On Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon this week, Yr 10 students took a coach to Milton Keynes Theatre to watch a performance of ‘An Inspector Calls’ - a play we are studying for GCSE English Literature. The set was incredible - the play opened with rain, mist and a dark London street, with the first dining room scene out of sight inside a closed-off town house. The set, effects and music all helped to bring the text to life, with the house used as a metaphor for the Birling’s shattered family life and bubble of ignorance, eventually breaking down (which made some of us jump out of our seats) as the events unravelled. 

The play visually demonstrated the key themes we have been revising and helped us to imagine what a 1945 audience would have felt watching something like this - probably with fewer special effects! We thought the portrayal of the characters wasn’t always quite as we imagined from the text but that’s what made it interesting; especially Sheila and the Inspector, who were some of the highlights of the play. We are all very grateful for the opportunity to see this. Thank you to all the teachers who were involved in making this happen, we had a wonderful time!! 

 Ani K and Alexa H 

 HOUSE POINTS

The top 3 spots remain unchanged going into the half term. Lets hope everyone gets a rest, and comes back recharged and ready to make a final push for the top spots.

1. Hepworth 22,322
2. Austen 21,097
3. Johnson 20,200

Special mentions this week:  

• J Koter (12N), M Dasu (7J), K Wroblewski (7J) & M Duncan (7J) – 12 – Most points this week
• Newton for winning this weeks house points – 469
• Johnson for leading this months house points – 1460
• 7A for the highest average points in their tutor group (178.4)
• 9T the highest quiz score total – 165/220

AI INFORMATION EVENING  

We are hosting an online information evening for families about AI use.  We hope to share our experiences of supporting students to use it responsibly and be informed of the potential risks of AI use for their academic success.  We think this will be particularly helpful for families with children in Years 10 and 12 as they move into their exam years at Sandringham, but all families are welcome to join.

This event will be hosted via Google Meet on Thursday 5th June from 5.30pm and we anticipate that it will close at approx. 6pm. 

A link to access the event is here.

Save on summer childcare with Barracudas Camps! 
Barracudas activity camps are back this summer with 80+ exciting activities for children aged 4½–14! 
Book before 5th June to save up to £74! Plus, families at our school can enjoy an additional £20 off with our partner code SCHOOL20.  
Barracudas offers flexible, fun and Ofsted-registered childcare from 8.30am - 5.30pm (with Early & Late Clubs available from 8am to 6pm) - perfect for working parents. 
Book now to secure your space and enjoy a summer full of fun and peace of mind! 

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?

Yr 9 End of Year Art Exam.

As part of the KS3 end-of-year art exam, all students were tasked with producing tonal drawings, whihc is sometimes a true test of patience, observation, and technical skill.

Yr 9 students took on the challenge by drawing their own shoes, linking this to their ongoing self-identity project. While some found it difficult to dedicate two full lessons to a single drawing, others embraced the opportunity, producing highly detailed work that could have easily taken twice as long.

The results were impressive across the board. Well done to all of Yr 9 for your focus, creativity, and fantastic efforts.

Step Forward - Emotionally Based School Avoidance Drop-In Sessions

Free support is available for any families experiencing challenges with school attendance or emotionally based school avoidance. Drop-in sessions run every Wednesday from 1–3pm at The Pioneer Club, Heathlands Drive, St Albans, AL3 5AY.

There’s no need to book, just come along for a friendly chat and some helpful advice.

We’re Hiring!

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

- Teaching Assistant.

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.

Sienna's Sensory Approach to Art

Sienna in Yr 7 is a shining example of how creativity knows no limits. As a visually impaired student, she approaches her art lessons with enthusiasm, curiosity, and a love for experimentation.

Recently, Sienna explored marbling techniques using shaving foam and paint, creating beautiful pieces full of texture and pattern. Her work reminds us that while art is often seen as a visual subject, it can also engage all the senses. Through touch, texture, space, sound, and emotion, artists can connect with and interpret the world in powerful and unique ways.

Well done Sienna, your creativity is inspiring.

Physics Challenge Results

Back in March, students from Yr 12 took part in the Senior Physics Challenge Competition. This is run by the British Physics Olympiad group at Oxford University, and they involve solving fun and challenging problems that are designed to stretch students beyond their A-level course. The results are as follows:

Gold awards: top 400 students in the country - H. Parkin, O. Fok

Silver awards: top 1100 students in the country - J. Bude, E. Vasylevskyi, A. Yim, MJ. Mutinda, S. Khan, A. Roy, B. Lockhart, M. Agboola, A. Bhat, J. Farrugia

Bronze awards: L. Belton, C. Dunlop, F. McKillop, A. Muratova, A. Kellett, S. Lakshmanan, S. Chekairi, R. Asad, S. Jimenez, C. Chinwike, E. Jones

Congratulations to all who took part!

The whole school theme this week recognises Pride Month.

This is an annual month-long observance of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history, and the history of the gay rights and related civil rights movements. LGBT Pride Month, often shortened to Pride Month, is a month, typically June, dedicated to celebration and commemoration of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender pride. Pride Month began after the Stonewall riots, a series of gay liberation protests in 1968. The students received an excellent assembly from Drama teacher, Miss Arif, about the importance of showing respect and support to everyone in our school community.

Half Term St Albans Foodies Festival

As always, there is so much going on in and around our lovely community over half term, so why not join the St Albans Foodies Festival 2025 from Friday 30th May to Sunday 1st June for a weekend of food, music, and fun.

