This week’s whole school theme celebrates the school’s long standing connection with the Gambia. The Gambia, officially the Republic of The Gambia, is a country in West Africa. It is the smallest country within mainland Africa and is surrounded by Senegal, except for its western coast on the Atlantic Ocean. Sandringham has had a relationship with a school in the Gambia, Farrefeni High School, since 2008. The students received a brilliant assembly from Miss Fryer, Performance Director for Year 9 and 4 Year 12 students who visited Farrefeni in February half term. The students spoke about the positive relationships they built with Farrefeni students and how much they enjoyed learning about the cultural differences between our two countries. Look out for opportunities to travel to the Gambia in the future and/or fundraise to support our partner school. 

Today saw the last session of our fantastic Reading Buddy Programme which have taken place every Friday. The 30 minute sessions have been running since October and have been a lovely opportunity for Year 12 volunteers to build relationships and a love of reading with some of our Year 7 students. During the sessions, students have brought in a book of their choice and spent time reading and talking about what they enjoy about the book. It has been great to see relationships made between the students and a big thank you to our wonderful Year 12 students, Dr Creaby, and Ms Bulbeck for co-ordinating the programme. This morning, students were delighted to receive their own copy of the Whole School Read, "You Don't Know What War Is." We hope that all those involved found the sessions useful and that they have encouraged a life-long love of reading going forward.

Fo$S will be holding a second hand uniform sale on Saturday 17th June at the school from 11 til 12.30.  If you have any good quality uniform or study guides/text books, then please can they be left in the bike shed at 15 Skyswood Road before this date. Parents/new parents, please come along on the day and support the sale. All proceeds go to Fo$S, supporting Sandringham School and its students. Thank you. 

We would like to highlight again The Sandbox, which is a free, NHS funded service to support children and young perople in Herts with their mental health and wellbeing. Sandbox offers access to internet enabled Cognitive Behavioural therapy, one to one support from professional therapist by texts, phone, online chat or video calls including

• A website which is open 24/7
• Therapy sessions: 7am-10pm Mondays-Fridays and 10am-10pm Saturdays and Sundays
• Live Chat: 10am-8pm Mondays-Fridays

Signing up is easy and doesn’t require a referral from a professional. You can visit The Sandbox website or click here

As mentioned in the Headlines, we are delighted to celebrate the success of two of our staff members this week: 

One of our Visual Arts team, Mr Bloomfield, has been selected to display his artwork, LIFE FORM 1 (pictured below) at this year’s Royal Academy of Arts - Summer Exhibition. This is a fantastic achievement and opportunity. Mr Bloomfield’s work will be exhibited at The RA between Tuesday 13th June and Sunday 20th August as part of this annual event. The Summer Exhibition showcases art in all forms, from prints, painting, film and photography, to architectural works and sculpture by invited artists, Royal Academicians and emerging talent. Mr Bloomfield will also be leading one of Visual Arts E week activities with a focus on sculpture so this will be a wonderful opportunity for our students to be inspired by his work.

Our Acting Co-Librarian Miss Critchley has also just had her third book, One Puzzling Afternoon, published. Described as a "compelling mystery story," the book follows Edie, who is eighty-two and back living in Ludthorpe and must solve the mystery of Lucy Theddle, who is still looking the same as she did at fifteen. Miss Critchley's other books include "The Bear Who Sailed the Ocean on an Iceberg" and "The Tiny Gestures of Small Flowers" and you can find out more about her amazing work here.

Last weekend 23 groups of year 10 students embarked on their Bronze Practice expedition in the Chilterns. This expedition completes their training for the expedition section and allows them to receive support and guidance from staff and to practise the skills they have learnt about in theory training sessions. We were extremely lucky with the weather- an overcast but not wet day on Friday meant that the temperature was comfortable for walking. Green half’s routes started in Jockey End and groups walked along footpaths heading south towards Felden on the outskirts of Hemel Hempstead. Blue half travelled slightly further afield, starting their route in either Great Missenden or Hyde Heath. They travelled north via the picturesque village of The Lee up to Cholesbury and then looped around to end up in Braid Wood outside Chesham. Day two for Green half saw them travelling south and then west via Chipperfield to end in Bedmond while Blue half travelled east towards the finish point in Ley Hill.

