Supporting Links is offering a FREE in-person six-week "Talking Teens" course designed to help parents and carers navigate the challenges of parenting 12-19 year olds. It's open to all parents, carers, grandparents, and guardians in Hertfordshire,and will be held on Wednesdays, 7.00 - 9.00pm, from 26th February to 2nd April 2025 at the Gade Community Room, Oakleaf Primary School, Hemel Hempstead. The course will explore the teenage brain, explaining the physical and emotional changes that influence behaviour. It delves deeper into the connection between behaviour and difficult feelings, offer practical strategies for maintaining strong communication, discuss understanding and navigating risk-taking behaviours along with providing effective techniques and tools for conflict resolution. Don't miss this valuable opportunity to gain insights and connect with other parents and carers. For more information and to secure your space please click the links provided.

Miss E Weston

British Science Week is here! 

British Science Week is a national week celebrating all things Science. It runs from 7th-16th March, and is full of fantastic activities for students to develop or discover their passions for science. 

Staff are hosting talks and workshops across the week, which students can sign up to attend on SOCS. For sixth formers, we have three industry professionals coming in to deliver talks about their careers. We have also secured places for Yr 10 on a Physics Masterclass run by the National Space Academy, aimed at students who are considering further study of Physics after GCSEs. 

BSW are running a national poster competition, sponsored by the NHS and UCL, investigating and researching solutions into improving the health of air inside our school buildings. Full details of how to enter are on students’ google classrooms. Potential prizes include a WWF Adoption Pack!

An annual highlight of British Science Week is our fantastic Chemistry Show, delivered by Mr Reynolds and Mrs Haseler! Purchase your tickets on the Sandpit website for an evening of brilliant demonstrations and experiments! Thursday 13th March at 6pm - see you there! 

Check out the full timetable - make sure you sign up for something!

A big thank you in advance to Mr Richardson, Mr Hill, Mr Neville, Miss Reader, Mr Powell, Mrs Gillan and Mr Beech for hosting a student workshop!

Mrs K Cooper

The German Exchange was hugely successful on so many levels this year. I would like to thank Ros Ellis, Dipa Shingadia, Dr Flatau Brown and Helga Samler for their hard work and support on this brilliant trip. Our colleagues in the Dietrich Bohnhoeffer Gymnasium were fabulous, and as ever, and the students’ behaviour was exemplary. They did themselves proud. Well done everybody.

One of our students has written an article to tell us all about their experience - R Tune (9A) says; "On Monday I returned together with 29 other Sandringham students from years 9 and 10 from a week-long exchange visit to Quickborn which is a town near Hamburg in the North of Germany. 

We started the trip by spending a day in the school my exchange partner attends in Quickborn, the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Gymnasium. It was interesting observing the similarities and differences between it and Sandringham. For example: they do not have a school uniform, they have one large building in which all their classes are held instead of the many different blocks we have in Sandringham and many people go home for lunch because school begins and ends at an earlier time.  I attended classes in Art (Kunst), Chemistry (Chemie), French (Französisch) and PE (Sport) which were all taught in German. It was at times confusing when everyone was speaking a language different from my native one, especially when trying to understand some chemical processes which I have not yet encountered at school myself, but also rewarding being able to communicate with the German students and understand parts of what they were learning. 

As a group all the English and German students visited Lüneburg. This was a beautiful town filled with old buildings that made its money from the production of salt and the mining has led to some of the houses becoming crooked. The town had many quirky features like one house with bulging walls and a leaning church spire.

All the English students also went on a boat trip to see the harbour in Hamburg, which was very interesting. We also did Escape Rooms in groups with our Exchange Partners. Then all the students had unique experiences outside the school programme with the host families. I went to see a concert on Friday night at the Elbphilharmonie (a famous concert hall in Hamburg with striking modern architecture) which was incredible. I also went to the Baltic Sea at the weekend and watched a German children’s film with my Exchange family.

One of the highlights of my stay, as well as getting to experience daily life in Quickborn, was spending time with my Exchange family, interacting with them in German, playing games with them and hearing them talk to each other. It was an incredible experience and one that I will remember for years to come. I learnt so much and I would recommend doing an exchange to anyone interested in pursuing a foreign language.

The trip was carefully arranged by Frau Kincaid and Frau Kranz from DBG in Germany. I am grateful to them for giving me such a great opportunity."

