Welcome to
John Taylor Free School
JTFS is a school with an inclusive, relationship-focused approach that offers high quality education for 11-18 year olds.
We support every student, and everyone in our community, to succeed and thrive.
JTFS is a school with an inclusive, relationship-focused approach that offers high quality education for 11-18 year olds.
We support every student, and everyone in our community, to succeed and thrive.
Dear Families of JTFS Students,
At the time of writing, (8:21am on 13 November 2026) JTFS is experiencing disruption to our Microsoft services including email. As you may have seen reported in the news, this is a global issue and service is expected to resume soon.
Meanwhile, our phone systems are not affected and if you have urgent messages for us, please contact our switchboard by phone on 01283 247823.
If you need to report an absent child, please call the main switchboard number 01283 247823 and select option 1 to leave a message on the absence line.
We may not be able to promptly receive emails that have already been sent about an absent child, so please now also call 01283 247823 and select option 1 to report an absent child.
If you have sent us any email recently, it may be that we are slower than usual in responding, but we will work on clearing the backlog as soon as service is resumed. Please avoid sending repeats of email messages until after our usual 48 hour response period has expired.
This message is also being shared with our families on our Facebook account and through the My Child at School system. If you receive this message and you are in contact with other families who are not able to receive it in other ways, please share this message.
Kind regards,
The JTFS Team
Applications for September 2027 entry to Post 16 at John Taylor Free School are now open.
Current JTFS students should submit their application by Friday 4th December 2026, while the deadline for external applicants is Friday 15th January 2027.
Our Post-16 offers a broad range of courses, expert teaching and personalised support to help students achieve their ambitions and prepare for their next steps.
An important opportunity for Year 12 students and their families to meet with their Personal Tutor, discuss how the transition to Post-16 has gone so far and celebrate the positive start students have made to their courses.
Families will receive their child’s latest report, including baseline assessment outcomes, summer work results and attitude to learning grades, while students will lead the conversation by reflecting on their progress, strengths and next steps.
Appointments can be booked via MCAS from 5.00pm on Thursday 5th November.
Dear Parents and Carers,
It is with great pleasure that I introduce myself to you as the Headteacher of John Taylor Free School. Since opening, JTFS has sought to stand out from other schools; not only by supporting students to achieve academic success, but also by our passion for shaping and developing the whole child, allowing students to thrive personally and in society. We are extremely proud of our wider curriculum including our extensive enrichment offer, well designed careers programme, and student leadership opportunities, all of which are designed to ensure JTFS students will “succeed and thrive”.
At JTFS, our curriculum is designed to inspire a love of learning. It is broad and ambitious, and carefully sequenced to ensure that students continually develop the skills and knowledge required for each stage of their journey in education. Within the classroom, we encourage our students to be curious and creative, to think critically and analytically, and to work well collaboratively but also develop their independent learning skills.
We expect all our students to “Turn Up, Work Hard and Be Nice” and we make no apologies for having high expectations in terms of attendance, behaviour, and attitude. Achievement in all areas of school life are equally valued, and we celebrate such achievements together. Our clear expectations ensure our school community is one where everyone feels safe, valued and supported.
Our community of hard-working and dedicated staff bring enthusiasm and expertise to their roles, ensuring every child is supported to achieve their best. Staff are committed to developing their own practice and our professional development programme is carefully designed to ensure continuous learning. Furthermore, being part of the John Taylor Multi-Academy Trust allows us to remain up to date with developments in teaching and learning, ensuring a high-quality learning experience for all our students.
We value strong relationships with students, families and the wider community, and place huge emphasise on the importance of working together. These close partnerships allow us to build a supportive school community where each child at JTFS feels safe, happy, and motivated to do their best.
I hope you enjoy exploring our website and learning more about the wonderful community here at JTFS. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Mrs S Martin
Headteacher
We support students to aim high and take pride in their achievements, creating a culture where everyone is encouraged to succeed and thrive.
Our curriculum offers a wide range of subjects, helping students develop their interests and build strong foundations for future success.
Enrichment, trips and experiences play a key role in school life, helping students grow in confidence and make the most of their time at JTFS.
We create a positive and inclusive environment where students are known, supported and encouraged to develop as confident individuals.
Find out more about life at JTFS, including our curriculum, values and the opportunities available to students throughout their time with us.
Our newsletter is a great place to see all of the best of what is happening at JTFS in one place, but we would also love you to follow us on Facebook and
Instagram: