Students are reminded to check and sign up on SOCS for extra-curricular music clubs. There are some new groups starting this week including: 

Year 11 Xmas Music Group - Weds 1.25-1.145
Year 10 Music Ensemble - Thursdays 3-3.45
Year 9 Orchestra - Fridays 12.30-12.50

Sandringham Remembers- Every Poppy Counts

Thank you so much to all of our artists who have arrived this week with buttons for our Sandringham Remembers collaborative artwork. We have been so impressed with how hard they have worked in Year 7, 8 and 9 in the lesson this week to create individual poppies which will be collated to form a large installation to mark Remembrance Day this year. We have requested for all artists to photograph their individual poppies and these have been uploaded to our Sandringham Remembers Google Classroom to celebrate their achievement and it has been truly wonderful to see their personal responses and how creatively they have approached the task. A special thank you to Mrs Button and Mrs Leto for organising this activity for our artists this week.

Oaklands College Virtual Open Day will be held on Saturday 21st November from 10 am - 3 pm. This virtual event will give students the opportunity to attend curriculum specific webinars, virtual tours and find out more about college life at Oaklands.

For further information and to register, please visit their website: 

https://www.oaklands.ac.uk/open-events-2020/

Students around the school are busy making their individual Remembrance Day poppies to form a large installation to mark Remembrance Day, and next Wednesday, 11th November, we will be holding our annual Remembrance Day ceremony. This will start with virtual whole school assembly from Mr Leat and at 11am there will be a live stream presentation from Mr Gray, where James C (Year 11) will play the Last Post. Students who are part of a force cadet group will be standing by in their uniforms. This is a slightly different format from previous years but we hope that students enjoy the day and use it as a chance for some reflection.

Students can come in non-school uniform or fancy dress on Friday 13th November. Unfortunately we will not be accepting cash donations this year so donations can be either via ParentPay or if you wish to add Gift Aid, you can use the following link

https://app.parentpay.com/ParentPayShop/Foc/Default.aspx?shopid=1335

H1, near the staffroom, is named after Baroness Mary Warnock-  a philosopher, academic and government inquiry chairwoman whom we believe showed great confidence in bridging the gap between theory and policy in ethical debates.

Born in 1924, Mary soon discovered a love of learning and went to Oxford in October 1942 to study mods and greats. When the war intervened, she became a teacher and married the philosopher Geoffrey Warnock shortly afterwards. During the Fifties the couple had five children in quick succession and in 1973, Warnock was made chair of the Committee of Inquiry into Special Educational Needs.

Writing what became known as the Warnock Report, her recommendations formed the basis of the 1981 Education Act- establishing new legal rights for disabled children and their parents. Today’s practice of placing children with special needs into mainstream schools and assessing them by “statementing” of their needs exists thanks to Warnock and her committee’s work.

Warnock was made a DBE in 1984 and later went on to become Baroness Warnock of Week. In her later life she was Chair of the Committee of Inquiry into Human Fertilisation and Embryology, whose findings are considered perhaps the world's most influential analysis of the ethics of assisted conception and embryo research. She also sat on a Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution and contributed to the Commission on Assisted Dying.

Warnock was an outspoken commentator in many areas of public life and in 2018, a year before her death, she was named as one of the TES ten most influential people in education, in recognition of her work on special educational needs. It has been said about her "rarely can an individual have had so much influence on public policy." 

Due to Covid-19, Herts Young Homeless had to sadly cancel their biggest fundraiser of the year, the St Albans Sleepout. In its place they are running the Sleepout at Home on Friday 20th November. Students can pitch tents in their back gardens, take to their sofas or even sleep on the floor for the night in order to raise awareness and funds for youth homelessness.

They will be running some virtual entertainment throughout the night and all funds will go towards helping those in need. Full info can be found here if you would like to participate.

https://www.hyh.org.uk/sponsoredsleepout

Students are reminded that they need to wear wired headphones for use in school. They cannot use wireless/blue tooth or air pods firstly, because of the value of the items but also because they do not link to the school desk tops so cannot be used in any computer rooms. Please could you ensure that your child brings wired headphones into school daily. Many thanks.

The James Marshall Foundation provides financial support to under 25’s living in Harpenden and Wheathampstead, from families of limited financial means, for educational and career-related opportunities. The Foundation makes grants to young people towards such items/activities as school uniform and equipment, extra-curricular activities, residential school trips, courses, laptops, college/university accommodation or travel costs, apprenticeships and even to support a business idea. If you would like to contact the Foundation to see if you are eligible for a grant, please do so on the contact details below.

Phone no: 01582 760735 Email: office@jamesmarshallfoundation.co.uk or grants@jamesmarshallfoundation.co.uk Website: www.jamesmarshallfoundation.co.uk

In September, five Year 8 students decided to set up and run a business to meet the requirements of the national Tycoon in Schools competition. The first step was to produce a business plan and pitch for the finance to start up their business. They worked very hard every Wednesday afternoon from September to produce their Business plan and they also met up outside of school to produce a pitch. As a result of their hard work and creativity, we are delighted to say that they have been awarded a loan of £220 by Tycoon in Schools to get their business up and running. Their business is called K9Cookies and Chill Cat, and intends to sell Christmas treats for dogs and cats. More information will follow on how you can buy their products. Well done to Emily G, Max M, Ben L, Harry P and Darcy W of 8S.

FOSS AGM: Tuesday 10th November at 6pm via Zoom, Meeting ID 3993227841, passcode 12345.

