REMINDER - Year 9 DTP & Meningitis Vaccines

All parents/carers should have received an email regarding Year 9  vaccinations which are taking place in school on Friday 26th March.  Please can consent forms be dropped off with Student Services in advance of Friday 26th March. There are consent forms for students to collect for Student Service if anyone needs one.  

Mrs S Francis

As a DofE unit, we recognise that working towards and completing Awards is challenging  at the moment and we are impressed by the determination and commitment displayed by our participants with their activities. Should you have any questions about your Award then please email dofe@sandringham.herts.sch.uk

Bronze Award (Year 9): We will be launching the Award with Y9 later in the summer term. Further details will be sent out nearer the time.

Bronze Award (Year 10) Participants in Y10 who are already enrolled on the Bronze Award should be carrying on with completing their physical, skill and volunteering activities. If they are struggling for ideas, please tell them to check the Bronze DofE Google classroom where there are ideas and suggestions posted. We are optimistic that we will be able to run the expeditions in some format in the summer term and in preparation for this, the expedition training has started. Initially this will be online and I have posted 3 modules onto the Bronze Google classroom for participants to complete in the next couple of weeks.  When we return after the Easter holidays we hope to be in a position to confirm both the dates and the format of the expeditions and to be able to complete the expedition training through afterschool sessions. Further details to follow.

Silver (Year 11) We are hoping to enrol participants in the Silver Award in the coming weeks. Further information will follow via the Bronze Google classroom for this year group (DofE Bronze 2019-20). We hope to be able to run at least the practice expedition in some format this academic year although we anticipate the Qualifying expedition may have to run at the beginning of the academic year 2021-22. We would encourage participants who have yet to complete their Bronze to submit assessor reports as soon as possible.

Silver (Year12) Our Silver Participants in year 12 have been working towards finished their Award as far as possible and many of them are in a position where they just need to complete a Qualifying expedition to complete their Award. We are hoping to run an expedition later in the summer term to facilitate this. Further details to follow.

Gold: Miss Borman is working directly with our Gold participants to support them with their progress through their Gold Awards

Celebration: We usually hold a presentation evening to celebrate the success of our participants. Unfortunately this has not been possible this year. Instead we are planning to run a virtual presentation evening on Thursday 6th May which will be streamed and certificates and badges will be distributed in school. We will be inviting participants who have completed their Bronze Award and those who have completed their Silver with the exception of the expedition section to join us virtually for this celebration.  Invitations will be sent out after the Easter holidays.

Mrs A Cuneen

Nabrissa in Year 12 has been selected as a student ambassador, helping to assess participating students in becoming World Class. Her role is to consider the applications from students designing an outdoor 'relaxation zone' for their school that has a positive impact on the environment and mental health of the young people. I asked Nabrissa a few questions on what it means to be an ambassador:

What do you think it means to be a World Class Student?

I think it mostly means being considerate to others and to value the learning of others as much as your own. 

Why do you think Sandringham is considered a World Class School?

Definitely the extra-curricular activities. There is always so much going on beyond the classroom and something for everyone. 

What do you hope to achieve as an ambassador for World Class Schools?

To help students recognise that they are world class too. It will be rewarding for them and for me.

Is there anyone that you look up to as an inspirational figure?

Musician Jacob Collier. I find it inspiring to see someone so passionate and dedicated to their art. He is extremely talented at such a young age and even through his increasing success, he appears to be consistent in his humility and passion for music.

How do you think fellow students at Sandringham can show World Class attributes?

They can be World Class by saying yes to everything! You never know where it will take you. 

We are pleased to announce that on Tuesday 27th April, the Year 10s will be working with the renowned educational expert Martijn Van Der Spoel. Martijn has worked with Sandringham many times before and will be presenting to the students the most effective revision methods, backed up by the latest research, that they can use to prepare for exams. Students he has worked with in the past have all commented on how useful they found the session in guiding their revision techniques for years to come.

In addition, we will be following this event up with a parents’ virtual information evening at 6:30pm on the same day. In this evening we will be sharing with parents the key strategies the students will have been working on throughout the day so that you as parents are in the best position to support your children through their GCSEs. In addition, the evening will include key information about upcoming dates for the students, the Duke of Edinburgh Award, and an update about work experience. This information evening is always really useful and we look forward to seeing you all there. More information about how to log in to the event will be sent out closer to the time.

