Townsend Church of England School
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Townsend Church of England School is a Church of England school (voluntary aided) in St Albans for boys and girls aged 11 to 18. It has 746 pupils and room for 853. About 26 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, about the same as most schools in England. We give it 48 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 55% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2024.
High Oaks, St Albans, AL3 6DR01727 853047townsend.herts.sch.ukMr Anthony Flack headteacherAll details
What Ofsted found
A shorter visit on 24 January 2024 found nothing to change the school's grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.
Good overall. A shorter follow-up visit found nothing to change that. The last full inspection was before September 2019, which is as far back as Ofsted's public records go, so we can't show its date or the grades for each area.
Results
GCSE results, summer 2025
137 pupils sat their GCSEs. Here is how they did against every state secondary in England.
All GCSE measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2019 | 2018 | Hertfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils at the end of Year 11 | 137 | 140 | 125 | 140 | 87 | 75 | – | – |
| Average GCSE scoreAttainment 8 | 46.7 | 48.2 | 49.0 | 46.5 | 48.2 | 46.9 | 50.9 | 46.8 |
| Progress from age 11Progress 8 | – | +0.14 | -0.10 | -0.17 | +0.20 | +0.32 | – | – |
| Strong pass in English and mathsGrade 5+ in English and maths | 40% | 51% | 48% | 41% | 46% | 39% | 53% | 46% |
| Standard pass in English and mathsGrade 4+ in English and maths | 61% | 68% | 70% | 58% | 64% | 63% | 72% | 66% |
| Core subjects scoreEBacc average point score | 3.92 | 4.03 | 4.22 | 3.86 | 4.13 | 3.98 | 4.58 | 4.15 |
| Taking the core subjectsEBacc entry | 17% | 14% | 19% | 9% | 22% | 13% | 47% | 41% |
| Average GCSE score: low-income pupilsAttainment 8, disadvantaged | 36.4 | 36.6 | 39.4 | 34.1 | 41.2 | 30.9 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: other pupilsAttainment 8, non-disadvantaged | 49.3 | 51.3 | 51.1 | 51.5 | 50.4 | 48.9 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: pupils who started behindAttainment 8, low prior attainers | – | 25.7 | 29.9 | 31.7 | 24.3 | 24.4 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: pupils who started aheadAttainment 8, high prior attainers | – | 68.0 | 62.9 | 62.9 | 61.0 | 65.7 | – | – |
Subjects
Results came out for 21 GCSE subjects in 2025. Each figure is the share of pupils who got a grade 5 or better, next to the average for state secondaries in England.
Strongest subjects
Subjects that did worse than the England average: Music (30% here, 61% across England), Geography (34% here, 51% across England), Combined Science (20% here, 36% across England), Art and Design (44% here, 58% across England).
The small number is how many pupils sat each subject. Subjects with fewer than six pupils aren't published.
Every subject against England, 2025
| Subject | Entries | Grades 9 to 7 | Grades 9 to 5 | Grades 9 to 4 | England 9 to 5 | Rank in England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 135 | 22% | 49% | 70% | 53% | 1,769 of 3,211 |
| English Language | 135 | 18% | 51% | 64% | 54% | 1,688 of 3,210 |
| English Literature | 132 | 16% | 52% | 73% | 58% | 1,867 of 3,202 |
| Religious Studies | 131 | 20% | 50% | 61% | 60% | 1,357 of 1,825 |
| Combined Science | 92 | 2% | 20% | 45% | 36% | 2,641 of 3,084 |
| History | 69 | 19% | 48% | 74% | 52% | 1,753 of 3,126 |
| Business | 57 | 30% | 61% | 70% | 51% | 484 of 1,806 |
| Geography | 53 | 13% | 34% | 45% | 51% | 2,450 of 3,116 |
| Physics | 42 | 50% | 91% | 100% | 82% | 1,073 of 2,546 |
| Chemistry | 42 | 55% | 93% | 100% | 81% | 929 of 2,537 |
| Biology | 42 | 41% | 93% | 100% | 82% | 927 of 2,570 |
| Design & Technology | 32 | 25% | 63% | 78% | 50% | 421 of 1,478 |
| French | 28 | 29% | 68% | 75% | 60% | 788 of 1,974 |
| Music | 23 | 17% | 30% | 48% | 61% | 330 of 395 |
| Media / Film / TV | 18 | 17% | 50% | 78% | 55% | – |
| Physical Education | 18 | 17% | 56% | 56% | 56% | – |
| Art and Design | 18 | 22% | 44% | 56% | 58% | – |
| Computer Science | 16 | 38% | 75% | 75% | 56% | – |
| Drama | 15 | 7% | 47% | 67% | 60% | – |
| Food Preparation & Nutrition | 15 | 13% | 67% | 87% | 52% | – |
| Other Modern Languages | 6 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 49% | – |
In combined science each pupil gets two grades and we count the lower one. Rankings only include state secondaries where 20 or more pupils sat the subject.
