Townsend Church of England School, St Albans

In 2026, pupils at Townsend Church of England School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 43.9, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 50.6 in Hertfordshire and 47 across England.

37% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 53% in Hertfordshire and 47% in England.

That is down from 46.7 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.14: pupils made above average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 32, against 49.3 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 17.3 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 22 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Religious Studies, Combined Science and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 80 families put Townsend Church of England School as their first choice and 279 named it as one of their preferences, for 168 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Townsend Church of England School are St Albans Girls' School (0.5 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 60.7); Sandringham School (1.5 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 65.7); Loreto College (1.6 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 56.2); and Verulam School (1.7 miles, Good, Attainment 8 54.4).

Each of them had higher 2026 results than Townsend Church of England School.

Of the 140 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 87% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 34% to a further education college, 2% to an apprenticeship and 3% into work.

Of the 45 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 53% went on to university or other higher education, 11% to apprenticeships and 20% into work. 10% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

Townsend Church of England School had 67 teachers in 2026, one for every 11 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical secondary school, at about one for every 17.

The nearest railway station is St Albans City Rail Station, about 1.7 miles away in a straight line.

5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Townsend School Grounds (in), 40 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 43 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and other theft. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Hertfordshire (138).

In 2024/25, Townsend Church of England School issued 321 suspensions, 42.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 4 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Townsend Church of England School are Margaret Wix Primary School (0.2 miles), Garden Fields Junior Mixed and Infant School (0.7 miles), Bernards Heath Junior School (0.9 miles) and Bernards Heath Infant and Nursery School (1.1 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.