Enrichment Day- Tuesday 14th July 2026

/in /by

I am pleased to announce the details of this year’s Enrichment Day, which will take place on Tuesday 14th July.

Each year group has been allocated a trip for the day. The trips are as follows:

  • Year 7: Legoland
  • Year 8: Chessington
  • Year 9: Southend
  • Year 10: Thorpe Park
  • Year 12: London Dungeons

There will also be a range of on-site activities available for pupils who do not wish to attend a trip. These activities include:

  • Multi-sports
  • Arts and crafts
  • Film viewings

To secure your child’s place on their allocated trip, payment must be made by Friday 12th June on School Gateway.

Year Group
Trip
Leave School
Return to school
Cost
Cost with Annual Pass
7
LegoLand
9:00am
4:30pm
£30.00
£16.25
8
Chessington
9:00am
6:15pm
£38.00
£19.50
9
Southend- Adventure Island
9:00am
5:00pm
£31.00
£18.50
10
Thorpe Park
9:00am
6:00pm
£39.00
£17.00
Sixth Form
London Dungeons
Students make their own way to London
£15.10
N/A

If your child holds an annual pass for the venue, they are still required to pay the full amount initially. Once evidence of the valid annual pass has been provided, we will arrange a refund of the relevant difference.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact.

Mr M Armitage
Assistant Headteacher

Homework Club

/in /by

Please note that there is no Homework Club on Thursday 25th June due to Staff Training and Tuesday 23rd June due to Year 6 Transition Evening.

 

Poem for MP Daisy Cooper

/in /by

After hosting a viewing of a new Friends of the Earth film, Savages, which highlighted the plight of indigenous peoples and wildlife at the forefront of deforestation.

Amanda Yorwerth informed us of her going to see our local MP Daisy Cooper on Friday 5th June as part of the Day of Action and invited us to contribute something for her to take on her visit, this poem was written by Stan in 7Y:

‘In the whispers of the trees where gentle breezes play,

nature sings her melodies in vibrant green array,

mountains stand with ancient grace, rivers dance and flow,

with every leaf a soft embrace a world we must not flow,

protect the earth, our only home with every small endeavour,

together we’ll let beauty bloom and cherish it forever.’

 

Miss C Reynolds
Sustainability Lead and Duke of Edinburgh Co-ordinator

Sixth Form Absences 

/in /by

If your child is in Sixth Form and is unable to attend the school day, please let us know by phoning our attendance line or by reporting their absence via Edulink or emailing attendance@townsend.herts.sch.uk 

If we are not aware of your child’s absence, then their absence will be recorded as unauthorised. 

 

Thank you,
Attendance Team

Careers in the Army

/in /by

The Army are running a series of “Meet Your Army” events designed to give parents and students a clear, honest insight into Army careers.

You can register for any of the sessions below by clicking on the links:

May:

Title: Breaking down the Army Assessment

Date & Time: Tuesday 26 May 18:00 – 19:00

Register Now

 

June:

Title: Serving as LGBTQ+ In the British Army

Date & Time: Tuesday 9 June 18:00 – 19:00

Register Now

 

Title: Joining the Army Series: Officer

Date & Time: Tuesday 23 June 18:00 – 19:00

Register Now

 

July:

Title: Joining the Army Series: Soldier

Date & Time: Wednesday 1 July 18:00 – 19:00

Register Now

 

Title: Virtual Harrogate Open Day

Date & Time: Wednesday 8 July 18:00 – 19:00

Register Now

 

These sessions are a great opportunity for students to:

  • Explore career pathways and apprenticeships
  • Hear directly from serving soldiers
  • Build confidence in making informed next steps

 

Mrs K Davey
Assistant Headteacher

Talk at Townsend

/in /by

At Townsend, we use a variety of opportunities in lessons and in enrichment activities to develop oracy skills for our students.

Oracy is the ability to articulate ideas, develop understanding, and engage with others through spoken language – essentially the skill of listening, speaking and communicating effectively. We want students to be able to learn through structured talk, to be heard and to have a voice in a busy world.

How can you harness and practise these oracy skills at home?

