We are thrilled to announce that Poppy, Rozzy, Ash, and Sebbie have all earned places in the prestigious National Youth Theatre this year. What an incredible achievement! Your talent, hard work, and dedication have truly paid off, and we couldn’t be prouder. 

A huge shout out also goes to Eve and Elena, who have been shortlisted for the NYT summer acting courses, we’ve got everything crossed for you!

To everyone who auditioned, your courage and creativity are something to celebrate. If this year wasn’t your year, keep going, your moment is coming. 

Please remember to keep checking your emails and let us know if you hear any more exciting news.

County Cup Champions

A huge congratulations to Samuel, Toby, and Freddie, who were part of the Harvester FC team that won the County Cup this weekend with an impressive 7-2 victory over Borehamwood Youth in the final.

With 80 teams competing across the county, this is a fantastic achievement and a testament to their teamwork, skill, and determination. Well done, boys, you should all be very proud.

Last term, a number of students in Yrs 9, 10, and 11 sat the Intermediate Kangaroo and Olympiad rounds. The Kangaroos and Olympiads are differentiated by year groups. 

As follow-on Rounds to the Intermediate Maths Challenge, the Kangaroos are 60 minute, 25 multiple choice challenges and the Olympiads are 2 hour Challenges consisting of 6 Olympiad style problems. Entry to the Kangaroos and Olympiads is by invitation only, based on a qualifying score in the Intermediate Maths Challenge. Students are awarded Gold, Silver and Bronze for the Kangaroos, and Merit and Distinction for Olympiads.

Special congratulations to the following students: Oliver S for achieving a merit and Best in School in the Olympiad, and Tim C, for achieving Gold and Best in School in the Grey Kangaroo, and Finn N, Gold and Best in Year and Peter F, Gold and Best in school in the Pink Kangaroo.

Congratulations to all students who took part. 

London Marathon Weekend – Tune In and Cheer Them On!

This weekend, the streets of London will be filled with energy, determination, and inspiration as the London Marathon takes place!

Live coverage starts at 8:30am on the BBC, offering a great chance to cheer on the runners, many of whom are raising money for important causes. You might even feel inspired to lace up your own trainers, just like some of our amazing teachers and students who have taken part in past marathons, and those representing us this year!

Good luck everyone!

We embarked onto our trip to Iceland on Monday morning ready for a jam-packed trip planned by our Geography department for students in year 12 and 13 to see the amazing country of Iceland. We had a short flight over and were thrown straight into our first adventure by walking along the bridge between continents – seeing how tectonic plates shape natural landscapes in person. Later, we took a walk around some of Iceland’s largest mud pools. Whilst it certainly looked amazing, the smell was anything but that. After some of us (specifically Miss Pratley) narrowly escaped falling into the boiling hot water, we made our way back to the hotel and got some rest before our glacier walk the following morning. With stunning views and hidden ice crevices, our glacier walk was nothing short of impressive and besides, what's not to love when you get to smash ice up with an ice axe? We then continued our journey of the southern region and visited Skogafoss. This was a beautiful, but deceiving, waterfall that we were able to walk behind and see its beauty whilst being rained on. We then continued on our waterfall exploration and were able to climb up to a lookout point to see the impressive features from above.

The following day we took a dip in one of Iceland’s natural hot springs, the Secret Lagoon. It gave us the opportunity to relax, amidst our otherwise non-stop trip - that said, I can’t say I felt very relaxed in the plunge pool. That night, we were able to see one of the most beautiful views: the northern lights, they moved around the sky amazing each and every one of us. Sadly, we made it to our last day where we visited the worlds 6th largest geothermal power plant to learn about how Iceland is provided with energy. It was a fantastic finish to our all-round amazing trip. Thank you to Miss Pratley for organising such an incredible trip!

By S. Cray

South Africa Sports Tour 2025

What an unbelievable 12 days our students have had in one of the most beautiful countries in the world. Our students and staff have had an incredible time and created some special memories. 12 days, 4 fixtures, 3 hotels & loads ticked off the bucket list.

A massive thank you to the 57 amazing students that embraced everything wholeheartedly and stepped out of their comfort zones on many occasions. You were fun, inquisitive, brave, kind and always well mannered. We as teachers are very lucky to work with you on a daily basis. Thank you!

And finally, a personal message from Mr Keenleyside to say an even bigger thank you to the best PE department around, who spent their Easter break away from loved ones to give our students these memories.

Please look out for a proper write up in next weeks edition.

Congratulations go to the following Yr 13 students who have successfully secured amazing apprenticeships commencing this autumn:

Louie H – Business & Technology Apprenticeship (Level 3) - Computacentre

Angelina J – Mergers & Acquisitions Bright Start Degree Apprenticeship - Deloitte

Kish K – Trainee Site Manager Degree Apprenticeship – The Hill Group

Robbie L – Retail & Business Banking Degree Apprenticeship - Barclays

Sam O’H – Police Degree Apprenticeship - Herts Constabulary

Eddie R – Business Management & Leadership Consultant Degree Apprenticeship - EY

Ailbe T – Fixed Income & Currencies Degree Apprenticeship – Deutsche Bank

This is an amazing achievement, which for many, involved several rounds of interviews and assessment days. A huge well done to these students for their hard work and perseverance and we wish you well in your future careers. Good luck also to those students who are still waiting to hear the outcome of applications and interviews!