A level and sixth-form results, 2025
37 students finished sixth-form courses.
All sixth-form measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2019 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students | 37 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 62 | 84 |
| Average A level points per entryA level APS per entry | 27.98 | 33.57 | 25.24 | 31.49 | 21.06 | 28.07 |
| Average A level grade | C- | C+ | C- | C | D | C- |
| Best three A levelsBest 3 A levels APS | 27.41 | 32.39 | 24.22 | 30.81 | 20.26 | 30.45 |
| AAB or better in subjects universities likeAAB+ in two facilitating subjects | 7% | 3% | 9% | 5% | 3% | 16% |
| A level progressA level value added | -0.02 | +0.18 | – | – | -0.41 | -0.22 |
| Applied general courses: points per entry | – | – | 27.89 | – | – | – |
| Stayed and finishedRetained and assessed | 87% | 91% | 90% | 91% | 88% | 94% |
A level subjects
8 A level subjects had results in 2025. Each figure is the share of students who got an A* to B, next to the average for state sixth forms in England. When only a handful of students take a subject, its figures jump around from year to year.
Every A level subject against England, 2025
A levels only. BTECs, T levels and other courses are in the table above. Subjects with fewer than five students aren't published.
Does every child do well here?
A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. 2 of the 3 gaps are smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.
At GCSE, 2025
Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.
Getting a place
Open to all. There is no entrance test. As a Church of England school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.
187 places were empty (20% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have stayed about the same since 2021/22.
Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Hertfordshire council's admissions booklet, send it to us.
Who goes here
Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: emotional and mental health (45), Autistic spectrum disorder (41), Specific learning difficulty (17), Moderate learning difficulty (14), language and communications needs (7), Other difficulty or disability (3).
How the mix of pupils has changed
| Census | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils on roll | 746 | 756 | 779 | 768 | 764 | 746 |
| Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals | 24% | 23% | 22% | 19% | 17% | 16% |
| Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language | 21% | 20% | 20% | 19% | 19% | 19% |
| Pupils getting extra supportSEN support | – | 23% | 21% | 18% | 16% | 13% |
| Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans | – | 3% | 3% | 2% | 2% | 2% |
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 88.5% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 91.4%.
Attendance year by year
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2018/19 | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sessions missedOverall absence | 11.5% | 12.3% | 11.3% | 11.8% | 6.5% | 5.5% | 8.6% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 8.8% | 9.8% | 9.4% | 9.5% | 4.5% | 4.2% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 2.7% | 2.5% | 1.9% | 2.3% | 2.0% | 1.2% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 32.9% | 35.3% | 36.6% | 44.2% | 18.4% | 15.3% | 23.9% |
| SuspensionsSuspension rate | 42.5 | 34.5 | 16.3 | 15.3 | 5.2 | – | – |
| Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
What pupils do next
After GCSEs
Where the 125 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.
Among pupils from low-income families it was 86%, compared with 96% for everyone else.
Earlier years
| Destination | 2022/23 leavers | 2021/22 leavers | 2020/21 leavers | 2019/20 leavers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Still in education, work or training | 94% | 92% | 92% | 98% |
| Education | 88% | 91% | 88% | 95% |
| Apprenticeship | 2% | 0% | 1% | 2% |
| Work | 4% | 1% | 4% | 1% |
| Not in education, work or training | 3% | 6% | 7% | 2% |
After sixth form
Where the 46 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.
Among pupils from low-income families it was 88%, compared with 84% for everyone else.
Where the ones heading for university went
Among students from low-income families, 43% went on to degree-level study or training and 0% to a top-third university.
Earlier years
| Destination | 2022/23 leavers | 2021/22 leavers | 2020/21 leavers | 2019/20 leavers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Still in education, work or training | 85% | 87% | 96% | – |
| Education | 57% | 57% | 81% | – |
| Apprenticeship | 2% | 9% | 2% | 3% |
| Work | 26% | 21% | 13% | – |
| Not in education, work or training | 13% | 11% | 4% | – |
Staff and money
From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.
Money
From the council school accounts, year to March 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other secondary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.
Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.
The area around the school
Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.