Mr J Boak

Today the World Class Schools Quality Mark (WCSQM) held a virtual awards ceremony to acknowledge and recognise the achievements and World Class characteristics of students throughout the UK during a year of lockdown. This included the announcement of the winners of the annual WCSQM essay writing competition,the winners of the WCSQM Lockdown Competition, and a celebration of the first ‘Students of the Month’, as part of WCSQM’s Student Character Campaign launched in January 2021. 

You can watch the ceremony here  featuring mentions of alumni Sophie Angel, and current students Reuben Mahendra, Nabrissa Badu, Lily Hurp and Keerthana Appandairaj (who was an honourable mention in the essay writing competition.)  You can also read about one of our World Class Students and hear more about the assemblies led by Ms Finlay in separate articles in the Newsletter.

It was lovely to see all of the colourful outfits for Red Nose Day today and over £1500 has been raised so far for Comic Relief. In a time where fundraising is incredibly difficult, your donations will make a huge difference to the lives of millions of people across the UK and around the world. Comic Relief partners with amazing projects and organisations that are working to tackle four of the biggest challenges society faces today namely: Improving mental health, A safe place for everyone, A world where children can survive and thrive and Freedom from fear, discrimination and violence. 

Last year Comic Relief and Children in Need’s The Big Night In raised a huge £74,026,927 including match-funding from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) . This went towards supporting 19.1 million people across the UK and around the world. We will update you next week how much Sandringham School raised and thanks again for your support.

Today is the final day of in school testing. We are grateful to our team of staff and community volunteers who have worked so hard over the past three months to test staff and students through the partial closure period and through the return to school testing over the past fortnight. Approximately 5000 tests will have been completed in total by the team. Should any family be unable to complete testing at home, we would ask that you would notify the school by email (admin@sandringham.herts.sch.uk) in the first instance.

Instructions regarding home testing have been emailed to all families and the kits will be passed to students today. Parents and carers of children still in education, are also being asked to take twice weekly lateral flow tests. This process should help to identify cases and outbreaks more quickly and effectively than before. Doing this will help us to work together to reduce the spread of the virus in the community and protect people who are vulnerable. You can pick up a home testing kit at a local site or order online.  Visit https://www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-rapid-lateral-flow-tests  for more information.

A reminder to families with children in Years 11 – 13 that we would be grateful for details of any vaccinations that students receive. The relevant google form can be accessed here.

Mr M Nicholls

Johnson are currently at the top of the league and Hepworth have the biggest points increase since the last update, so a special mention should go to them. But with all students now back at school and the House Quiz back in full swing/ tutors adding house points gained during lockdown- everything is to play for next week! We will update you with the new positions in the final Sandprint of this term. Good luck!

Mr A Cracknell

Every week the Mathematics Faculty publish a puzzle for you to try.  For every entry you will receive 1 housepoint, if you answer correctly you will win 2 housepoints and if you are the fastest person to answer the puzzle correctly then you will win 5 housepoints!  To enter, simply scan the QR code and fill out the google form.  Good luck!

Miss H Fryer

Future Creatives – art classes for kids and teens 

UAL Future Creatives (launched by University of the Arts London in 2019) are very excited to be returning to the classroom to deliver art classes – after school, on weekends and during the holidays. Programmes are split into primary and secondary students to suit different learning styles.  Our upcoming classes in Sandringham School are:

Art and Design Workshop in St Albans for 7 to 11 Year Olds

Art and Design Workshop in St Albans for 11 to 17 Year Olds

Both of the programmes above have classes scheduled to run in April, May June and July taking place after school, on Saturday and during the school holidays.The lessons offer a range of art and design skills, an engaging creative environment and portfolio building assistance. They also provide an exceptional creative education with a focus on well-being.

You can see more in this video https://youtu.be/9_ABpBO9fJ0

Ms L Kelly

FRENCH: Le mot de la semaine - inné
GERMAN: Die Wort der Woche – angeboren/natürlich
SPANISH: La palabra de la semana – innato/a

Thinking Questions :

• The German translation is very different here – what do you know about the history of the German language? Could you do some research?
• What about the history of the French and Spanish languages? Where do they stem from?