This was a hugely successful expedition for all groups. The Bronze Practice always sees our participants experience a huge learning curve whether it be about equipment, navigation or team work. The night sky was beautiful with lots of stars and planets visible away from the lights of the towns but this meant it was very cold. We saw a range of meals cooked with pasta being a popular DofE choice. Saturday morning was spent striking camp and scrubbing stove to the very exacting standards of the DofE team. There were some temporary misplacements whilst out walking (groups never get lost) but we were impressed by the resilience displayed by groups who sorted out where they had gone wrong and got back on track.

It is only a matter of weeks until the Qualifying and groups have been attending route planning sessions this week to prepare for their final expedition. It has been great to see how much more confident they are working with the maps and how they are considering features such as contour lines and wooded area while deciding which footpath to follow.

As always we could not run these expeditions without the time and expertise of the staff who came along to support the students. Massive shout out to the DofE team who worked so hard over the two days.

We have the following fantastic support staff vacancies at Sandringham School:

Music Technician

Senior IT Technician

Resources Manager

You can find out more about this and other vacancies here.

We are delighted to have been selected once again to be a Trinity Champion Centre for 2023-2024. Trinity Champion Centres inspire existing and potential centres by sharing our practice and advocating for our qualifications in our community and more widely. Champion Centres are recognised by Trinity for successful delivery of Trinity qualifications including the Arts Award programme. We can’t wait to continue to work with Trinity for this coming academic year and would like to congratulate all of our students for their wonderful participation in Trinity qualifications which has assisted us in our achievement of this recognition.

Well done to both Year 10 and 12 Drama students for completing their practical exams over the past few weeks. We have been so impressed with your professionalism and focus in the lead up to the final performances! 

Whole School Show auditions - Wednesday 7th June- Drama Studio's (J1/2)

3:05-4:15 for everyone wishing to audition 

3:05-5:30 for anyone auditioning for a principal role 

Auditions will take place in the Drama Studio's for our annual Whole School Show. We're delighted to announce that this year's show is Little Shop of Horrors! Performances will take place in November, but we are auditioning and starting rehearsals this side of the summer holidays in order to be as prepared as possible for what will undoubtedly be a phenomenal Sandringham show! Pre-audition material, including songs, sheet music and scripts can be found on the Google Classroom (dbyk6qw). For more information, please email Mrs Hardacre.

Junior Recital: This week, we had our annual Junior Recital. This is an opportunity for us to celebrate our KS3 musicians and we enjoyed listening to solos and duets from a wide range of instruments, including the piano and instruments from the woodwind, brass and string families! We are incredibly proud of all the performers and hard everyone worked to prepare their performances. Well done everyone!

Student instrument notice: As we have more students in the school taking up music lessons, the number of instruments in school is increasing. Please remind students to use the instruments storage provided by the Music Department. KS3 instruments should be put in F5 and KS4 and 5 instruments, backstage of the theatre. Storage has been provided to help keep instruments safe, so please use this rather than leaving them on the floor!

Upcoming events: Our Summer Concert is on Tuesday 27th June at 7pm and tickets are available from the Sandpit Theatre Box Office. This is always a popular event so please do book tickets in advance to avoid disappointment.

Zita S recently wrote the following about about her experience using German in the workplace. We hope that it inspires other students to see where learning a language can take you. 

Recently, I completed a week of work experience at the Goethe-Institute in London - a company located worldwide, offering German resources and events to many people. I found this experience extremely enjoyable, due to the vast amount of activities I completed. Some tasks I was set included, making online spreadsheets, exploring the Institute’s library and the interesting books, magazines and DVDs they had on display as well as calling companies about purchasing merchandise items for the Institute (which improved my confidence).

