Discover Your Community at the Cathedral Community Showcase!

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Saturday 24 October | 11.00am – 3.00pm | St Albans Cathedral

Townsend Church of England School will be taking part in this year’s Cathedral Community Showcase, and we’d love to see our families there!

Come and visit the Townsend stall and explore more than 70 local charities, support services and community organisations all under one roof. Whether you’re looking for activities, support, volunteering opportunities or simply want to find out what’s available in the local area, there is something for everyone.

This is a wonderful opportunity to: ✅ Meet local charities and community groups
✅ Discover services and support for families
✅ Learn about volunteering and community opportunities
✅ Enjoy the beautiful surroundings of St Albans Cathedral

We look forward to welcoming parents, carers and students to what promises to be a fantastic community event.

📍 St Albans Cathedral
📅 Saturday 24 October
⏰ 11.00am – 3.00pm

Come along, say hello to the Townsend team, and discover the amazing organisations making a difference across our local community. 💜

Free EBSNA Support Group – St Albans

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Families affected by Emotionally Based School Non-Attendance (EBSNA) are invited to join a free, welcoming support group at the Pioneer Club in St Albans.

Whether you are looking for advice, encouragement, or simply the opportunity to connect with others who understand the challenges of EBSNA, this weekly group provides a safe and supportive environment for young people and their families.

What to expect:

  • A safe space for young people and families
  • Support, friendship and fun
  • Informal drop-in sessions
  • Tea, snacks and conversation
  • Opportunities to connect with others and access support

When: Every Wednesday during term time, 1.00pm to 3.00pm
Where: The Pioneer Club, St Albans, AL3 5AY
Cost: Free

The group is delivered by Vista Support Services, Step Forward, and The Pioneer Club and aims to help families take positive steps forward together.

We encourage any family affected by school attendance anxiety or EBSNA to come along and find out more. No booking is required; simply drop in and join us.

Coram Family Lives Autumn Term Workshops

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Townsend families are invited to take part in a series of free online workshops delivered by Coram Family Lives, designed to support parents, carers and family members with a range of common parenting challenges. These practical and informative sessions provide advice, strategies and resources to help children and young people thrive.

What’s Cookin’ at School? 🍽️

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We are delighted to share the first edition of What’s Cookin’ at School, a new magazine from our catering provider, HCL, designed to keep parents and carers informed about school food, nutrition, healthy eating, and the exciting work happening behind the scenes to provide nutritious meals for our students.

Alongside the parent magazine, HCL has also created Curious Corner, a fun-filled publication for children featuring food-themed activities, recipes, competitions and learning opportunities.

In this edition, you can discover:

  • Information about school meals and nutrition
  • Updates on Free School Meal eligibility
  • Insights into plant-based menu options
  • Information about food standards and allergy management
  • Healthy eating tips and family-friendly recipes and activities

We hope you enjoy reading these publications and learning more about how nutritious, balanced meals help support our students throughout the school day.

Download the magazines below:

What’s Cookin’ At School

Curious Corner

Happy reading! 📖

Volunteers Needed for Year 13 Mock Interviews

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🎓 Can you spare a couple of hours to help prepare our students for their future?

Townsend Church of England School is seeking volunteers to support our Year 13 Mock Interview Morning on Thursday 22 October.

If you have experience of interviewing candidates, or know someone who does, we would love to hear from you.

Mock interviews provide our students with invaluable real-world experience, helping them to build confidence, develop their interview skills, and prepare for university, apprenticeship and employment opportunities. Your support could make a real difference as they take their next steps beyond Townsend.

📅 Date: Thursday 22 October
⏰ Time: A couple of hours during the morning
📍 Location: Townsend Church of England School, St Albans

If you are able to help, or can recommend a colleague, friend or family member who may be interested, please get in touch:

📧 admin@townsend.herts.sch.uk

Thank you for supporting our students and helping us inspire the next generation as they prepare for life after school. 💜💛

Year 8 HPV Vaccinations – 8 October

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A reminder that the Year 8 HPV vaccination programme will take place in school on Thursday 8 October.

To help your child feel comfortable and prepared, please ensure they:

  • Eat breakfast before school.
  • Stay well hydrated.
  • Wear a short-sleeved top under their uniform if possible.
  • Speak to a member of staff if they are feeling anxious or unwell.

The HPV vaccine helps protect against HPV-related cancers and is routinely offered to all Year 8 students. Further information can be found in the parent information leaflet previously shared by the immunisation team.

UKHSA_12609_Easy_Read_HPV_vaccine_information

If you have any questions about the HPV vaccination, need to discuss consent, or would like to arrange a catch-up appointment, please contact the Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust School Aged Immunisation Service on 0300 555 5055.

Thank you for your support.

GCSE Revision Guides Available to Order Through School

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To support our Year 11 students as they prepare for their GCSE examinations, we are offering a range of GCSE Revision Guides and revision resources for purchase through the school.

Order your revision resources now by completing the Revision Guide Order Form by Wednesday 7 October. This is a great opportunity to purchase high-quality revision materials at discounted prices through a single school order.

Once we have received your form, we will calculate the total cost of your order and email you with the details. The amount will then be added to School Gateway for payment. After payment has been received, the school will place a bulk order the following week.

By ordering through the school, students can benefit from discounted prices on many resources, including revision guides, workbooks and revision cards.

We aim to ensure that all materials are received in time to support Year 11 students with preparation for their trial examinations in November.

Action Required

✅ Complete the Revision Guide Order Form by Wednesday 7 October to secure your order.

Get Active This Half Term! 🚶‍♀️🚴‍♂️🛴

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As part of our Active Travel Campaign, we’re encouraging all students to make their journey to and from school more active this half term.

Whether it’s walking, cycling or scooting, even small changes can make a big difference to your health, wellbeing and the environment. Active travel is a great way to start the day feeling energised and ready to learn.

How Can You Get Involved?

✅ Walk to school

✅ Cycle to school

✅ Scoot to school

✅ Try a “Drop and Stroll”

If walking, cycling or scooting the whole journey isn’t possible, why not make part of your journey active? You could:

  • Get off the bus one stop earlier and walk the rest of the way.
  • Ask to be dropped off at the bottom of High Oaks and enjoy a short walk to school.

How does it works?

Staying Safe

Students who cycle or scoot to school must wear appropriate safety equipment, including a helmet. Please ensure your bike or scooter is roadworthy and that you follow the Highway Code at all times.

Every Step Counts!

Active travel helps improve fitness, boosts wellbeing, reduces traffic congestion around school and supports a greener future for everyone.

This half term, challenge yourself to swap one journey a week for a more active one. You might be surprised at the difference it makes!

Let’s get moving and make active travel part of our daily routine! 🌟🚶‍♂️🚴‍♀️🛴

 

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High Oaks, St. Albans, Hertfordshire, AL3 6DR | Tel: 01727 853047 | Email: admin@townsend.herts.sch.uk