R Tune

The Dance department are already missing all the fun and excitement everyone experienced during show week and the performances. This year's show was spectacular and we can't thank everyone enough for who came to support the show, helping backstage, Mr Neville for all the Oscar awards, Miss Arif for Cheer this year, Sandpit and tech team for being incredible with their ideas and organising the raised platform, and finally to the amazing dancers who took part. One to remember! 

Ms A Davies

A final reminder before the deadline - please can families support their year 10 students in adding their private work experience placement details to Unifrog by Tuesday 11th March.  For those unable to find a placement, please don't worry, further support for this will be provided later in March.

Mrs C Eady

On Tuesday this week, the whole of Yr 10 had the opportunity to visit the University of Hertfordshire. Students were able to go on a tour of the campus, as well as hear about university life with talks from staff and students ambassadors. The talks included a workshop entitled “Why go to Uni?”. The students were a credit to the school and many of them have fed back that they really enjoyed the day. We hope that it has helped them as part of considering their options for the future.

Ms C Eady

Well done to all the students who entered the Royal Academy Young artsits Summer Exhibition Competition.

We were so impressed with your dedication and enthusiasm to create a unique piece of Art photography or textiles, as you can see with some of the entries submitted. With over 250,000 entries we will have to wait and see if anyone from the school gets selected. We will let you know when the judging has taken place. All students will receive 10 house points for entering. Good luck!

Ms S Gidden

We’re Hiring! Come and be part of our fantastic team here at Sandringham! We’re currently looking for:

- Display and Publications Co-ordinator

If you, or anyone you know would like to be part of our passionate and dedicated team, please visit here for more information and to apply.

Mrs T Dowling

Reading Reflections Display

For our latest reading display we reached out to all staff at Sandringham and asked them to reflect on a book that has impacted their life in some way. It is hoped that this exercise will enable conversations about reading, whilst getting the students to reflect on their own reading journey too. We’ve had some fantastic contributions discussing favourite childhood reads and books which have formed and shaped ways of thinking. We continue to see many students in library lessons who are reading books that have been recommended by friends and family members – Judy Blume seems to have been instrumental in turning many parents and carers into readers for example! Why not take a moment this weekend to discuss your favourite books? We’d be delighted to hear your thoughts and recommendations which can be emailed directly to us for addition to the display.

Mrs S Thomas

The Puzzle of the Week is a Mathematics challenge run weekly. This week's puzzle is shown above. For every entry you will receive 1 house point, if you answer correctly you will win 2 house points and if you are the fastest person to answer the puzzle correctly then you will win 5 house points!  To enter, simply scan the QR code and fill out the google form.  Good luck! Why not play at home and see who is the quickest to get the answer?

Mr J Hill

Last weekend, the Visual Arts team took 29 Yr 12 and 13 students to Liverpool to visit its many galleries and museums. We boarded the train very early on Saturday morning and students made the most of their journey by sketching each other as we travelled. 

After admiring St Georges Hall, where scenes from Fantastic Beasts were filmed, our first stop was the Walker Gallery and, in particular, its stunning sculpture collection. We then went next door to the World Museum which gave plenty of photography opportunities, especially in the aquarium.

After lunch we explored the shops (including the world’s biggest Lush!) before sketching and photographing at the Mersey waterfront in the beautiful late afternoon light. We finished the day with a group meal and then head to our hotel for the evening. 

We were up bright and early on Sunday morning for a fascinating tour of the Liver Building which included climbing 143 steps to the very top. Fuelled by the hotel breakfast buffet, everyone made short work of this! Our efforts were rewarded with the most amazing views of the City, the Mersey and even over to Mount Snowdon. Next on the agenda were the Open Eye Gallery, The Tate and Museum of Liverpool. On the train home there was less sketching and more snoozing following a jam packed couple of days. We would like to thank the students for enthusiastically experiencing the fantastic Liverpool Arts scene and of course their outstanding behaviour. 

Ms E Ross

On Thursday we held our annual Presentation Evening to celebrate the achievements of our students who have completed their Duke of Edinburgh Award in the past year. This year saw the highest number of Awards achieved in the history of the school’s unit- 139 Bronze Awards, 54 Silver Awards and 17 Gold Awards- 210 in total.

Families were invited to see their young people receive their certificates and badges. Our Gold recipients received a certificate of recognition from the school as they will receive their official certificate at Gold Presentation events which will take place at either Buckingham Palace or St James Palace. It was a lovely evening to recognise the commitment, resilience and perseverance of our young people and as a DofE unit, we are very proud of you all. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all the staff and volunteers in the wider school community who support our participants in their activities.

