Townsend Church of England School
| Type | Secondary / Voluntary aided school |
| Age Range | 11-18 |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Address | High Oaks St Albans Hertfordshire AL3 6DR |
| Phone | 01727853047 |
| Reference Number | 117555 |
Townsend Church of England School continues to demonstrate a good overall performance, ensuring a safe and welcoming environment for its pupils. Most students report being happy at school, benefiting from good behaviour and supportive relationships. The curriculum has seen considerable improvement with new changes aimed at enhancing depth and engagement in subjects, particularly for Years 7 to 9. However, there are areas needing attention, such as ensuring that all subjects provide adequate opportunities for pupils to apply their skills and engage in meaningful discussions.
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 756 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 52.51%
Girls: 47.49% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 24.4% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 20.1% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 20.9 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 61 | 66 | 127 |
| 8 | 72 | 64 | 136 |
| 9 | 73 | 67 | 140 |
| 10 | 62 | 67 | 129 |
| 11 | 81 | 57 | 138 |
| 12 | 29 | 25 | 54 |
| 13 | 19 | 13 | 32 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 49.3% |
| African | 12.8% |
| White, Other | 9% |
| Caribbean | 4.1% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 3.3% |
| White & Asian | 3.2% |
| Indian | 2.6% |
| White & Black (African) | 2.1% |
| Mixed, Other | 2.1% |
| Pakistani | 2.1% |
| Asian, Other | 2% |
| Chinese | 1.6% |
| Unclassified | 0.5% |
| Irish | 0.1% |
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Good |
| Last Report Date | 23 Jan 2024 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 23 Jan 2024 | School inspection |
| 15 May 2018 | Short inspection |
| 16 Dec 2014 | Full inspection: |
| 28 Feb 2013 | Monitoring visit |
| 16 Jan 2013 | Full inspection: |
| 11 May 2011 | Full inspection: |
| 12 Mar 2008 | Full inspection: |
| 01 Mar 2004 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- Pupils feel safe, welcomed, and valued.
- The majority of pupils exhibit very good behaviour.
- Teachers have good subject knowledge and present information clearly.
- Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive effective support.
- There are numerous extra-curricular activities available for students.
- The school's ethos cultivates respect for all backgrounds and beliefs.
Areas for Improvement
- In some foundation subjects, planned changes to the curriculum are not yet fully implemented.
- Opportunities for pupils to apply knowledge and engage in discussion are occasionally insufficient.
Attainment 8 Score
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
- English
- Maths
- 3 subjects from qualifications that count towards the English Baccalaureate (EBacc), like sciences, language and history
- 3 more GCSE qualifications (including EBacc subjects) or technical awards from a list approved by the Department for Education
Each grade a pupil gets is assigned a point score from 9 (the highest) to 1 (the lowest). These scores are added up, with English and maths counted twice.
| School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|
| 46.7 |
GCSE Results
| Metric | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 40.1% | ||
| 5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4 (or A-C) | 56.9% |
Attainment 8 Score
Note: Exam results were not published in 2021 and 2022 due to the pandemic.
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
Sample
UnlockGCSE Results
Note: Exam results were not published in 2021 and 2022 due to the pandemic.
