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?

New Easter Holiday Opportunity for Year 11-13 Students

We are excited to offer Yr 11-13 students a fantastic opportunity to participate in the KPMG Virtual Work Experience Day on 14th April, from 10am to 3pm. This is a great chance to explore career opportunities in business, finance, accounting, and professional services.

To register, simply click here: KPMG Virtual Work Experience Registration

HOUSE POINTS

Johnson had a strong week, which pushes them back up the ranks to 3rd place as we head into the Easter break. The gap between 1st and 2nd goes under 1000 points, so this could end up being a dramatic race to finish...

1. Hepworth 20,443
2. Austen 19,481
3. Johnson 18, 062

Special mentions this week:  

• S Crabtree 7J) (16) – Most points this week
• Johnson for winning this weeks house points – 587
• Newton for leading this months house points – 244
• 7A for the highest average points in their tutor group (156.5)
• 9E the highest quiz score total – 144/190
• Johnson for winning house table tennis

Apprenticeships

If your child is considering an apprenticeship as their next step, ‘Choices’ magazine is a really useful free guide to apprenticeships and technical education for parents and carers.  You can find this month’s edition here: amapps.uk/parent-magazine

You can also sign up to receive it every month, direct to your inbox: amapps.uk/choices

Amazing Apprenticeships’ Parent and Carer zone is also a great place to explore apprenticeships and technical education: amazingapprenticeships.com/zones/parent/

Future Talent is a charity that has been supporting young musicians from low-income backgrounds for 20 years. Through their Mentoring Future Talent programmes, they provide crucial guidance, resources, and funding to help nurture the musical development of talented youth, ensuring they have the opportunity to thrive regardless of financial barriers. Check out the poster and supporting pages for more information on programmes and how to apply. The deadline for applications is 16th April so make sure you leave yourself some time over the Easter Holidays to get this in.

Support for Families and Students Facing School Attendance Challenges

DSPL7 and Services for Young People, in collaboration with The Pioneer Club, continue to offer free drop-in support sessions for parents, carers, and young people in Years 7-11 who are dealing with Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA). These sessions provide valuable assistance for overcoming challenges related to school attendance.

We invite you to join us at The Community Café, Suets Yard, The Pioneer Club, Heathlands Drive, St Albans, AL3 5AY, on the following dates: 14th May and 19th June, from 9:30 am to 11:30 am. Booking is required to attend.

For more details and to book a session, please refer to the flyer for contact information.

Introducing Our New Head and Deputy Head Students for 2025-26

As Mr Gray mentioned above, we are excited to announce the appointment of our new Head and Deputy Head Students for the 2025-26 academic year. The selection process was incredibly competitive, and this year, candidates also delivered presentations, further demonstrating their leadership skills and vision for the school.

After a rigorous selection process, and careful deliberation, we are pleased to introduce our new student leadership team:

Head Students
M-J. Mutinda
B. Lockhart
C. Arlidge
N. Inches

Deputy Head Students
A. Muratova
E. Pozder
A. Foley
E. Seymour
H. Hare
E. Gilardo
M. McLaren
N. Ziaullah

These students demonstrated exceptional dedication, leadership, and passion throughout the process. We are incredibly proud of them and look forward to seeing them lead and inspire our school community in the coming year.

If you see them around school, be sure to congratulate them!

National School Theatre Awards 

A very exciting announcement from Team Dance this week; we are incredibly proud to have been selected from the NSTA talent rep to perform at the awards ceremony in June. We are one of only 15 schools to have been selected to perform and it is a real privilege to be an all-dance performance piece. Tuxedo Dance Company will be representing Sandringham and the Dance department as they perform their finale piece to either open or close the awards ceremony at the Gillian Lynne Theatre, Covent Garden. This is a wonderful opportunity for our students and the department are feeling very grateful and proud that our students' talent has been recognised at this prestigious event. We will keep you updated on our amazing nominees: Sarah, Charlotte, Olivia, Zach, Eesha and Saloni as they attend the ceremony with us in the Summer. 

Congratulations!

B. Cray Takes on the London Marathon!

We are immensely proud of B. Cray, who will be running the London Marathon this April in support of Cancer Research UK @cr_uk. Despite balancing her A-Level studies and responsibilities as Head Student, she has been training tirelessly for this incredible challenge. She is truly a role model to all students at Sandringham. As she prepares to tackle the 26.2 miles this month, we encourage everyone to support her in reaching her fundraising goal.

Link to donate here. 

Support Mr O'Connor’s Half Marathon This Sunday!

The big day is almost here. Mr O'Connor has been training hard for the half marathon he’ll be running this Sunday to raise money for the National Literacy Trust, a charity dedicated to improving literacy skills across the UK.

If you can, please do sponsor Mr O'Connor and support this fantastic cause. Every donation will help the National Literacy Trust continue their incredible work in empowering individuals through literacy. You can do so by clicking the link to his JustGiving page here.LINK.