Ms A Cuneen

Tomorrow,on March 8th, we join the world in celebrating International Women’s Day 2025, a day dedicated to recognising the achievements and contributions of women everywhere. It’s a time to reflect on the progress made towards gender equality, while also acknowledging the work still to be done.

We celebrate the incredible women within our school community and beyond, and we hope this day serves as a reminder of the strength, resilience, and power of women across the globe. Let’s continue to support, uplift, and empower one another, today and every day!

Mrs T Dowling

This October, Ms Chapman will be running her very first half marathon – the Royal Parks Half Marathon – in memory of a very special person. It’s going to be a big challenge, but one that is incredibly close to her heart.

She is running to raise money for Evelina London Children’s Charity, with a particular focus on supporting their allergy service. As many of you know, allergies can be life-threatening, and the work of the charity has an enormous impact on families who rely on their expertise and care.

Your support would mean a lot to all those who benefit from this vital service. If you’d like to donate and help Ms Chapman reach her fundraising goal, please visit the JustGiving page here.

"Thank you in advance for your kindness and support as I take on this exciting challenge!"

Mrs T Dowling

A great opportunity for everyone to start their golfing careers.

Check out the details above to sign up via the QR code or get more information from Mr D Smith (PD YR11)

Mr D Smith

100 Years of Hertfordshire Libraries.

Hertfordshire Libraries are celebrating 100 years of libraries in the county, and there’s a fantastic line-up of events happening across Hertfordshire to mark this milestone.

One of the first exciting events will take place at Marshalswick Library and features a return visit from Sam Blake (pen name of Vanessa Fox O'Loughlin), an award-winning crime and thriller author. Sam Blake was born in St Albans, attended school locally, and spent time at Marshalswick Library as a child.

On Thursday 13th March at 7:00pm, Sam will be discussing her career as a writer, the inspiration behind her books, her characters, the locations in her stories, and much more. This is a wonderful opportunity for fans of crime fiction and a great chance for local residents, including parents, to connect with an accomplished author and learn more about the world of crime thrillers.

You can find the details in the attached poster. For more information feel free to contact Ian Dignum, Library Manager, at ian.dignum@hertfordshire.gov.uk.

Mrs T Dowling

As we welcome the start of Ramadan 2025, we want to take a moment to acknowledge this important month for many in our school community. Ramadan is a time of fasting, prayer, reflection, and community for Muslims around the world. It is a special time for spiritual growth, self-discipline, and kindness.

To all those in our school who will be observing Ramadan, we wish you a peaceful and fulfilling month. We hope this time brings you closer to your loved ones and strengthens the sense of unity and compassion within our community.

Mrs T Dowling

The annual Sandringham Chemistry Show is back with a bang! Tickets are on sale on the SandPit website to join us for an evening of fantastic demonstrations and experiments, led by our Head of Chemistry, Mr Reynolds. We look forward to seeing you there.

Please note: Wheatfields students in years 5 and 6 will be seeing the show in the afternoon. 

Mrs K Cooper

Hertfordshire Schools' Gala Concerts – Featuring Sandringham Students!

The Hertfordshire Schools Symphony Orchestra (HSSO) and the Hertfordshire County Youth Choir will be performing two concerts as part of the Hertfordshire Schools' Gala on Sunday 23 March 2025, with two performances at 1.45pm and 7.45pm. A number of talented students from Sandringham will be participating in the HSSO, including R Tune on the violin, along with other students who play the oboe and cello. 

One of the highlights of this performance will be the HSSO’s recent appearance at the prestigious Royal Albert Hall. In this special concert, they will be performing a variety of pieces, including songs from Matilda, which will accompany choirs from several Hertfordshire schools. Other music on the programme includes works by Richard Strauss, Saint-Saëns, as well as specially commissioned pieces for the event.

It no doubt be a fantastic celebration of local talent, and we encourage you to come along and support our students and the wider Hertfordshire music community.

Mrs T Dowling

On Tuesday, Yr 9 students were fully immersed in the fascinating world of forensic science during their ELD session, with a thrilling "whodunit" mystery unfolding right in the heart of the main hall. The day began with an engaging introduction to forensic techniques, including fingerprinting, and the tools used by experts to solve crimes.

Dressed in full hazmat forensic gear, the students were ready to dive into their very own murder mystery case. Each team was given a crime scene, along with a collection of evidence and information already gathered in the investigation. Their mission? To use their newfound knowledge and keen investigative skills to determine which of the four suspects was responsible for the crime.

The atmosphere was filled with excitement and determination as teams carefully analysed the clues, discussed their theories, and pieced together the puzzle, and each group worked together, applying critical thinking and teamwork to make their final decisions.