Lambing Weekend at Oaklands College 10th – 11th May 

Looking for the perfect family outing this spring? Look no further than Lambing Weekend at Oaklands College, a lovely two-day event packed with fun, laughter, and plenty of adorable animals.

Event Highlights Include:

• Cuddles with Newborn Lambs
• Adventures in the On-Site Mini Zoo
•  The Baby Zone for Our Littlest Visitors
•  Inflatable Fun Park Bouncing Galore
• Tractor Rides for All Ages
• Face Painting
• Mouth-Watering Street Food
• Unique Local Stalls to Explore

Tickets are available here

Whether you’re an animal lover, a foodie, or just after a day of fresh air and fun, Lambing Weekend promises something for everyone. 

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.

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?

Reasons to Be Hopeful: The Power of Sleep

A recent study brings encouraging news for parents and students alike: just 15 extra minutes of sleep each night can make a real difference in a child’s brain development and overall well-being.

The research found that children who consistently get a bit more rest tend to have larger brains and perform better in cognitive tasks. That’s not all though, for those who go to bed earlier and enjoy longer sleep also show signs of improved physical health, including a slower resting heart rate, which is linked to better fitness and resilience.

In a world that often feels fast-paced and over scheduled, this is a hopeful reminder that small changes, like getting to bed a little earlier, can have a big impact.

Sweet dreams really do matter!

Congratulations to H Tse, who has just passed his Grade 8 Jazz Saxophone exam with distinction, which is an outstanding achievement i'm sure you'll all agree.

Grade 8 is the highest level before professional diplomas, and earning a distinction reflects his exceptional skill, musicality, and dedication. His teacher praised his commitment and especially highlighted his growth throughout his musical journey.

Well done, you should be incredibly proud and we're looking forward to seeing where your musical talent takes you next.

HOUSE POINTS

The top 3 remain the same as we head into the Summer Term. Can Hepworth keep on the top spot for the remainder of the year, or will there be a dramatic shift. 

1. Hepworth 20,680
2. Austen 19,683
3. Johnson 18,488

Special mentions this week:  

• E Wu (8F) (11) – Most points this week
• Fawcett for winning this weeks house points – 321
• Johnson for leading this months house points – 625
• 7A for the highest average points in their tutor group (159.6)
• 9E the highest quiz score total – 144/190

B. Cray Takes on the London Marathon THIS WEEKEND!

A reminder and massive GOOD LUCK to B. Cray, who will be running the London Marathon on Sunday in support of Cancer Research UK @cr_uk. If you haven't already, and you can spare a little extra this month, please support her in this incredible challenge. I'm sure she'll have a huge support crew cheering her on along the famous route. Enjoy the experience, it's definitely something you'll remember forever!

Link to donate here. 

French: acquiescer

German: zustimmen

Sapnish: asentir

Thinking Question: Which two European languages are most closely related to English?

Skandar and the Unicorn Thief by A.F. Steadman

Thirteen-year-old Skandar Smith has only ever wanted to be a unicorn rider. To be one of the lucky few selected to hatch a unicorn. To bond with it for life; to train together and race for glory; to be a hero. But just as Skandar’s dream is about to come true, things start to take a more dangerous turn. A dark and twisted enemy has stolen the Island’s most powerful unicorn and as the threat grows ever closer, Skandar discovers a secret that could blow apart his world forever.

A. Mistry Y7 who has read Skandar says ‘I enjoyed the action and tension in this fantasy book. You’ll get really engrossed in reading it as it hooks you in right from the start.’

A is for… acquiesce [verb]

Definition: Accept something reluctantly but without protest.

Example: Sara acquiesced in his decision.

Synonyms: Comply, Concur, Conform

Antonyms: Deny, Oppose, Reject

Etymology: The word derives from the Latin verb quiēscere, "to be quiet."

Entering the Summer term with some Cricket, Tennis and Athletics fixtures which is exciting to see. Looking forward to seeing all the sunny updates over the coming weeks.

Yr 8: A huge congratulations to our U13 Basketball team, who put on a fantastic performance to defeat Ridgeway in their latest JNBA (Junior National Basketball Association) game. The team played with incredible energy, skill, and teamwork, securing a well-earned victory that sees them through to the quarter finals of the tournament.

14 students took part in the first schools athletics competition in Stevenage today where they competed in 5 different events each. They all performed brilliantly and produced some excellent results with lots of PB’s.

Special mentions:
Inter girls - 2nd Place 
Junior boys - 3rd Place 

L. Carlin - 1st Place & Herts qualification
E. Russell - Herts qualification
T. Russ - Herts qualificatioN