Miss F Baikie

SCHOOL SHOP: All exercise books must be covered with plastic covers as they prolong the life of the book. These and other items can be purchased from Student Services.

CHANGE OF DETAILS: It is very important we are able to contact you in the event of an emergency. Please advise us if you have changed any of your contact details data@sandringham.herts.sch.uk

UNIFORM SHOP: Please visit Student Services to see the used school uniform & PE kits for sale.

FIRST AID If you are feeling unwell, or have hurt yourself at school, you should come to Student Services. Please do not use your mobile to phone home, a call will be made from Student Services if it is necessary. Please advise them of any new (or changes in existing) medical conditions.

I PADS/LOCKERS: As all students now bring in valuable electronic devices it is important that these are locked away securely in a locker when they are not being used. If you do not have a locker there are still plenty available from Student Services for the rental of £5 a year.

 

Mrs S Francis

F7 in the Music Studio is named after Sir George Martin, an English composer, record producer, conductor, audio engineer, arranger, and musician who was often referred to as the "Fifth Beatle" in reference to his extensive involvement in each of the Beatles' original albums.

Born in 1926, George Martin showed an interest in music from a young age, teaching himself the piano and forming his own band called the Four Tune-Tellers. Although he worked in a variety of jobs from construction, to a Government clerk, to a stint in the Royal Navy- by the 1950s he began working for EMI in 1950.

In 1962, Beatles manager Brain Epstein brought Martin a demo. Martin liked what he heard but wanted to replace drummer Best with Ringo Starr. With Starr as their drummer, and Martin as their producer, the Beatles soon became hugely popular. Lennon and McCartney wrote most of the band's songs, but as they were musically untrained, Martin helped develop their musical ideas.

When Martin parted company with the Beatles, he started his own company, Associated Independent Recording (AIR) and worked with other recording artists, including Shirley Bassey and Kenny Rogers. During the 1990s, Martin was made a knight for his role in popular music and when when he died in his sleep in March 2016 (aged 90) John Lennon said of him “The world has lost a truly great man.” 

“George Martin made us what we were in the studio,” John Lennon said  “He helped us develop a language to talk to other musicians.”

Yesterday, the shortlists of the prestigious CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals (the UK’s oldest and best-loved book awards for children and young people) were announced for 2021. The Medals celebrate outstanding achievement in children’s writing and illustration respectively and are unique in being judged by librarians and the Shadowers’ Choice Award voted for by children and young people. The shortlist can be found below and students can “shadow” the award by reading one or more of the books below and letting us know what they think. Please speak to the librarians if you are interested. Keep Reading! 

2021 Carnegie Medal shortlist

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo , The Girl Who Speaks Bear by Sophie Anderson, The Girl Who Became a Tree by Joseph Coelho, On Midnight Beach by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick , Run, Rebel by Manjeet Mann , Look Both Ways by Jason Reynolds , The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys , Echo Mountain by Lauren Wolk

Ms J Kirby

Barracudas Activity Day Camps, the UK’s favourite school holiday provider for children aged 4½ to 14 years, will once again be open at Sandringham School this Easter and Summer. 80+ exciting activities are on offer including archery, swimming, football, dance and much more! Ofsted registered, high staff to child ratios and COVID-19 Secure Camps will be open Easter 29th March – 9th April and summer 26th July – 27th August. Book now at www.barracudas.co.uk or call 01480 467 567. They are offering £10 off for parents with the discount code HCSH21.

It's been an exceptionally busy week in Drama as everyone has got back into the flow of practical lessons! Both Year 10 and 12 begin their devising process this term. They've made a fantastic start and we truly can't wait to see what they will produce for their final performances in May. Watch this space for more news about their upcoming productions. 

Year 9 have been taking things very seriously as they start to explore the works of Stanislavski. They are currently creating scenes that focus on achieving a specific objective by the end of their scene. It's been lovely to see Year 9s taking on this challenge. 

Year 7 and 8 have got stuck into lessons by exploring Silent Film and Physical Theatre. It's been amazing to see how students can still use a multitude of non-verbal communication techniques in their performances to convey meaning (without their facial expressions!). Very impressive work all round. 