The event culminated in a dramatic and much-anticipated grand reveal of the true culprit, with the winning teams being congratulated for their exceptional detective work. From the buzz and excitement in the hall, it was clear that everyone had a brilliant, engaging, and wonderfully curious day. Well done to all the students who took part and made this forensic adventure a memorable experience!

Mrs T Dowling

Emotionally Based School Anxiety Drop-In Sessions.

DSPL7 and Services for Young People, in partnership with The Pioneer Club, are offering free drop-in support sessions (booking required) designed for parents/carers and young people in Years 7-11 facing challenges with school attendance related to Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA). Please do come along to The Community Café, Suets Yard at The Pioneer Club, Heathlands Drive, St Alban, AL3 5AY, between 9:30-11:30am. Sessions are taking place on the following dates: 11th March, 14th May, and 19th June. Further information, including contact details can be found in the flyer.

Miss E Weston

On Tuesday Yr 7 had a Poetry ELD. In the morning we competed in some different Poetry Battles. The first thing we did was make a haiku. This is a Japanese style poem where in the first line there are 5 syllables, in the second there are 7 syllables and in the third there are again 5 syllables. The second thing we did was find rhyming words in a small group. And the third activity was to perform a poem in a small group. After these 3 activities we went to the Sandpit Theatre to listen to the poet Harry Baker perform some of his poems. These were very entertaining. After this we made poems in small groups and performed them in our forms. The best poem from each form got to perform it in the Sandpit theatre in the afternoon. The best 3 won house points for their house. The group in third place got 60 house points, the group in second place got 80 house points and the house in first place got 100 house points. The whole day was very entertaining and enjoyable for everyone involved. Well done to the winning teams!

The winning Shakespearean poem:

You know when you go up to the beach as a kid?

The sun's shining, the birds are chirping,

And then you see an icecream truck serving

The colours, the jolly tune reaching loud and clear

Making you slime from ear to ear. 

Your mother smiles “here's some cash”

And soon you're running along in a dash.

Your mouth waters, your eyes widen

When suddenly, you face the biggest dilemma in the name of Poseidon

What flavour to get chocolate , strawberry, vanilla swill

Your mind is chaos, in a whirl

Big, small, choses are vast

But soon the que dying down fast.

Finally, it's your time to order

And the flavours seem to be so much border

You say: “one whippy with strawberry sauce please”

“Alright kiddo pay your fees”.

You take the first lick, it collects on your chin 

This must be the happiest you’ve ever been

you take your time, to keep it upright

And not let it melt in the heat of the sunlight.

However you efforts were useless,

As nature is always ruthless

And while your walking home,

 the audacity of a seagull

Is overgrown.

He takes the whole lot, 

You give him a stare,

He takes a swing back, 

It turns into a glare…

Your melting into tears

You never thought you’d face your biggest fear

Even though the options were endless

Somehow you’ve ended up trendless.

Ms F Batten

HOUSE POINTS 

Hepworth is still on top in the race for victory, maintaining a steady lead over the competition. Austen and Newton are close behind, but just can't seem to quite catch up... yet!?

1. Hepworth 17,753
2. Austen 17,174
3. Newton 16,168

Special mentions this week:  

• A Tselentis (7S) (12) – Most points this week
• Turing for winning this weeks house points – 380
• Turing for leading this months house points - 384
• 7A for the highest average points in their tutor group (132)
• 9E & 9J the highest quiz score total – 114/150

Mr D Keenleyside

Help Us Shape the Future of FO$S: New Chair and Secretary Needed.

As we reflect on an amazing year of fundraising, we want to thank all the parents who supported FO$S through events like the Christmas Fair, Welcome BBQ, Quiz Night, and second-hand uniform sales, raising an incredible £15,000. This has gone directly to supporting our students, and funding some amazing projects.

As we move forward, we are looking for a new Chair and Secretary to join our team. These roles are essential to continuing the work of fostering a strong, connected community within the school. As Brian Solis wisely said, “Community is much more than belonging to something; it’s about doing something together that makes belonging matter.” This is your chance to be part of something meaningful, making a real impact on our students’ experience.

We’d also like to extend our heartfelt thanks to our current team:

Tara Macdonald – Co-Chair and Secretary

Nick Fingland – Co-Chair (transitioning to Treasurer in September 2025)

Kathryn Caswell – Treasurer (serving since 2011)

Their hard work and dedication have been instrumental in building the strong community we are today. If you are interested in learning more about these roles, please email friendsofsandringhamschool@gmail.com or visit our website for more information:

Mrs T Dowling

Tonight's the night!

