Todmorden High School and Visual Arts College is a five form entry, 11-18 co-educational comprehensive school. The market town of Todmorden and the surrounding rural communities provide the catchment area for the school, and virtually all the children in the town automatically transfer to the school from its partner primary schools. In recent years a number of extra-district students from neighbouring authorities have also chosen to come to Todmorden High School for their education.
The school is situated near the centre of Todmorden on a pleasant site with its own playing fields and surrounded by hills. Todmorden is a reviving community which gives strong support to the school. It is situated on the Lancashire/Yorkshire border with easy access to both the M62 and M65 motorways and nearby metropolitan areas. The Pennine Way passes within a mile or two of the town centre and the town supports a wide variety of groups and societies.
The school has 820 students on roll, including approximately 120 in the Sixth Form. On entry students are placed into mixed ability tutor groups, and remain in that group for the five years of compulsory education. It is usual for form tutors to stay with their form throughout the school. The pastoral system is on a Key Stage basis, each having a Learning Leader (teacher) and a Learning Manager (co-professional) who work with Personal Tutors to provide personalised care, support and challenge. There is a similar team for the Sixth Form.
Academically the school is divided into nine faculties, each responsible for a major area of the curriculum. The school delivers the full range of National Curriculum subjects at Key Stage 3, and a range of options at Key Stage 4, including Vocational courses. Post-16 the school offers a variety of ‘A’ level and Vocational courses as well as a Level 2 programme. The staying on rate is increasing and the Sixth Form has a very good, and growing, reputation. Apart from in Maths, all Year 7 students start in mixed ability teaching groups, and as students progress through the school many faculties set or group students. There is Special Needs support within each faculty for students with learning difficulties.
The school offers a wide range of extra curricular activities and there is a flourishing Parents' Council. The school was first awarded Investors in People Award in 1999 and has continued to meet the standard, In September 2003 Todmorden High School became a Specialist College for the Visual Arts, which has had a major impact on the school over the past few years. We are also part of the Sports Co-ordinator Scheme and have gained International school Intermediate status. The school also holds the Healthy Schools Award and gained the Food for Life Bronze Award in 2009 as well as Flagship School status.
Results over the last 5 years show a strong and continuing upward trend.
Please watch out for our 2010 Results Analysis, which will soon be published on this site. | 
