Kingsmead School, Wiveliscombe
Kingsmead Academy trading as Kingsmead School is a coeducational state school in Wiveliscombe, Somerset, England, serving the north-west of Taunton Deane district. The school had 880 pupils between the ages of 11 and 16 in 2024.
The school was awarded Beacon School status in 1998 and Language College status in 2000. Kingsmead became a stand-alone Academy in April 2011, and received approval for joining the Cabot Learning Federation in 2025.
History
The school was inaugurated in 1953 as Wiveliscombe Secondary Modern School. The main part of the school was built during the early 1950s, when a rise in the number of children in post-war Britain lead to a demand for more schools across the country. The original block was modelled in a late Art Deco style. It was extended at either ends during the 1970s, and during this period a second block was constructed. A sports hall was built to the rear of the school next to the staff car park during the early 1990s, along with several new offices for senior management near the drama studio.A new "south block" with an IT suite was opened in 2006, and a new science block in 2014.
The school received further grants in 2015 and 2017 for new building works. A mural was added to the school entrance featuring inspirational people such as Nelson Mandela and Albert Einstein in 2019. Redevelopment plan worth £10 million began in 2021 to replace the main block, approaching completion in 2024.