Nearby schools
The closest secondary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Albans Girls' School | Academy | 870 m | 1,423 | No overall grade 2024 | 89 | Compare |
| Sandringham School | Academy | 1.5 miles | 1,777 | Outstanding 2024 | 98 | Compare |
| Loreto College | Academy | 1.6 miles | 952 | No overall grade 2024 | 87 | Compare |
| Verulam School | Academy | 1.7 miles | 987 | Good 2024 | 74 | Compare |
| Beaumont School | Academy | 2.3 miles | 1,722 | No overall grade 2025 | 96 | Compare |
| The Marlborough Science Academy | Academy | 2.5 miles | 1,337 | Good 2023 | 40 | Compare |
| Samuel Ryder Academy | Academy | 2.8 miles | 1,577 | Report card 2026 | 83 | Compare |
| Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School | Academy | 3.0 miles | 1,134 | Outstanding 2023 | 95 | Compare |
Compared with schools like it
Our score compares Townsend Church of England School with the 22 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 22 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.
Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher
Of those 22 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Townsend Church of England School, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barclay Academy | Academy | 11.5 miles | 1,044 | Good 2023 | 62 | Compare |
How the score was worked out
The score is out of 100. A 48 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 48% of secondary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 37 to 59. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.
| What we looked at | How much it counts | Against schools like it | Effect on the score | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results over three years | 20% | in line | -0.02 | 2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 137 pupils |
| Ofsted inspection | 20% | in line | +0.02 | Ofsted grade, 2.6 years old |
| Progress pupils make | 20% | in line | +0.02 | DfE progress measure; 137 pupils |
| Direction of travel over five years | 10% | in line | 0.00 | results and attendance falling year on year |
| Attendance and behaviour | 10% | below | -0.10 | 2024/25; 708 pupils |
| Results, allowing for the mix of pupils | 10% | in line | +0.03 | Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 137 pupils |
| What pupils do next | 5% | in line | +0.02 | 125 pupils |
| What parents say | 0% | no data | – |
Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.
Questions parents ask
Is Townsend Church of England School a good school?
It is about average. Townsend Church of England School scores 48 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 55% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 37 to 59, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.
What is Townsend Church of England School's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted rated Townsend Church of England School good at its last full inspection on 24 January 2024.
How good are Townsend Church of England School's GCSE results?
In summer 2025, 40% of pupils got a grade 5 or better in both English and maths. Across England it was 46%. Its Attainment 8 score, which is the average grade across a pupil's best eight subjects times ten, was 46.7, against 46.8 for England. In each subject, pupils here finished a little ahead of children across England who started secondary school at the same level.
How many pupils does Townsend Church of England School have?
746 pupils aged 11 to 18 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 853 places, so it is 87% full.
Is Townsend Church of England School oversubscribed?
Probably not. 187 places were empty in 2024/25 (20% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.
What is attendance like at Townsend Church of England School?
Pupils were in school 88.5% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 91.4%. 33% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
How big are the classes at Townsend Church of England School?
The average class had 17.4 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 22.8. 5% of classes had more than 30 pupils.
Does Townsend Church of England School have a sixth form?
Yes. The average A level grade in 2025 was C-. 8 A level subjects had results in 2025; the full list is in the results section.
These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.
Contact and details
- Address
- High Oaks, St Albans, AL3 6DR
- Telephone
- 01727 853047
- Website
- www.townsend.herts.sch.uk
- Headteacher
- Mr Anthony Flack
- Type of school
- Church of England school (voluntary aided) (Voluntary aided school, local authority maintained schools)
- Phase
- Secondary school, ages 11-18, with sixth form
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Church of England, Diocese of St Albans
- Local authority
- Hertfordshire
- Ward
- Batchwood
- Constituency
- Harpenden and Berkhamsted
- Setting
- Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
- URN
- 117555 · LAESTAB 9194606 · UKPRN 10006966
Recent changes
- New KS4 results for 2024/25
Where these figures come from
- School details: Department for Education, Get Information About Schools, refreshed daily (this page rebuilt 13 September 2026).
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, monthly; latest publication in our data 27 August 2026.
- GCSE results: DfE key stage 4 performance tables, 2024/25 final.
- Attendance: DfE pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25 full year.
- Pupil characteristics: DfE school census, January 2026.
- Staff: DfE school workforce census, November 2025.
- Class sizes: DfE schools, pupils and their characteristics, January 2026.
- Pupil premium: DfE allocations and conditions of grant, 2026 to 2027.
- Money: DfE financial benchmarking and insights tool, consistent financial reporting 2024/25.
- A level subjects: DfE A level and other 16 to 18 results, subject entries and grades, 2024/25.
- Neighbourhood: police.uk street-level crime, HM Land Registry price paid data, NaPTAN bus stops, English Indices of Deprivation 2025.
- All under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Full list and update calendar.