Hertfordshire
Townsend Church of England School
Dependable results for a comprehensive intake; the journey is the main thing to weigh.
What the data says
Published data, read plainly. It tells you what to check next; it does not guarantee a place or replace your local authority’s admissions guidance.
Attainment 8 of 46.7 is close to the national average of around 46.
- 46.7
- Attainment 8
- 57%
- 5+ Eng & Maths
- 2024/2025
- Academic year
Progress is close to average or statistically uncertain because the confidence interval crosses zero. This does not necessarily mean the school adds or detracts from pupil progress.
- +0.14
- Progress 8
- [-0.10, 0.39]
- Confidence interval
Admissions realism depends on your home postcode and the school's published allocation data. Enter your postcode on this page to get a more specific assessment, and always verify the latest policy on the school's official admissions page.
This school has a Church of England religious character. Admissions may prioritise pupils who meet faith criteria. A Supplementary Information Form (SIF) may be required.
Watch-outs
- Faith admissions criteria apply (Church of England). A Supplementary Information Form may be required. Evidence of faith practice may be needed.
What to do next
- Verify the school's official admissions policy
- Download and review the Supplementary Information Form
- Book an open day or school visit
- Add this school to your shortlist and compare with backup options
Admissions and catchment
Council allocation figures
Add a postcode to see where you would sit against past cut-offs.
We have not collected Hertfordshire council’s allocation figures for this school yet. We only show a verdict when we can cite the council’s published figures. Check Hertfordshire’s admissions page for its allocation booklet.
In-year places (September 2026 to July 2027): Year 7: places available · Year 8: places available · Year 9: places available · Year 10: no places · Year 11: places available. As listed by the council on 27 September 2026 (source). Lists change daily; confirm with the council’s in-year admissions team.
Applications and offers
National offer day figures that councils report to the Department for Education. These are counts only: they do not show how far away the last child offered a place lived.
Year 7 entry
| Year of entry | Places offered | Put it first | First choices offered | Applications (any preference) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026 | 168 | 80 | 80 (100%) | 279 |
| September 2025 | 173 | 58 | 58 (100%) | 263 |
| September 2024 | 145 | 68 | 68 (100%) | 225 |
| September 2023 | 154 | 71 | 71 (100%) | 288 |
| September 2022 | 148 | 84 | 84 (100%) | 280 |
Source: Department for Education: Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, school-level data, published 18 June 2026. “–” means the figure was not published. The council’s own allocation figures are the official record: check Hertfordshire’s admissions page for cut-off distances, the admission rules and this year’s dates.
Performance over time
Attainment 8 over time
Progress 8 over time(not available 2024/25)
University destinations
Share of this school's sixth-form leavers who went on to Oxford or Cambridge, a Russell Group university, or a university in the top third by entry grades. Department for Education data for state-funded schools and colleges.
| Left sixth form | Students | Oxford or Cambridge | Russell Group | Top-third universities |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 2024-2025 tables | 45 | Not published | Not published | 7% England 19% |
| 2020/21 2023-2024 tables | 47 | Not published | Not published | 11% England 24% |
| 2019/20 2022-2023 tables | 22 | 0% England 1% | 5% England 18% | 23% England 20% |
| 2018/19 2021-2022 tables | 39 | 0% England 1% | 8% England 15% | 8% England 17% |
| 2017/18 2020-2021 tables | 46 | 0% England 1% | 24% England 16% | 24% England 18% |
| 2015/16 2018-2019 tables | 49 | 0% England 1% | 10% England 14% | 16% England 19% |
- The DfE stopped publishing Oxbridge and Russell Group shares for individual schools after the 2022-23 performance tables (students who left in 2019/20). Top-third figures continue.
- Figures are percentages of all students who finished 16 to 18 study at the school, counting those who sustained a university place in the two years after leaving.
- Rankings use the average across years weighted by the number of students; a school needs at least 2 years and 50 students to be ranked. The top-third ranking uses the latest 3 years. Ranks are among state-funded schools and colleges.
- '<0.5%' means above zero but under half a percent. 'Suppressed' means 5 or fewer students.
- Source: Department for Education, 16 to 18 progression to higher education or training (Compare school and college performance, Explore education statistics).
Historical results
| Year | Pupils | Att8 | P8 | 5+ E&M | EBacc % | EBacc APS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024/2025 | 137 | 46.7 | — | 56.9% | 16.8% | 3.9 |
| 2023/2024 | 140 | 48.2 | +0.14 | 64.3% | 13.6% | 4.0 |
| 2022/2023 | 125 | 49.0 | -0.10 | 63.0% | 19.0% | 4.2 |
| 2021/2022 | 140 | 46.5 | -0.17 | 55.0% | 9.0% | 3.9 |
Nearby and similar schools
Other secondary schools in Hertfordshire for local comparison.
School information
| URN | 117555 |
| Local authority | Hertfordshire |
| Region | East of England |
| Phase | Secondary |
| Type | Voluntary aided school |
| Gender of entry | Mixed |
| Age range | 11-18 |
| Headteacher | Headteacher Anthony Flack |
| Trust | — |
| Admissions | Non-selective |
| Religious character | Church of England |
| Postcode | AL3 6DR |
| Latest pupils | 137 |
| FSM eligible | 24.4% |
Contact and identifiers
High Oaks, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL3 6DR
http://www.townsend.herts.sch.uk/View local authority page1727853047| DfE number | 4606 |
| UKPRN | 10006966 |
| Opened | — |
| GIAS updated | 10 Mar 2026 |
Data sources and freshness
| Official record updated | 10 Mar 2026 |
| Latest KS4 year | 2024/2025 |
| Latest KS2 year | — |
| Ofsted published | — |
Latest Ofsted inspection
| Quality of education | — |
| Behaviour and attitudes | — |
| Personal development | — |
| Leadership and management | — |
| Safeguarding | — |
| Inspection type | — |
| Category of concern | — |
| Inspection date | — |
| Publication date | — |