Throughout the week, I worked alongside many people from Germany, and hearing them speak in their native language was beneficial for me, as German is one of my A Level subjects. Therefore, I could practise my understanding of the language and speak German with the people around me. Furthermore, I experienced what it was like to be in the working world, from the meetings I attended to testing German learning-based games and designing quizzes for young students for the library. I believe this week will provide me with many positive opportunities and skills going forward in the future. 

On Thursday 18th May, 12 students from Year 8 went to Cambridge to take part in a graduation for Brilliant Club (a programme in which you get treated like university students.) Zainab in Year 8 wrote the following about her experience.

It was a fun day in Cambridge where we got to look around the University and learnt about its history and what it is like to be a student there. During the day, we heard a talk from students about their learning experience and we got to ask questions. In the afternoon, I was the only student to do a speech as part of the graduation ceremony. My essay was about how to fix malaria in rural areas in Mali, and my speech reflected different ideas on how to solve it. I learnt a lot about problem solving and how to compile research from doing the course and would recommend it to other students. My favourite part was the tour of the university and I think it would be somewhere I would like to go in the future. 

As you will have read from previous editions of The Sandprint, we have just launched this year’s Whole School Read: You Don’t Know What War Is by Yeva Skalietska.  It’s a short but powerful diary account of the outbreak of the war in Ukraine written by a 12 year old girl as she flees the country. So far, we have had a large number of students and staff read the book, each commenting on what an important book it is.  We would be really pleased if the families and friends of Sandringham students could also read this book – it’s always really powerful when the whole community come together to read the same book and particularly this year to understand the experiences of our Ukrainian students.  If you do read the book, we would be really grateful if you could take a minute to complete this Google Form recording that you have read it:

We are delighted to have appointed 103 students in Year 10 as Prefects to start in their new roles after half term. Prefects play a significant part in the smooth running of the school and the students appointed are very important role model to younger students. The applications made by students were a pleasure to read and exemplified the character traits that we work to promote here at school every day. Congratulations to them and a huge thank you to all of our out-going Year 11 Prefects:

Well done to: Aaron W, Alya G, Jack S, Jumanah Z, Soraya E, Hannah G, Angelina M, Anson Y, Denise C, Rhia H, Zakira K, Eva G, Bea B, Nicholas H, Sebbie L, Adittya R, Grace D, Elizabeth S, Annabelle F, Eliana S, Emily H, DimitriS, Joe B, Niamh F, Olivia D, Huwie M, Charlotte H, Sophia P, Jessie P, Kyle W, Farhan A, Oscar F, Millie T, Bea M, Azima M, Noah Z, Thyra S, Tom K, Harry F, Katie McN, Isabel R, Martha C, Madalyn L, Jason R, Zach E, Arhan B, Saharsh L, Tabitha D, Vivian C, Jessica K, Jessica R, Eli A, Sara C, Kieran O'L, Joseph F, Nia V, Eda P, Mae B,  Ash W, Navida W, Nathan W, Alfie M, Jessica T, Maddy W,  Millie W, Sophia D, John-Paul S, Lucy M, Joseph B, Grace O’S, Samih H, Ilian K-H, Nathan P, Archie W, Olivia L, Rayyan S, Daniel H, Max McL, Luke C, Freya R-P, Cai L, Anaiya T, Sophie C,  Selina J, Ben L,Evie F, Emily G, DarcyW,  Daisy X, Thomas P, Faith H, Jessica B, Kia McC, Bryony R, Megan O’L, Natalie I, Conor S, Zoe H, Anna H, Lily B, Molly H, Keala W and Emily S.

This academic year, our Year 8 students have been treated to a series of careers talks in assembly.  On Tuesday, Lauren Christy visited to talk about careers in the film and TV industries.  Lauren works with the apprentices and new starters at Sky, based in Hertfordshire and London.  There are many opportunities at these growing studios and many pathways to working there.

