Participation is optional, however, if you feel this would benefit your child, please encourage them to sign up for Communion with Mr Ofori. This service will take place on Monday 12th January at 2pm and is for Year 7 students only.
Mr F Ofori
Head of Religious Studies
Year 7 Boys Football – County Cup Plate:
After what seemed like an age since our last match and almost daily enquiries from the boys asking when their next match is, we finally arrived at our much anticipated second round fixture in the District Plate. The Year 7 Boys have been improving with each performance this season as we learn about them as players. Crucially there is a lot of enthusiasm in the Year 7’s for representing the School and most of the squad play for local football clubs at the weekend. Our second-round match in the District Plate competition offered another opportunity to slightly rotate our squad to give as many students as possible an opportunity to wear the shirt with pride. This match saw Lucas C make his debut in Purple for the School and a strong debut it was too as he never gave up the ball and always look to make the right pass.
Our opponents were Hertswood Academy, who with a school roll of over 1,200 students were nearly double our size and with an onsite 3G also boasted superb training facilities. With their imposing modern building and spacious car park the boys asked if Hertswood were an independent school. The boys felt like they were in a 3rd round FA Cup clash where they were non-League outsiders arriving at the World-famous state of the art Hill Dickenson Stadium. We took a strong squad of 12 to Hertswood for this fixture to give us plenty of energy off the bench.
Townsend opted for a 3-4-1 formation against what looked like an attacking 2-4-2 from Hertswood. It was clear the game would be won or lost in the center of the park. Thankfully Trey B-L and Dario P both started exceptionally in centre midfield. Their energy and strong tackling, combined with quick passing out wide, meant Townsend started the stronger of the two sides. Along with Isaac M who also stepped into midfield when needed from his center back berth their combined dominance in centre midfield gave flashbacks of Joe Parkinson, John Ebbrell and Barry Horne during their ‘Dogs of War‘ era during the mid 1990s under the legendary Joe Royle. Our third corner of the game saw right back Jacob N cleverly offering himself a short corner to keep our deception levels high. His whipped in ball was dangerous, and Trey B-L was on hand to smash home a sliced clearance to open the scoring for Townsend.
We know from previous games it is going to take some top level defenders to keep top scorer Nathan P quiet and he was soon released down the right hand side by captain Joshua N’D where, advancing to the corner of the penalty box, Nathan unleashed an angled right foot thunderbolt of a strike that gave the goalkeeper no chance from 15 yards and the goal needing to be put back into position such was the power. It was a strike Yakubu Aiyegbeni in his Goodison heyday would’ve fully appreciated. Trey B-L is now purring in the midfield engine room and bristling with confidence. A few minutes after Nathan’s first strike he disposed his opposite number, skipped round two players before getting his head up and releasing Nathan down the left-hand side this time. After driving into the box Nathan then used his left foot to angle his shot across the keeper and into the far corner. 3-0 up and Townsend looked strong!
On came our own version of the bomb squad halfway through the half, but it was Hertwood who got the next goal. They refused to give the game up and won a couple of freekicks on the edge of the box that saw Rhys E-T fly through the air to save the first at full stretch and then make a Jordan Pickford-esque double save for the second. The second half saw Hertswood start positively and they were rewarded for their endeavour when the referee gave a dubious goal that Rhys E-T seemed to save before it crossed the line. However, the referee’s opinion is the only one that matters so with the goal given Townsend needed to regroup quickly to avoid Hertswood getting the wind in their sails. Luckily Josh N’D was on hand at the kickoff to once again release the impressive Nathan P down the right-hand side where, from slightly further out and from an even more acuate angle, he unleashed a second thunderbolt to seal his hattrick and put Townsend 4-1 up and firmly back in control. Nathan now has 6 goals in 3 appearances for the School. With Trey B-L moving back into defence, Dario P and Isaac M provided took it upon themselves to continue to dominate the midfield and after yet more good working regaining possession Dario drove forward before sliding a pass into the path of the ongoing Isaac L down the left who finished with aplomb. At the other end Rhys E-T managed to thwart the Hertswood striker on 3 separate 1v1 situations that drew applause and appreciation from the Townsend players and subs. With 5 minutes to go Dario P deservedly got his goals he pounced on Nathan P’s pass following more good work from captain Josh N’D to cap off his own strong performance before Hertswood got a late consolation. The Year 7 boys were deservedly very happy with their performance at the final whistle and crucially had a little more self-belief in themselves and their squad. Happy faces all round.
The match ended with a superb 6-2 win for Townsend and a place in the quarter final against either Monkswalk or Stanborough to be played before 6th February 2026.
Goals:
Nathan P – x3
Trey B-L – x1
Isaac L – x1
Dario P – x1
Player of the Match – Rhys E-T for a series of fantastic saves.
Mr P Dawson
Year 10 Boys Football – County Cup Plate
The year 10 boys faced Reach Free School in the second round of the county cup plate competition. The game started in favour of Reach Free as they converted their chances and went 2-0 part way through the first half. The Townsend team fought hard throughout the rest of the game, equalising to make it 2-2 during the second half of the match. There were then plenty of chances for both teams to nick a winner before the end of the game but neither team were able to do so, which meant the game went to penalities.
Last time out, Townsend were on the losing side of the shoot out but this time out with some great saves from Josh, they were able to win 3-2 on penalties with Morgan scoring the decisive one.
