Please make sure to check your child’s uniform, as we have received reports of labelled uniforms going home with the wrong children. 

We also have some other lost property items in our Student Reception, so please encourage your child to take a look for their lost items.

 

Below is our latest PE Round Up

Friday 23^rd January – Year 9 Boys Football County Cup Plate 2^nd Round vs Bushey Meads

On Friday afternoon, the Year 9 football team faced Bushey Mead School in what proved to be a challenging fixture. The team started the game brightly, showing real energy and intent, and created an early chance that could have seen them take the lead.

Despite this positive opening, Bushey Mead took the lead after 10 minutes to make it 1–0. The response from the Year 9s was excellent, and just five minutes later they were rewarded. A back pass from a Bushey Mead defender was mis controlled by their goalkeeper, allowing the ball to roll under his foot and into the net, bringing the score level at 1–1.

Unfortunately, Bushey Mead grew into the game and went on to score several further goals, with the match eventually ending in a 6–1 defeat. While the final scoreline was disappointing, the team showed good attitude and effort throughout.

Players of the Match were Will N, Ollie G and Josh C, who all stood out for their commitment and performance.

 

Friday 23^rd January – Year 11 Boys Football County Cup Plate 2^nd Round vs Ridgeway

Our Year 11 team travelled to Ridgeway in the second round of the county cup plate on Friday and despite hard work and commitment, ended up losing 7-0.

 

Monday 26^th January – Year 9 District Netball Cup Plate vs St Columbas College

The Year 9 netball team faced a very tricky game in the district cup plate competition this week and unfortunately suffered a defeat in this game. St Columbas started very fast in the first quarter of the match, getting themselves in the lead early on and managed to hold on to and extend their lead as the remaining quarters were played. However, the Year 9 team showed great resilience and determination as they continued to work hard and communicate despite the score line and time running out.

POTM (as chosen by St Columbas) : Evie O

 

Monday 26^th January – Year 10 District Netball League vs St Columbas

 The Year 10 team finally managed to have their first league game of the season, after a few postponements due to weather we managed to get the game played. It was a close game within the first quarter of the match with St Columbas narrowly leading 3-1. In the second and third quarters, despite some excellent marking and defending from both Praise and Omi, St Columbas were able to extend their lead, finishing the match with a 16 – 5 victory. Congratulations to Alexa who scored all 5 of Townsend goals in the game.

POTM (as chosen by St Columbas): Praise U

 

Tuesday 27^th January – Year 7 Football vs Samuel Ryder (friendly)

 It was with pleasure that Townsend were invited to take two Year 7 teams over to Samuel Ryder for two 9v9 matches.

Our Year 7 ‘A’ Team would play against a Samuel Ryder B team, that contained a couple of A teamers, and our B team would play against Samuel Ryder’s C team.

Mr Hawkins kindly gave up his free time after school to oversee the B team, which in particular gave him an excellent opportunity to assess the potential for Isla G and Lucy N to step up into the Year 8 girls’ team.

With Townsend’s first round of the District Cup taking place this Thursday, today’s game offered an excellent opportunity for the A team to come back together after 6 weeks since their last match. Townsend started well with Trey B-L dominating the early midfield exchanges and Townsend quickly took the lead through our proven goal machine, Nathan P as he prodded him a loose ball at the corner. Sadly, we started to adopt the Man Utd style of play from the last few seasons and hold onto the ball too long rather than release it quickly to those in space. This led to a Samuel Ryder equaliser and them starting to get a foothold in the game.

Fortunately, the industrious Isaac L scored a lovely goal on the counter as he showed that Thierry Henry’s classic finish across the keeper is alive and well in the Townsend purple. More classic Man Utd style over confidence led to us gifting them another equaliser to make it 2-2 at half time.

Early in the second half, a very dubious penalty was awarded to Samuel Ryder that was put away. Thankfully, this only served to ignite the fire of those in purple. Dario P in particular really started to come into his own in midfield and he was released by captain Josh N to cut in at goal on the left to finish with aplomb to the bottom corner to restore parity. Samuel Ryder’s A team defender had been excellent all game but as the nerves set in, a rare error in the dying minutes led to a loose touch that allowed Nathan P a rare opportunity to pounce on the loose ball and escape his marker. Needing no second invitation Nathan unleashed a thunderbolt of a shot that Tony Yeboah would again be proud of, that flew into the net to seal a deserved victory for Townsend.

Match result – Townsend win 4-3

Goals – Nathan P x2, Isaac L and Dario P.

Opposition Player of the Match – Dario P – superbly linked midfield and attack

Townsend Player of the Match – Arnold M – kept his opposing winger at bay and always looked to release our forward players

 

Wednesday 28^th January – Year 10 District Cup Football vs St Albans Boys School

Despite conceding early from a set piece, Townsend started promisingly playing fluid passing football, something the year group had been working on in training and this nearly paid off numerous times in the opening 10 minutes as they were able to create many chances. Unfortunately, they were unable to find the back of the net. Townsend continued to push St Albans back for the majority of the first half but were caught out by two long balls and ended up being 3-0 down at half-time.

The second half was much of the same, with Townsend pushing for a goal to get back into the game, creating chances, including hitting the  bar and forcing their keeper into some good saves. Townsend finally got a break with a penalty decision going their way after multiple other penalty shouts. Chris calmly stepped up and slotted the ball in only for St Albans to score quickly from the re-start to make it 4-1 to the hosts. Townsend finished the game with another goal through a well worked passage of play to end the game 6-2, a scoreline that definitely did not reflect the game as a whole.

The year group have massively taken on board the training sessions and have adopted a new found attitude of taking pride in how they play and how they act on the pitch and we are immensely proud of each and every one of them for the way they carried themselves throughout the game, despite it not quite going their way.

POTM: Ephraim A, for stepping up and going in goal for the team and making some incredible saves.

 

Upcoming fixtures (up until February half term):

• Tuesday 3rd February: Year 10 Netball vs STAGS (away)

• Wednesday 4^th February: Year 11 Boys Football vs Marlborough (away)

• Friday 6^th February: Year 7 Boys Football County Cup Plate Quarter Final vs Monks Walk (away)

• Tuesday 10^th February: Year 9 Netball vs Sandringham

• Wednesday 11^th February: Year 8 Netball vs NBS (home)

Miss M Jones
Head of PE

We have recently started working with the charity Hands at Work to support the community in Miswa, Zambia.

It is a long-term project, partnering with the St Albans team, including the cathedral, to establish a care point in the area. There is a team visit in February and we are making bead bracelets to be shared with the children there. Before Christmas there were around 50 children being supported and this is increasing. Year 9 are making some bracelets in school, but if you would like to make them at home as well, please send them in by Friday 30th January, either to Student Reception, Main Reception or directly to Mrs Line. They all have some lettering in them to indicate the connection between our communities, for example, Townsend – Miswa, UK – Zambia, St Albans – Miswa. The bracelets will then be blessed by Father Will Gibbs and received by our Hands at Work link, Jo Taylor, during the Year 9 communion service on Monday 2nd February. Students need to see Mr Ofori to sign up to attend the service, which will take place during afternoon form time. For further information on the charity’s project, go to http://handsatwork.org/zambia/miswa

Many thanks

Mrs H Line
Deputy Headteacher

Please note that foil trays for Food Tech classes can now be purchased from our school shop.

The foil trays will cost 20p each and can be purchased with either cash or card.

Thank you,

Mrs J Johnson