We are seeking to appoint an aspirational leader of English with a passion for the subject, and a driving ambition to continue to raise standards at all key stages and to lead our committed team forward.

English is a key subject in the school where standards are high and expectations for behaviour and achievement are strong throughout the department and colleagues support each other effectively. The English department has consistently high results at GCSE level that reflect the strength of the department and the commitment of the students.

We want students of all abilities to enjoy the subject throughout the school. Teachers are incredibly supportive of each other in our school, and we have a lovely purposeful, caring and sharing attitude among the staff, and with supportive but real academic rigor and challenge for students. 

To teach across the age and ability range, as and when experience allows, and to provide a learning environment that enables all students to make progress regardless of their starting points.

The English team collaborate to ensure high quality teaching and ideas are constantly shared across the department, work alongside each other to ensure the resources are maintained and of the highest standard and updated in line with expectations of specifications at all key stages. All students and teachers at Townsend have iPads to support teaching and learning in the classroom.

About the School  

Townsend is a relatively small and very friendly school with a great atmosphere, circa 800 on roll, including a Sixth Form. Townsend is rated Good by Ofsted (January 2024) in all areas. In our last SIAMS inspection (May 2024), it was found that we are living up to our foundation as a Church school.

Townsend Church of England School is situated on a large, green site between St Albans and Harpenden, and welcomes applicants from people of all faiths and of no faith. Children who attend Townsend live in St Albans and Harpenden, as well as other towns in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire, including Welwyn Garden City, Hemel Hempstead and Luton.

Townsend has evolved at pace in recent years with a clear ambition to be a school which provides the highest quality education that a setting can. Our outcomes have improved with children making good progress in their qualifications as well as maintaining a caring and supportive environment. Opportunities to enrich the curriculum have increased recently with school visits to France, Italy, Poland and America. Townsend has also embraced the best technology available by becoming an Apple school in September 2024, which has seen all students provided with access to an iPad. We are also improving the fabric of the building with integrated learning spaces and plans to develop the sports and technology facilities.

Townsend believes that educating the whole child is key to a successful education. The Bible-based vision of Love Your Neighbour underpins all we do. Students are taught to respect and care for themselves and each other, and Townsend’s supportive environment encourages them to make the most out of their journey through Secondary School. 

Although this is a Church School you do not have to adhere to the Christian faith to work here, but you must be in sympathy with our work and be able to support the aspects that give us our distinctive character as a Church of England School. 

Headteacher, Mr Anthony Flack is excited by the opportunity to make Townsend, ‘The first choice secondary school for all’.

Friendly and welcoming, Townsend impresses with its calm learning environment and caring staff. To find out more about the school, please visit our website for more details https://townsend.herts.sch.uk/

We reserve the right to move to shortlisting and interviews when we have viable  applications.

If you would like additional information or to discuss this vacancy - please email the school (recruitment@townsend.herts.sch.uk) for the attention of Mr Flack (Headteacher), or Mrs Llewellyn (Senior Deputy Headteacher), and we can either email a reply or telephone you if you leave a contact number.

Townsend CofE School is committed to the safeguarding of all students and all staff appointed are subject to the usual teaching vetting and compliance checks that include DBS checks, two satisfactory references, confirmation of identity, qualifications, and barred list checks.

Following the shortlisting stage, and before making a final decision, the school will collect and process information publicly available about you by conducting a brief online search using an internet search engine. We do this to ensure that the school acts in accordance with its obligations set out in Keeping Children Safe in Education.