Tapton Secondary Modern School opened on 5^th January 1960 with 660 pupils.  The pupils came from local Junior schools who lost their top years to provide the pupils.  Pupils came to Tapton from Springfield County, Nethergreen, and Crookes Endowed.  The Headmaster was Mr S North and the Deputy head was Mr C May and there were three other specialist teachers and eighteen form teachers.

See plan for the inside of the buildings.  The school was equiped with a library, two science laboratories, two art and craft rooms, housecraft room, needlework room, woodwork room, metalwork room and technical drawing room.  Only girls were allowed to study housecraft and needlework whereas boys alone were allowed to study woodwork, metalwork and technical drawing.  There were separate entrances for different people and one was only for staff and visitors.  The school also had two soccer pitches, three tennis courts, a miniature golf course (in preparation), a cycle shed, a cricket square, two hockey pitches, an athletics area, four playing areas and practice wickets and net.  The buildings and grounds were not quite ready on the day the school opened but hard work during the Christmas holidays made sure there were sufficient facilities for the pupils to use.