Come and join us for Comedy Night this evening - we’ve teamed up with Jest Another Comedy to bring you a hilarious night of stand-up comedy. The show will feature 4 fantastic acts, along with a fully stocked bar for your ultimate enjoyment!

Date: Friday, 7th March 2025
Doors Open: 6:45 PM
Show Starts: 7:30 PM

Don't miss out on this fun evening – grab your last minute Tickets now or just turn up as tickets will be available on the door.

Look forward to seeing you there!

Mrs T Dowling

French: vénérable

German: respektabel

Spanish: venerable

Thinking Question: Sometimes French, German and Spanish words are the same or very similar as English, these are called cognates. Can you think of any from your language learning?

Mrs E Kincaid

Bloom, by Kevin Panette.

Though he loved working there as a kid, Ari cannot fathom a life wasting away over rising dough and hot ovens. But while interviewing candidates for his replacement, Ari meets Hector, an easy going guy who loves baking as much as Ari wants to escape it.

As they become closer over batches of bread, love is ready to bloom . . . that is, if Ari doesn’t ruin everything. Writer Kevin Panetta and artist Savanna Ganucheau concoct a delicious recipe of intricately illustrated baking scenes and blushing young love, in which the choices we make can have terrible consequences, but the people who love us can help us grow.

Brodie U in 7T has recently read this book and comments, “I love this book so much, mainly because it's pro LGBTQ+ and the characters are really well written.  I love how the two characters meet.”

Mrs S Thomas

V is for … venerable [adjective]

Definition: Given a great deal of respect, especially because of age, wisdom, or character.

Example: He was widely regarded as a venerable politician.

Synonyms: Respected, Esteemed, Venerated.

Antonyms: Common, Unimpressive, Unrespected.

Etymology: From Latin venerabilis "worthy of reverence or respect," from venerari "to worship, revere,"

A valiant effort from these girls (minus Silveira, Duncan & McKinstry who left quickly for more school sport) who won 2 out of 3 games at the indoor county competition this week. A 1 run loss V's Queenswood means they finish 2nd in their group and miss out on the next round. Well done all, a really brilliant endeavour. 

Ms K Wills

After playing 60 minutes of football this morning, and scoring, L Carlin was impressing again but on the athletics track. Two PB’s ahead of his multi events competition next weekend in Sheffield. Good luck, I'm sure you'll have plenty of support cheering you on.

Mr D Keenleyside

An impressive display from Yr 7 team resulting in a strong win V's St Edmunds in the JNBA competition. One game to go before the knockout stages are announced. A win in that final game should be enough to go through. Keep up the good work.

Another win for our Yr 8 boys basketball team in what was a good performance from the whole squad V's Aldwickbury. Onto the county semi-final next boys, so lets keep up the great work.

Fantastic work from our Yr 8 and 9 girls basketball players earlier in the week. Showcasing everything we have practised in training, leading to great play from every single team member, resulting in a win against SCC.

The Yr 9 boys basketball season came to an end this afternoon after exiting the county league at the Semi Final stage. A season to be proud of and major progress made. Well done boys, let's look forward to an exciting next season.

Another deserved win for the senior boys basketball team over Forest School this evening in the National Cup last 16. This sees us progress through to Quarter final next week. Congratulations to everyone involved. We'll look forward to seeing next weeks results.

Mr D Keenleyside

Big week ahead for our Football, Basketball and Netball teams. Good luck to all our students involved, we look forward to seeing those results on socials as the week goes on.

Mrs T Dowling

The Yr 10 football team had a lovely morning at St. Albans School last weekend, playing in the right spirit. An even game ending in a 1-1 draw with Hazelhurst grabbing an equaliser. Man of the match: J Learoyd.

Mr D Keenleyside

Get ready for the Spring Concert!

Join us at the Sandpit Theatre on Tuesday, March 18th at 6:30pm for a night of incredible performances!

Tickets are just £4/£5 – so don’t wait. Get yours now and make sure you don’t miss out.

See you there!

Ms A Stothard

We are excited to let you know that the A Level Dance Evening Performance will be taking place in the Sandpit Theatre on Monday 10th March at 5:30pm. This is a wonderful opportunity for students and their families to see the hard work and creativity of our A Level dance students come to life on stage.

The performance will showcase a variety of pieces, reflecting the diverse talents and skills our students have developed throughout the course. We look forward to seeing you there to support our talented dancers!

Ms F Willmott