Sample
UnlockPoints
| Points | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Points | 27.45 | ||
| Average Points (best 3) | 27.41 |
Grades
| School | Local | Nationwide | |
| Average Grade | C- | B- | C+ |
| Average Grade (best 3) | C- | B- | C+ |
| Percentage | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students getting AAB or better | 7.4% |
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| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | ||
| Second Preference | 64 | 27 |
| Third Preference | 57 | 14 |
| From another Local Authority | 10 | 8 |
Previous Years
Sample
UnlockDestinations after GCSE's
| Staying in Education | |
| > Further Education | |
| > School Sixth Form | |
| > Sixth Form College | |
| > Other Education | |
| Apprenticeships | |
| Employment | |
| Not in education or employment | |
| Unknown |
| Name | Distance |
|
Margaret Wix Primary School
High Oaks, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL3 6EL |
0.21 miles |
|
Garden Fields Junior Mixed and Infant School
Townsend Drive, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL3 5RL |
0.7 miles |
|
Bernards Heath Junior School
Watson Avenue, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL3 5HP |
0.89 miles |
|
Bernards Heath Infant and Nursery School
154 Sandridge Road, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 4AP |
1.11 miles |
|
Muriel Green Nursery School
Church Crescent, St Albans, AL3 5JB |
1.3 miles |
|
Aboyne Lodge Junior Mixed and Infant School
Etna Road, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL3 5NL |
1.32 miles |
|
Maple Primary School
Hall Place Gardens, Maple Primary School, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 3SW |
1.33 miles |
|
Wheatfields Junior Mixed School
Downes Road, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL4 9NT |
1.36 miles |
|
Wheatfields Infants' and Nursery School
Downes Road, St. Albans, Hertfordshire, AL4 9NT |
1.36 miles |
|
Alban City School
7 Hatfield Road, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 3RR |
1.39 miles |
|
St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, St Albans
St Michael's Street, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL3 4SJ |
1.53 miles |
|
Skyswood Primary & Nursery School
Chandlers Road, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL4 9RS |
1.76 miles |
|
St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
Hazelmere Road, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL4 9RW |
1.77 miles |
|
The Abbey Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, St Albans
Grove Road, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 1DQ |
1.82 miles |
|
St Alban & St Stephen Catholic Primary School & Nursery
St Alban & St Stephen Catholic Primary School, Cecil Road, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 5EG |
1.92 miles |
|
St Peter's School
Cottonmill Lane, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 1HL |
1.93 miles |
|
Fleetville Infant and Nursery School
Royal Road, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 4LX |
1.96 miles |
|
Fleetville Junior School
228 Hatfield Road, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 4LW |
1.97 miles |
|
Sandridge School
Woodcock Hill, Sandridge, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL4 9EB |
2.07 miles |
|
Prae Wood Primary School
King Harry Lane, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL3 4HZ |
2.07 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
St Albans Girls' School
Sandridgebury Lane, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL3 6DB |
0.54 miles |
|
Batchwood School
Townsend Drive, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL3 5RP |
0.6 miles |
|
Heathlands School
Heathlands Drive, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL3 5AY |
0.84 miles |
|
St Albans High School for Girls
|
1.24 miles |
|
Sandringham School
The Ridgeway, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL4 9NX |
1.52 miles |
|
Loreto College
Hatfield Road, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 3RQ |
1.57 miles |
|
St Albans School
Abbey Gateway, St Albans, AL3 4HB |
1.59 miles |
|
Verulam School
Brampton Road, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 4PR |
1.71 miles |
|
St Albans Independent College
69 London Road, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 1LN |
1.77 miles |
|
St Columba's College
King Harry Lane, St Albans, AL3 4AW |
2.13 miles |
|
Beaumont School
Austen Way, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL4 0XB |
2.28 miles |
|
The Marlborough Science Academy
Watling Street, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 2QA |
2.46 miles |
|
Watling View School
Watling View, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 2NU |
2.68 miles |
|
Oaklands College
Oaklands Campus, Hatfield Road, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL4 0JA |
2.68 miles |
|
Samuel Ryder Academy
Drakes Drive, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 5AR |
2.78 miles |
|
Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School
Colney Heath Lane, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL4 0TT |
2.95 miles |
|
St Luke's School
Crouch Hall Lane, Redbourn, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL3 7ET |
3.33 miles |
|
Sir John Lawes School
Manland Way, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 4QP |
3.37 miles |
|
St George's School
Sun Lane, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 4TD |
3.38 miles |
|
Katherine Warington School
Lower Luton Road, Harpenden, AL5 5FH |
3.41 miles |