be close to a railway station: the main options would be Castle Cary or close to Taunton. Other options could be living close to Bath (Bath and North East Somerset BANES) or some of the villages between Bristol and Weston super Mare e.g. Backwell (North Somerset). Backwell school is rated Outstanding and town has good facilities (small number of shops and leisure centre for swimming etc.)
You may possibly like Wells as this is a larger market town but commuting via the A39 is slow - it's not a dual carriageway.
Commuting by motorway M5 is also possible for some areas but can get very busy wit holiday traffic in the Summer months.
When buying a house in Somerset you do need to consider flood risk as it's hard to obtain insurance in some areas. My DM found this a problem when they retired to Somerset, but as they could prove their house was on raised ground they were OK.

Thank you so much. I am going to research Backwell. I had thought about the floods and do need to really look in to that. Hoping to find work in or near to Taunton but am very open minded at the moment. There seems to be lovely places, the decision will be made on schools I expect. What is Bridgewater like?........

Bridgwater is a factory town that has had most of the factories close in the last 10-15 years. I believe unemployment is above the national average and some areas are classed as deprived. Property is cheaper than surrounding areas and it has good commuting links to the M5, A361,A372. Bridgwater has a cinema, a small museum and a pub culture and that is about it. It has no department store and very little going for it shopping wise. Most of the shops in the high street are very tired looking.

The villages nearby are varied and some are very pleasant. Most people who commute to Bristol probably live in the outlying areas and possibly hardly ever visit the town. The secondary schools are average at best, the village primaries are a lot better than the town primaries according to OFSTED. Bridgwater College (16+) is very highly regarded though and attracts students from all over Somerset.

It does boast the Bridgwater Carnival though, which vies with Rio de Janeiro for the title of the biggest illuminated (night time) carnival in the world and that is well worth a visit, wherever you settle in Somerset.

Depending on your commute, you may want to consider Langport. It is a small town with a village feel, but has a supermarket and most of the necessities of life. It probably has more facilities than Bridgwater which is 12 miles away and Taunton 17 miles away. There are lots of small hamlets and villages dotted around it. The local schools are all good and the Secondary 'Huish Episcopi Academy' has an excellent reputation and a state of the art sixth form facility.