Following on from the tremendous success of Velocity 2025, we’re excited to share the glowing review from the National School Theatre Awards.

With descriptions like 'spellbound,' 'sensationally stunning,' and 'deeply emotional,' it’s clear the reviewer was incredibly impressed by the show and everyone involved in its performance.

Once again, congratulations on delivering such a truly spectacular performance.

We’re Hiring!

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

- Cleaner.

- Resources 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.

STEM On Track Competition

We have been offered a fantastic opportunity to win a free year on the STEM On Track programme. This is a great programme where students design and build their own race kart to enter into a national competition! More details can be found here.

If you would like to enter a design, email Mrs Cooper with your finished design by Monday 28th April. 

Barracudas Holiday Club Exclusive Parent Discount.

We’re happy to let you know that Barracudas School Holiday Club will be open, offering an action-packed experience for children aged 4.5 to 14 years old. With 80+ exciting activities, including sports, arts, and adventure challenges, everyone who attends is guaranteed to have a fun-filled break.

Additionally, Barracudas offers flexible booking options, making it easy to fit around your holiday schedule. Plus, as a special offer for our school community, parents can enjoy an exclusive discount when booking. See the flyer for more details on this and how to book your space now.

Y11 GCSE and A level Dance Exam

Congratulations to our Yr 11 GCSE dance students who completed their choreography exam last week, and Yr 13 dance students for completing their practical exam on Monday. Thank you to their dancers; their hard work and commitment to rehearsals has been incredible and they did the Yr 11's and Yr 13's proud when performing their choreography.

Bring on the written papers!

ParentPay Reminder: Check Your Account is Up-to-Date

We kindly ask all parents to check their ParentPay accounts to ensure that payments are up-to-date. Please also ensure that canteen accounts are cleared and topped up to avoid any issues. Keeping balances in check helps us continue to provide a smooth service for all students.

Thank you for your support.

Get into the Easter spirit this Saturday, 5th April, with a Bake Sale at the Quadrant, right outside Eyes on St Albans.

Come along and grab yourself some delicious sweet treats and help raise money for the St Albans Community Pantry, a great cause and a tasty way to contribute.

Drop by between 10am and 2pm so you don't miss out.

Last Wednesday, 28 students set off on their Gold DofE to the Peak District for their training and Practice expedition. The students developed their navigation and camp craft skills in dry but very windy and cold conditions, with minus temperatures during the day due to the wind chill factor and overnight temperatures dropping to around freezing. 

The students experienced walking in different terrain, walking on bearings and pacing as well as learning to select the best routes when off path and in boggy sections. There were some interesting menu choices, and their camp craft and cooking skills became more efficient and routine over the first couple of days.

The students finished in high spirits having learnt a lot about walking in wild country, how changeable mountain weather in the UK is and the necessity of carrying everything on the kit list. Their camp craft and team work were excellent with students maintaining their morale throughout. They are thoroughly prepared and looking forward to their assessed expedition in the Lake District. The students are also working hard on the other sections of their Gold Award. Thank you to the staff who were on the trip and to staff covering lessons back at school. 

Easter Reading

It has been lovely to see so many students borrowing books this term and enjoying their reading, both in school and at home. A reminder that students (and staff) are welcome to borrow extra library books from the LRC for the Easter holidays. We’d be grateful if Year Eleven and Year Thirteen students could return any outstanding library books after the Easter break. Students across all year groups who have overdue library books have been sent recent email reminders and can check their overdues by logging in to Accessit. Please let the library team know if you are unable to return a book for any reason. We can’t wait to hear what you’ve been reading over the Easter holidays and hope you find the time to relax with a good book!

French: air du temps

German: Zeitgeist

Spanish: zeitgeist

Thinking Question: This week the word of the week is a German word! There are many words we use in English that come from French, German and Spanish - can you think of any?

Butter by Erin Lange

Prepare to gasp, laugh and cry at one boy's journey from lonely outcast to toast of the school as he nears his dreadful deadline...

V Crawley in Yr 7, who has recently read Butter says; "This book really makes you feel for the character by putting you in his shoes. It’s an incredible, heartfelt book, and I really loved the ending. It’s one of my favourite books."

Looking for some great summer reads and we head into the new term after Easter? We’ve selected a top recommendation to enjoy:

• Key Stage 3: The Whisperwicks by Jordon Lees. A captivating mystery full of intrigue and adventure.

• Key Stage 4: Little White Lies by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. A thrilling, suspenseful story about secrets, lies, and high society.

• Key Stage 5 & Staff: The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt. A thought-provoking exploration of anxiety and its impact on today’s youth.

We look forward to hearing your reviews of these books next term.

Z is for zeitgeist [noun]

Definition: The defining spirit or mood of a particular period of history as shown by the ideas and beliefs of the time.

Example: The story captured the zeitgeist of the late 1960s.