We are through to the quarter final of the county cup plate where we will play wither Sir John Henry Newman or Onslow School. Keep an eye out for this upcoming fixture.
Upcoming fixtures:
Below are the fixture that are coming up in the next 2 weeks:
Monday 12th January: Year 7 and 9 netball vs SJL (Home)
Monday 19th January: Year 7 and 10 netball vs Marlborough (venue TBC)
Below are also the upcoming county cup and district cup draws that have been made:
U12 Boys
County Cup Plate Quarter Final vs either Monks Walk / Stanborough – deadline 6/2/26
District Cup 1st Round vs Roundwoodpark School – Thursday 29th January
U13 Boys
District Cup Quarter Final vs Verulam – deadline 27/2/26
U14 Boys
County Cup Plate 2nd Round vs Bushey Meads – deadline 17/1/26
District Cup 1st Round vs Sandringham – deadline 13/2/26
U15 Boys
County Cup Plate Quarter Final vs either Sir John Henry Newman / Onslow – deadline 6/2/26
District Cup 1st Round vs STABS – deadline 13/2/26
U16 Boys
County Cup Plate 2nd Round vs Ridgeway – deadline 17/1/26
District Cup 1st Round vs Marlborough – deadline 13/2/26
U18 Boys
District Cup Quarter Final vs either St Columbas / SJL – deadline 13/3/26
Keep an eye of for more details soon.
Miss M Jones
Head of Physical Education
They can be dropped at the Art room before school from 8am (Mon-Wed) and after school.
Many thanks,
Teacher Mac
It is widely recognised that parents are the most influential force in a young person’s decision making about their future pathway. The website includes important information about your child’s options at age 16 and age 18, conversation cards to help you get started with talking to your child about careers and education, and access to other useful resources, videos and websites. To access the talking Futures website please click on the link below:
https://www.talkingfutures.org.uk/
Mrs K Davey
Assistant Headteacher
If you or your child recognises any of these items, please can they be collected by Friday 16th January, before items are donated or repurposed.
Thank you,
Student Services Team
First, we kicked off the term with our Year 7 Welcome Picnic, now in its second year. Despite some heavy rain, the event was a huge success, with families braving the weather to join in the fun. It was heart-warming to see so many students and parents enjoying food, games, and great conversations, setting a friendly and welcoming tone for the new school year.
Following that, we hosted our second annual Christmas Wreath Night, another delightful event filled with festive cheer. Guests enjoyed mulled wine, nibbles and lively conversation while creating beautiful wreaths with fresh foliage, Christmas baubles, cinnamon sticks and more. It was a relaxed evening that allowed students, parents, and staff to get creative and take home something special for the holidays.
To wrap up the term, we held our much-anticipated Christmas Shop for students. As always, it was a hit, giving students the chance to pick out gifts for friends, family and themselves.
We’re incredibly grateful for your continued support of these events. Thanks to you, we’ve been able to raise vital funds for various school departments, including the Sixth Form and the PE Department, which have already received funding this term. This would not be possible without your involvement, and we truly appreciate your generosity.
Looking ahead, we’d love to hear your thoughts on future events. As some of you may know, we had to cancel last year’s Summer Ball and Comedy Night due to low ticket sales. We want to plan events that everyone will enjoy, so please share your ideas with us! Whether you have suggestions for adult or student events, we’d love to hear from you. Simply email your ideas to PTA@townsend.herts.sch.uk
Thank you once again for your ongoing support and for making our school community such a vibrant and welcoming place. We look forward to seeing you at future events.
Warm regards and have a wonderful Christmas.
The PTA Team
The wide range of students receiving certificates for their dedication, commitment and progress this term, as nominated by their teachers, is a real testament to the excellent transition Year 12 have made into Sixth Form and the continued efforts of Year 13 to build on their progress throughout the year.
We were also delighted to welcome back two former students to present the certificates. Mason, who is now studying Politics with Law at the University of Liverpool, is a staunch supporter of the school and regularly returns to speak with our Sixth Form students. Aaron, currently in his second year of an apprenticeship with leading firm MBDA, has also visited on numerous occasions to speak with our Business and Economics students, showing a genuine commitment to supporting those who are following in the same footsteps he once did. We are extremely grateful to both Mason and Aaron for their ongoing support.
On behalf of the whole Sixth Form team, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a restful break.
Mr M Tominey
Head of Sixth Form
The Youth Commission on Police and Crime provides a platform for young people to influence the future of policing and crime prevention in their local area.
During these workshops, students were able to explore the differences between hate crimes, hate incidents, and build awareness of county lines and how to spot the signs. Students were shown how to identify the root causes of hate crime and getting involved in county lines, and were given time to discuss ideas to combat prejudice and understand the impact social media has on these topics.
Year 10 students were provided with support services to report a missing person, ways to file a report directly with Hertfordshire Constabulary and how to support their own mental health via Mind’s website – https://www.mind.org.uk/
Miss N Beades
Head of Year 10
Your child can gain direct insight into veterinary pathways with the School of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool. They will meet practising vets and learn entry routes and deepen their understanding of specialist roles. The experience will be via remote learning through Google Classroom and is being offered by Futures for All. To apply students will need to follow the link below and set up an account with Futures For All if they don’t already have one.
https://finder.futuresforall.org/opportunity-detail/9A7FE55A-89B0-4829-3098-08DE26AD79DF
Mrs K Davey
Assistant Headteacher
