Education · 6 min read
Independent schools and apprenticeships: why Queen's College Taunton backs both
Independent schools are stereotyped as university-only. Here's how Queen's College, Taunton treats apprenticeships as a first-choice route for Somerset students.
By Jack Frampton, Apprentice Advocate working at Queen's College, Taunton · Published 29 July 2026
There's a lazy assumption that independent schools push every pupil towards a Russell Group offer. At Queen's College, Taunton that isn't the case, and the Taunton Apprenticeship Evening is the proof.
The stereotype and the data
Independent schools, per the Independent Schools Council, are judged on university destinations. That measure quietly penalises schools for celebrating degree apprenticeships - even when the apprentice ends up debt-free with four years of experience.
What good careers advice looks like
Two routes presented equally: UCAS on UCAS apprenticeships, and live vacancies on Find an Apprenticeship (GOV.UK). Same room, same seriousness, same staff time. Anything less is a school protecting its league table.
How Queen's does it
An annual apprenticeship evening open to the whole of Somerset, an apprentice panel, employer stands, and a member of staff who is himself a former apprentice. See my story.
What other schools can copy
Start small: one evening, five employers, three apprentices on a panel. Partner with Bridgwater & Taunton College and University Centre Somerset (UCS). Advertise beyond your own gates - the goodwill compounds.
Frequently asked questions
- Do independent schools support apprenticeships?
- Some do very well. Queen's College, Taunton hosts an annual apprenticeship evening open to all Somerset students, not just its own pupils.
- Is an apprenticeship worse than university?
- No. Degree apprenticeships deliver the same qualification with paid experience and no tuition debt. The right route depends on the person, not prestige.