Taunton School pupils training to swim English Channel
The pupils, aged 13, will undertake the swim in August following almost two years of training and will become the eleventh group of swimmers from the School to complete the challenge since 2016.
Each year, the School chooses a different charity to support, with Scotty’s Little Soldiers selected by this year’s cohort due to its close ties with pupils at Taunton Prep School.
Ed Burnett, Taunton Prep School Headteacher who has been heavily involved in the training since 2016, said: “The English Channel is known as the Everest of swimming and to attempt this at just 13-years-old shows great determination and strength.
“This group of children have been training for their August Channel swim since Year 6 and have become used to swimming in the sea in temperatures barely topping 12 degrees. No wetsuits, just strength and spirit borne out of their personal courage and desire to support their friends and teammates.
“I am so proud of them, and when the day comes, I know they will give their all for a charity which is very important to Taunton Prep School."
With 51 pupils completing the treacherous swim in the last nine years, the School is hopeful to add the ten pupils who make up the 2025 cohort to this coveted list while adding to the £100,000+ raised for various charities over the years.
The group, known as Channel Titans V, began training for this momentous feat when they were just 11 years old and have spent a vast amount of time training in the School pool, Wiveliscombe outdoor pool, Clevedon Marine Lake, and in the open sea around Somerset and Devon.
The pupils regularly take part in swimming competitions around the UK and are currently gearing up to take part in the infamous Gwineas swimming competition on Sunday 15th June off the coast of Gorran Haven in Cornwall – a challenge that is usually reserved for people aged 16+, proving the high swimming ability of the children.
Scotty’s Little Soldiers is a charity dedicated to supporting children and young people who have experienced the death of a parent who served in British Armed Forces. The charity provides a range of programmes to support their bereavement needs, well-being, education and development and has pledged to help at least 1,000 children by 2030 and ensuring every bereaved military child has access to the very best care.
June 2025