Townsend church of England school review

[Bubblymumof2]

Hello Mums
Hope all are good.
we just moved back to St Albans and my DS has been offered a place at Townsend church of England shool for Yr 8. He is academically good.Does anyone know about this school?
Thanks in advance.

It’s very caring, it’s intake is more generalised than other secondaries in St Albans. New head in place who started this year.
It’s ethos is really caring, supportive and I feel focuses on the whole child not just academics.
I went there a fair few years ago, and have current friends with children who attend the school. If I lived in St. Albans now, it would be my choice.

Yes, as pp says the focus is more on the pastoral side. It is considered one of the less academic schools in St A in terms of results/destinations, but this does reflect a broader intake. I believe one boy did get into Oxbridge last year but the 6th form is fairly small.

The more academic schools (Sandringham and Beaumont historically then Samuel Ryder and Nicholas Breakspear have come up in recent times) tend to be very oversubscribed. However, if your son gets decent GCSEs and you didn’t feel Townsend was stretching him enough he could transfer for A Level.

I was a lucky recipient of Townsend’s small sixth form. Very small A level classes, a private school would struggle to compete, RG university, decent degree and I have to say my grounding at Townsend was fantastic.
Reputations for schools are not always accurate, Townsend, has always focussed upon the whole child and not just exam results, but academic rigour is just a part of the education process not the whole sum.

Looking way ahead for Secondary schools for my kids (ASD and ADHD), got a few yrs to go, but wondering which secondary schools in Hertfordshire or Buckinghamshire have really good and supportive SENCO.
I have heard about Longdean in Hemel Hempstead, but do any of you awesome mums out there have SEN kids that go to Secondary schools in those counties who can sing praises about the SENCO departments? This is all new and want to get it right.... prepared to move if the school is right. Obviously I know schools can change each year, but hoping for the best!!