Taunton School has appointed Rachel Aldington as its new Director of Swimming

Taunton School has appointed Rachel Aldington as its new Director of Swimming.

Rachel is currently a Lead Swimming Coach at Millfield School and a Head Coach of Somerset, working with young athletes who swim at regional, national and international levels.

Following her degree in Sports Rehabilitation, Rachel worked at rugby clubs in Manchester, Worcester and Somerset, before returning to poolside as Head Coach of Clevedon Swimming Club. She was instrumental in developing the programme at Weston-super-Mare, which resulted in a top three ranking at South West Regional Age Groups in 2018, behind Millfield and Plymouth.

Rachel has led Swim England programmes at County, Regional and National level, and was part of the Team England coaching staff for the Commonwealth Youth Games in Trinidad & Tobago in 2023.

Daniel Pettifer, Director of Sport at Taunton School, said: “We are very excited to have a coach of Rachel’s reputation, qualifications and experience come in and drive our programme forward to create a highly competitive and nurturing swimming experience at Taunton School.”

Rachel prides herself on guiding athletes to find solutions that allow them to perform at their best. She is looking forward to bringing this to the students at Taunton School and helping them to progress, while supporting new athletes to find their exceptional.

Taunton School’s inclusive swimming provision utilises its two on-site pools which support a vast array of aquatic disciplines and experiences, including lessons, survival and competitive swimming. Each year, Taunton Prep School trains a group of pupils to swim the English Channel as part of its outstanding co-curricular offering.

The School is due to launch its new Swimming Programme in September when Rachel begins her new role, aligned with best practice and tailored to athletes’ current ages and stages. This will create a researched, transitional environment, designed to nurture talent and support long-term potential. A variety of training types and times will be available, working around students’ academic commitments, alongside mentoring and mental skills coaching to enhance focus and resilience.

Students at Taunton School have achieved many exceptional swimming successes in recent years, including qualifying for Paris 2024 Olympic swimming trials, finishing in high positions at The Bath Cup, attending international training camps and competitions, and qualifying for and winning multiple national finals each year