- Enjoy live music from Symphonic Ibiza, Example, and Blue – with Pit upgrades to get closer to the stage.
- Watch top chefs and MasterChef champions in action, or take part in a hands-on Cook School (£25).
- Learn BBQ tips from Dragons’ Den stars Lumberjaxe and join in the fun with food challenges and chilli-eating contests!
- Bake with GBBO stars, explore the Great Taste Market, dance at the Silent Disco (£8), and sample global street food and drinks.
- Kids can get involved at the Prept Kids Cook School.

Weekend tickets from £14 a day. Come and go all weekend - fun for the whole family.

Tickets can be found here.

A huge congratulations to Liv, Mimi, and Marelie, who have made history with their Oaklands Wolves U18s football team. The talented trio helped secure their third trophy of the season, completing a remarkable treble win for the second year in a row!

This incredible achievement highlights their dedication, teamwork, and sporting excellence. We are proud to celebrate their success and look forward to seeing what they accomplish next, both on and off the field.

Congratulations girls, what a brilliant achievement.

Over the last few weeks, our Yr 9 Dance Leaders have led dance sessions for Wheatfields Yr 5 classes.

On Tuesdays, the lovely Yr 5s arrive at the dance studio doors ready for an hour of dancing exploring the theme of superheroes. All of our fabulous Yr 9s have planned and led with confidence and patience, showing the qualities needed to teach all year groups successfully. Super proud of you all and looking forward to working with you in your last assessment leading dance fitness sessions in Fit for Life week!

Join the Fo$S Team

Friends of Sandringham School (Fo$S) plays a vital role in supporting our school community through fundraising, events, and parent engagement. We're currently looking for enthusiastic individuals to join the team, particularly anyone interested in taking on the roles of Chair or Secretary.

These are fantastic opportunities to make a real impact, work closely with the school, and help shape the future of Fo$S. No previous experience is necessary, just a passion for supporting the school and a willingness to get involved.

If you’re interested in finding out more, please email: friendsofsandringhamschool@gmail.com or visit: sandringham.herts.sch.uk/foss

We’d love to hear from you.

Goodnight Mr Tom by Michelle Magorian.

Britain, 1940. With World War Two raging all around, young children are being sent from their homes in the city to the countryside for safety. When eight-year-old Willie Beech first arrives on Tom Oakley's doorstep, neither are quite sure what to make of each another.

Maya M, Yr 8, who has recently read Goodnight Mr Tom says, ‘William has had a really difficult life. He is evacuated during WW2 and has to go and live with Mr Tom. Then he is summoned back by his difficult mother and has to try and survive his mother’s neglect. William goes through a lot and the book is sad in parts but it’s also very good.’

French: détourner

German: unterschlagen

Spanish: malversar

Thinking Question: How do languages change over time?

E is for… embezzle [verb]

Definition: Steal or misappropriate (money placed in one's trust or belonging to the organisation for which one works).

Example: She had embezzled thousands in company funds.

Synonyms: Misappropriate, Purloin, Misuse

Antonyms: Give, Receive

Etymology: The word derives from the old French verb embesiller -  the prefix en- (meaning "in, into") and besillier (meaning "to destroy or ruin").

Track & Field Triumph - All Teams Through to Regional Finals!

Last weekend, four of our athletics teams took part in Round 1 of the National Cup, competing against some of the top schools in Hertfordshire, and what a day it was!

Each athlete took on two events, earning points for their distances, heights, and times. Our students delivered incredible performances, with many achieving personal bests, which is a true reflection of their dedication and training.

All four teams finished 1st 🥇 an exceptional achievement both individually and as teams. Huge congratulations to everyone involved.

Bring on the Regional Finals!

Regional Combined Events

Fantastic News - 5 of our athletes have been selected to represent Hertfordshire at the regional combined events in Sutton.

A great achievement to secure a place in a strong county set up, so huge congratulations to:

• T Russ
• E Russell
• J Rance
• L Carlin
• H Walker 

A little Basketball to finish off this half of term, and then it's a well deserved break for the next week.

We'll be back at the start of June with more Athletics and Tennis. Rest up in the sunshine if its stays!

County league 4

As our students put on their spikes for the final time before half term, they came up against some competitive opposition. With a few teams at the meet pushing for the top 8 in the league, every point secured was crucial. Well done to everyone who took part, some outstanding performances were given.

Athletes of the meet:
U14G - S Sacoto 🥇
U14B - S Knowles 🥇
U16G - E Walton 🥇🥇
U16B - R Durkin 🥈🥈🥇

Yr 9: This team have made it through to the county plate semi final this week beating Simon Balle School in a very close match. The target of 133 was set by the home. It took 18 and a half overs to chase down and take the win.

Special mentions to Roe with 3 wickets, a bau dart catch from Holian and then 44 & 38 runs scored by Rowland & Russ.

Well done team!

Week 4 Sandringham Golf Society

20 students take to the fairways for a relaxed round of 9 holes at Wheathampstead Golf Village. The sun was shining, spirits were high, and it was a fantastic evening of sport, fresh air, and friendly competition.

A big well done to all who took part, it's great to see so many students getting involved and enjoying the game. We look forward to seeing even more progress and fun in the coming weeks!

Summer Concert

Preparations for our Summer Concert are well underway and tickets are now on sale!

This concert involves students in our ensembles and choirs and is on 24th June at 6:30pm. Tickets can be bought directly from the Sandpit Theatre here.

The Dance department are busy preparing for our summer showcase and look forward to welcoming everyone back to our final dance performance this year.

Tickets go on sale Wednesday 4th June on The Sandpit Theatre website.

CONNECT is on Wednesday 25th June at 7pm. We are expecting this to sell out quickly so please buy tickets early to prevent disappointed.