Parents can develop oracy skills at home by encouraging children to answer in full sentences, asking open-ended “why” and “how” questions, and actively listening without interrupting. Daily routines like family meals and car rides provide natural, low-pressure environments to practice expressing thoughts, expanding vocabulary, and debating ideas

Some practical ways to use oracy at home:

  • Storytelling & Role-Play: Take turns making up a story by adding one sentence each or ask your child to retell their favourite book in their own words.
  • Family Debates: Hold friendly debates during dinner (e.g., “Should we have pizza or pasta tonight?”). Encourage your child to persuade you by providing strong reasons for their choice.
  • “Teach Me” Sessions: Let your child become the expert and teach you about a topic they love, such as dinosaurs, a video game, or a hobby.
  • Play Oracy Games: Board games like Articulate, Guess Who, or simple, quick games like Would You Rather naturally build descriptive vocabulary and listening skills.
  • Audiobooks & Discussion: Listen to Audiobooks together and discuss the plot, character choices, or new vocabulary words afterwards.

Mrs M Buckland
Assistant Headteacher

Recent Sixth Form Updates

/in /by

Year 12 Sixth Form students had the privilege of welcoming an Oddballs Foundation ambassador to deliver an important and engaging talk on testicular cancer awareness as part of their RSE education.

Students learned about the signs and symptoms to look out for, the importance of regular self-checks, and how early detection can save lives. The session encouraged open and honest conversations, helping to break down stigma around men’s health.

A huge thank you to the Oddballs team for delivering such a powerful and informative session — giving our students knowledge and confidence that could make a real difference.

In the second part of students LFL lessons this week, Y12 were introduced to the UCAS process, which signals the start of exploring Post 18 options for Y12s this summer term. It is extremely important that if your child wishes to apply for University, they must complete their UCAS profile (explanation of how to do this was given out in the lesson). We will be working on personal statements in due course. Below are the key dates from UCAS, however, there will be internal checking dates given out in due course.

Please spend time with your child exploring their University options using the Unifrog or UCAS websites.

Key Dates:

Early Application 15th October 2026- Students who wish to apply for Oxford/Cambridge, Medicine, Dentistry

Equal Consideration Deadline – 13th  January

Mr M Tominey
Head of Sixth Form

Online Safety

/in /by

As the digital world grows more and more complicated, Kids World Online, has a huge amount of information and support guidance for parents.

Please take a look at what they offer so that you are able to support your children when using online platforms.

https://www.kidsonlineworld.com/parents–carers.html

 

Ms L Gibbons
Assistant Headteacher

 

 

Abbey service day – Tuesday 19th May

/in /by

As mentioned in Mr Flack’s letter to parents and carers last week, our next whole school cathedral service is Tuesday 19th May.

Year 11 and 13 are not expected to attend, but are very welcome if they wish to do so. All other students are expected to attend.

Our service will begin at 2pm and end around 3pm. Please ensure your child knows how they are getting home directly from the Abbey. Motts and Barnetts buses will be running as usual with students meeting in the seats at the front of the Abbey at the end of the service.

Guests are welcome to attend the service, please do book your seats with Mrs Jennison by emailing: admin@townsend.herts.sch.uk

 

Mrs H Line
Deputy Headteacher

Online Events in May for students and parents/guardians – University of Hertfordshire  

/in /by

Please see the below message from University of Hertfordshire.

We’re excited to invite you to our series of online events taking place in May- designed to support students, parents/guardians and anyone exploring their next steps in education.

Please see below for what’s coming up.

Students and parents/guardians can sign up to attend here.

Topic: Parent/Guardian Information Evening: Introduction to the application process and Student Finance

Date: Thursday 14th May

Time: 19:00-20:30

This session is aimed at Y12 Parents/Guardians and will be particularly useful for parents who did not attend university themselves. Parents/Guardians of Y13 are also welcome to attend. This is the same session we ran in the Autumn.

Topic: The Perils of Power Posing Research

Date: Wednesday 20th May 2026

Time: 16:30-17:15

You may have heard of research claiming that standing in a “power pose” can make you feel more powerful, act more confident, and feel less stressed. However, is this really true? In this session, we’ll discuss some of the issues with the “power posing” research in psychology and talk about what your posture really says about you.

Topic: Clearing: Everything you need to know

Date: Thursday 21st May

Time: 16:30-17:15

Clearing can be a great opportunity to find that perfect place. There are many reasons why you might choose this route: a change of mind about the course/university, needing a plan B, being a new applicant. Let us guide you through the process, so that you are ready, if you decide to use it.

Mr M Tominey
Head of Sixth Form

Term Dates News Policies Accessibility Statement Work With Us

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