Weekly Roundup, Edition 2 – Autumn Term 2023
Dear Parents and Carers,
It has been another wonderful week at Townsend with much to celebrate and be proud of. This week’s collective worship assemblies have been based on our Bible-based vision of ‘Love Your Neighbour ‘(Luke 10 25 – 37). We have evolved the concept of Love Your Neighbour, treating others as we wish to be treated ourselves, to that of ‘Love Your Neighbour, Love Yourself and Love the Journey’. ‘Love Yourself’ is a reminder to all of us that we need to look after our own mental and physical wellbeing. We need to have a support network we can use in times of need and take time to make sure we are looking after ourselves. ‘Love the Journey’, emphasises that life is a journey and particularly during a young person’s time at Townsend, they are on a journey with us. Their journeys will not all be the same and they will have different high points and times of need. During their journeys we will do everything we can to support them, allowing them to flourish and be the best versions of themselves they can be.
Mrs Line used German artist Jan Vormann’s work using Lego to rebuild crumbling walls as an example of how each brick a young person adds to their wall during their journey with us, the more opportunities they will have to move into the world with the skills to make a positive contribution to it. An article about Jan’s work can be found here.
I was honoured this week with opening the Discovery Centre following a restructure in the summer, and starting the first race of the District Cross-Country race we hosted at Townsend last night. Photos of both these events can been seen on our social media posts.
Attendance and Punctuality
I would like to stress the importance of your child attending school on a regular basis. There is much research to say that student progress and outcomes are explicitly linked to attendance. Not only is it best for your child to attend school regularly, it is also parents / guardian’s legal duty to ensure their child has good attendance at school. I would like to draw your attention to our updated Attendance Policy which can be found in the ‘About Us’ section of our website, under the Policies & Guidance section. We have noted that a number of students are late to school in the morning and many of these have no good reason not to be here on time. The school day begins at 8.45am and students should be here for this time. From Monday onwards, those who arrive late in the morning, without a valid reason will face a sanction.
I have been asked by the NHS to share the following information with parents / carers with regard to school attendance.
It is usually appropriate for parents and carers to send their children to school with mild respiratory illnesses. This would include general cold symptoms: a minor cough, runny nose or sore throat. However, children should not be sent to school if they have a temperature of 38°C or above. Information and advice can be found on this link ‘Is my child too ill for school?’
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/is-my-child-too-ill-for-school/
If you would like advice from the school about your son / daughter’s attendance, please contact their Head of Year in the first instance via admin@townsend.herts.sch.uk
Congratulations to the following students who were awarded a Headteacher’s commendation this week:
Ellie C 13C
Isabel H 13Y
Joshua B 8C
Khayal A 8N
Hayley F 11E
Key Dates:
- Open Evening – Wednesday 20th September 5.30 – 8.30pm (Schools closes as 12.30pm)
- Abbey Service – Thursday 28th September 2.00pm start (Parent / Carers to be seated by
1.45pm)
Best wishes,
Mr Anthony Flack,
Headteacher