Synonyms: Climate, Spirit, Trend

Antonyms: Old fashioned

Etymology: From the German words Zeit, meaning "time," and Geist, meaning "spirit" or "ghost."

District Champions 

The Yr 7 team gave us a thrilling match v's Roundwood Park on Tuesday afternoon, which went all the way to penalties after a 4-4 draw.

Goals from F. Holian, S. Okundonor & N. Adeyemo (2). A Great first year for these boys who have secured their first piece of silverware and become DISTRICT CHAMPIONS. 

A bright footballing career ahead for this team.

District Champions 

Our Yr 10 Boys are crowned District Champions for a third time in four years!
N. Payne headed us into a 1-0 lead before W. Anfield scrambled the ball over the line to send the game into extra time at 2-2.
With 2 minutes to play, M Cooper latched onto an Anfield flick to stab home the winning Goal.

Congratulation to the entire team, you should all be very proud.

Yr 7: A fantastic end to the season for our Yr 7 Netball players with 2 out of 2 wins for both teams against St George’s. Each player who has come to training and represented the teams throughout the year have been amazing and their hard work paid off this afternoon. Well done girls, looking forward to seeing what next season holds.

Yr 11: Well done to the Yr 11 netball team, who played a really strong STAGS team in the District Plate Final, with the latter coming out on top. A great game nonetheless. MVP S. Beaton

Senior B's: This senior team took to the court for one final time to play Samuel Ryder in the District Plate Final. Though it was a close game, SRA came out on top this time. What a pleasure it has been to coach this amazing group of players. I wish every one of them the very best of luck for the future! OPM Isla CPM Jemma and Poppy.

Yr 10: Congratulations to the U15 Netball Team who beat SJL in the District Plate Final this evening. A fantastic win, which we are all very proud of.  MVP L. Kynaston

Cup Final Winners

Congratulations to the U18 Girls for winning the Cup Final, securing a 1-0 victory over Sir John Lawes at Cheshunt FC.

A huge well done to E. Martin, who was named Player of the Match for her outstanding performance and contribution to the win.

Fantastic effort from the whole team, you’ve made us all proud.

Hopefully everyone can have a well deserved rest over the Easter Holidays, and return ready to take on the Summer term sports with fresh energy! A few fixtures to settle yourself back into the new term when you arrive back.

And that’s a wrap on our winter sports and March madness

What an amazing year it’s been for Sandringham sport and something that simply wouldn’t be possible without the amazing dedication and commitment from our students, staff and parents!

Basketball
🏀Year 7 boys county rally champions
🏀Senior boys National Semi Finalists
🏀Year 11 boys county champions
🏀Year 8 boys county champions
🏀U14 Girls County Champions
🏀Senior Boys county Champions

Netball
🏐U16 National Finalists
🏐U19 County Champions
🏐U19 National Plate Winners
🏐U15 District Plate winners

Football
⚽️Senior Girls County Champions
⚽️Year 10 Boys District Champions
⚽️Year 10 Girls District Champions
⚽️Year 7 Girls District runners up
⚽️Year 7 Boys District Champions

Both our senior girls and boys football teams will continue their district campaign after Easter.

We hope everyone has a restful Easter, lots of updates from us as we head to South Africa for our sports tour.

The Yr 7 Girls team put up a strong fight against tough opposition in the District Cup final this week. Although STAGS ultimately claimed the win, the team played with tremendous determination and skill, and they should be incredibly proud of their performance.

I am so proud of each player for their hard work and dedication throughout the season. They have shown great commitment, and they should walk away with their heads held high. Special mention to P. Allen for making some fantastic saves, and to I. Kelly for scoring a brilliant goal.

Well done team!

District Champions 

What an incredible achievement for our U15 Girls team who are now District Champions.

In what was an hard-fought final, taking on STAHS in an exciting match that ended in a 2-2 draw after extra time. The team demonstrated exceptional skill and determination, with Burton and Davies each scoring a goal to bring the game level.

The match was ultimately decided by penalties, where Sandringham held their nerve and secured a well-deserved victory to claim the District Cup. This was a brilliant showcase of girls football at its finest - congratulations to the whole team on this fantastic achievement, you've made us all proud.

Senior County Champions

The senior basketball team clinched a fantastic 19 point victory over Beaumont in this weeks County Final, securing the title once again. This marks an incredible achievement, with some of the team now having won the County Final four years in a row! We also bid farewell to D Cofone, who has been an integral part of the team, thank you for all your hard work and commitment. A special mention goes to O Nicholls and T Sue, who were unable to play in the final due to the Geography trip, you were there in spirit.

Congratulations to the entire team on another brilliant victory.

Yr 9: Congratulations to our U14 futsal team who came 3rd in yesterday’s county competition. A great effort from everyone on the team. Player of the day went to B.Silveria 

Brilliant effort from T. Pritchard who helped his U15 Dacorum Athletics Club team to first place at the Southern 5k road championships. Congratulations to you and the whole team. Looking forward to seeing more in the season ahead.