You can keep an eye on all the Drama news here

Year 12 are well underway with their Futures and Careers unit in Personal Development and are researching university and apprenticeship opportunities. We are also highlighting subject enrichment opportunities to help students to prepare for their personal statements later in the year. We have been very pleased to offer three online talks this week to help students understand different types of applications. Over 30 students attended a talk with Professor Michael McMahon from the University of Oxford and were able to gain a detailed insight into the application and preparation process. We also had a session about Law with Kathryn Knight, ex-student and graduate of the University of Cambridge and a seminar with The University of Oxford History department. There was excellent attendance and engagement at all of these events and we are looking forward to a Medicine talk next Wednesday.

Year 13 students are working hard to prepare for Internal Assessment 1and we have held a session about university student finance, as applications have now opened ready for September 2021. We are also starting to organise some celebration events for the year group after they finish, to celebrate all of their hard work in the last two years.

Mrs K Mouncey

After a busy week back with 1600 students returning and over 3000 tests being carried out, a letter from Secretary of State Gavin Williamson was a nice surprise. Mr Allday and the EdTech team have been working closely with @educationgovuk on various events looking at EdTech strategy designed to help school leaders enhance their virtual learning. 

Well done to the team! You can follow them on @SandEdTech for useful tips, blogs and articles on how to use digital technology.

Mr M Allday

In STEM Week last week, KS3 students took part in a range of activities on the theme of biodiversity. Parents will have seen in the media in recent years how biodiversity is under serious threat around the world, and you may be interested in the source material for some of the content in the Science lessons during the week, which came from WWF.

In Design Technology students designed nature observation systems, Mathematics students did calculations based on the Living Planet Report (Youth Edition), Computer Science students processed real data on British bird populations and Science students identified local wildlife and gave presentations.

This week also saw the first meeting of the new Year 12 Engineers’ Forum. Any Y12 students interested in engineering are welcome to attend. Details can be found on SOCS, the school’s extra-curricular system. Year 7 Science club starts up again on Thursday 25 March.

Finally, if anyone has any know-how or resources that could help with the school wildlife garden then please get in touch. One idea is to carefully re-wild the garden and to develop it as an outdoor learning area.

Mr D Tattersall

For our whole school theme this week, we have been reflecting on, and considering what it means to be ‘World Class’ and all that this encompasses. The students have received an assembly from Mrs Finlay, Deputy Headteacher, where we have interrogated the limited understanding of ‘World Class’ meaning being the best, or being the first, and rather considering what makes us as individuals, as a community, and as humanity ‘World Class’. This assembly marks the launch of a change in thinking: rather than approaching being ‘World Class’ through a narrow lens of academic rigour, instead ‘unlocking’ a deeper understanding of the way we think, what we know, what we experience, and what we can improve in order to be more responsibly ‘world class’. Furthermore, we will begin to systematically evaluate what makes us who we are - what super-strengths we have, how we can champion the super-strengths of others, and how we can best utilise our collective super-strengths to be the change that we want to see today, to safeguard tomorrow.  We encourage you to read the upcoming Sandprint articles, and look forward to sharing a platform that our Year 12 students are currently building which will capture their voice and their journey in becoming more, and truly ‘World Class’. Miss K Wills

Last week’s ‘Book of the Week’ was ‘I am Malala’ by Malala Yousefzai. This inspirational book tells of her story from school girl to Nobel Peace Prize winner, and has been reviewed by Laura (7H): This book is an autobiography written by Malala Yousafzai and is a story about how she fought for rights to education. When she was 14 and living in Pakistan she was shot in the head by the Taliban (An extremist group of terrorists who had taken over Pakistan). This was because she had been fighting for education for girls -  which had been banned by the Taliban. Malala was flown to England for treatment and safety, and this is where she is currently living. She was the youngest ever person to win the Nobel Peace Prize and has now graduated from University.

Ms K Bulbeck

I is for… innate [adjective]

Definition: Inborn; natural.

Example: I have an innate capacity for organisation.

Synonyms: Deep seated, Inherent, Ingrained

Antonyms: Acquired, Extrinsic, Incidental

Etymology: From the Latin word ‘innasci’, formed of ‘in’ meaning into and ‘nasci’ meaning be born.