After Lauren’s talk, a few students approached her to say how much they had enjoyed the talk and we hope that it has helped them to know a bit more about the careers they can aspire to work in.  In Lauren’s words, “there is something for everyone in the world of film, television and gaming and every student has a skill to suit the industry”.

Huge thanks to Lauren for taking the time to visit us at Sandringham.

When an anonymous caller sets Ruby a challenge, it’s not long before she finds her way into the HQ of the most secret of secret agencies – SPECTRUM. They need her help to crack a code but her desk job soon spirals into an all-out action adventure, as Ruby uncovers the dastardly plans of the formidable Fool’s Gold Gang.

Christopher R in Year 7 says, “This book makes the perfect balance of tension and mystery as Ruby entails on a puzzling adventure that I found fun to try and figure out”

A is for… appease   [verb]

Definition: To pacify or placate (someone) by acceding to their demands.

Example: Amendments have been added to appease local pressure groups. 

Synonyms: Allay, calm, lessen

Antonyms: Aggravate, incite, intensify

Etymology: From the Old French word ‘apaisier’. Originally  from the Latin ‘ad’ meaning to or at and  ‘pax’ meaning peace.

FRENCH: Le mot de la semaine: Apaiser, Calmer

GERMAN: Das Wort der Woche: Jemanden berugigen

SPANISH: La palabra de la semana: Calmar

Thinking Question

• An interlanguage is when people speak a mixture of two languages – how do these come about?

A tough game for our Year 9 team in the County Cup Final this week as Sandringham fell to a 43-7 defeat against Beaumont. The boys will need to re-group and go again in September. 

Please see above for upcoming fixtures after half term.

It has been another busy week for athletics fixtures with Sandringham students impressing again this week. There have been PB’s, school records and lots of top 3 finishes. Well done to all of the students involved for representing the school so brilliantly. 

This week, we have heard of lots of our students enjoying success in their football clubs outside of school.

Well done to the following students in Year 7, whose Sandridge team won the cup final for West Herts league last weekend: Harry R, Finn D, George G, Bertie H, Mikey and Hamish B. This is a tremendous achievement considering there were 50 other teams in the league competing so well done to all involved!

Well done also to Zach, Connor, Jack and Stanley. At the weekend St Albans City U15 Victoria won the final in Watford friendly league. 3 members of the team are from year 10 at Sandringham -They all played a great match and it was a fabulous way to finish the season. It was also lovely to see several of their friends from school turning up and supporting them at the match.

And finally, well done to Bruce P in Year 8, whose team, Harpenden Colts Lions U13s recently won West Herts Division 1 League and on Sunday followed this up by winning the Challenge Cup Final to end very successful double winning season. 

A great result for our Year 9 cricket team in the county plate vs Tring School. The group batted first and set a benchmark of 107-6, and successfully bowled Tring out for 73. Notable successes include Rachel K with 3 wickets, and Tevan H with 18 runs. Well done all. 

Sandringham Dance present their annual summer dance show. An evening of student choreography, exam work and pieces from the resident companies; SYCD, Tuxedo HipHop Company and TripleEdge.  Tickets £7/£5

The critically acclaimed creative team that brought you ‘Hansel & Gretel’ are back with more fun-fueled pantomime madness; a joyful new twist on another old story, it’s not to be missed. Rapunzel saves the day (and herself!) in this action packed, magical musical pantomime adventure. Let down your hair with a cast of kooky characters as they dance and sing through this unusual, tangled tale; where people live in giant old boots and tall towers, where frog boys rap about enchanted ponds and girls with long hair battle more than split ends!

An evening of Fleetwood Mac and Cheese performed by Big Love UK! Featuring a 5-piece tribute to Fleetwood Mac, Plus some familiar cheesy dance floor classics! Tickets £15