All parents from all years are warmly invited to attend the FOSS AGM where we will look back over the last academic year and look forward to the next. This year more than ever we need your help. In these unprecedented times we need to address the role and function of the pta within the school for the coming year. Most events have had to be cancelled and we are now limited by social distancing and lock-down guidelines (for the time being) so any new ideas or suggestions are very much needed.

Please join us on Tuesday at 6pm for the first virtual FOSS meeting. This will be a 45 minute AGM followed by 30 minutes planning for upcoming events, in particular we need ideas to replace our traditional Christmas Fair. Leaving your camera on is optional.

Please email us on fosspta@email.com with any enquiries if you are unable to attend the meeting.

This week, we have confirmed the student group for the SLT group for Ecology and Sustainability. The three lead students; George Sharpe, Tilly Risby and Astrid Koppe have been working hard to look at their actions plans and ideas to lead the group. Central to the plans is to work towards becoming an Eco-school. Eco-Schools is a global programme engaging 19.5 million children across 67 countries, making it the largest educational programme on the planet. The programme aims to develops pupils’ skills, raise environmental awareness and improve the school as well as a whole host of other benefits. (https://www.eco-schools.org.uk/)

We will be choosing specific strands within the scheme to focus on in coming months and we will be working with the SLT to put plans in place.

Other developments this week include the opening of the new cycle racks. This has significantly increased the quantity of storage for bikes as we seek to encourage as many students as possible to walk or cycle to school.

We have also started to plan areas for our tree planting, we have 420 tree saplings arriving from the Woodland Trust in the next few weeks to plant on the school site.

Thank you to the families who have committed to a pledge for climate change action, if you would like to participate, please follow the link here and I will update about the actions being taking in coming weeks: https://forms.gle/aXRAaBCXQfaoRrJSA

And finally, we have been provided with a flyer about a thermal imaging camera which St Albans residents can borrow (please see separate article titled "Thermal Imaging" 

Sustainable St Albans are once again offering free information sessions showing residents how to use a Thermal Imaging Camera in their homes. These can be used to find cold spots and in turn improve insulation to create a more energy efficient home this winter. 

Sandringham School used the camera back in March to give the pupils an idea of the variation in energy efficiency of different buildings and what happens in heated rooms with windows and doors left open. You can read more about it here

The information sessions are on Zoom and cameras can be collected in a socially distant manner. Further information about the whole project is available at https://sustainablestalbans.org/thermal-imaging/.

Every week the Mathematics Faculty publish a puzzle for you to try. You can find the puzzle in the Sandprint or on the screens around school. 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

UAL Future Creatives are now providing online art classes for young artists. These live online classes provided exceptional creative education with practical learning through engaging activities. For further information:

https://www.arts.ac.uk/study-at-ual/short-courses/future-creatives/online

Austen retain their top spot this week with a total of 4430 house points. They are closely followed by Elgar and Fawcett and with the Year 9 Interhouse sport on Monday 9th November, there is everything to play for. 

Tutor (Group) of the week =  7N Miss Meeking. Well done to 7N on the joint highest score on the last house quiz and for the highest mean score.

Year group of the week = Year 8. Well done to the Y8s on another 100% completion on the House quiz and the highest total score.  

House of the week = Turing. Well done to Turing who had the biggest points increase since last week and the most success on the last weekly House Quiz!

In recent years, MPs have called on the government to classify loot boxes – a key feature of many online games – as gambling. This would ban their sale to anybody under the age of 18. Loot boxes are a key feature of many online games. They have come under fire for using predatory techniques to push players to spend money while gaming. Some researchers have noted an overlap between loot boxes and problem gambling.

With 93% of children in the UK currently playing games, this affects many families. A report by ParentZone underpins the impacts that these gaming features can have - https://parentzone.org.uk/the-rip-off-games.

What are loot boxes?

Loot boxes are virtual treasure chests containing undisclosed items that can be used in games. These might be ways of customising characters or weapons (‘skins’). These contents may affect progress through the game, or simply be designed to convey status. 

Do loot boxes pose a risk?

Loot boxes aren’t needed to play the games in which they appear – but their contents can still be very tempting to a child. Getting a ‘legendary skin’ from a Fortnite loot box can be a significant status symbol. Loot boxes In FIFA can unlock outstanding footballers. But this is a lottery: very few games reveal how often the more highly prized items are won.

Many games use psychological techniques borrowed from the gambling industry, ‘nudging’ players to keep spending money. Research has found that younger children were especially vulnerable. While academic research into the links between gaming and gambling has not proved that loot boxes (which are after all a recent invention) cause addiction, researchers are worried enough to urge caution.

What can parents/carers do?

-Parents and carers should be aware that children are often pressurised to spend money on loot boxes. If you can, talk to children about why they think they are being asked to spend money without knowing what they’ll get in return.

-Buying a loot box occasionally isn’t going to lead to problem gambling. The concern comes when the habit gets out of control. Make sure to get involved and be aware of what your child is spending.

-Check that your card details aren’t saved on any gaming system. It’s easy for a child to get tempted into buying a new skin for their character or a new weapon camo – or simply to click the wrong button and make an accidental purchase. Beware of having payment methods (vouchers, prepaid cards, debit/credit card) linked to their account.

Politics week saw the Year 13 Politics students give an assembly to the rest of the school educating them on both the US and British Political system. This included key information about democracy and the different political parties and their policies. Many staff and students have been following the US election and this has provided learning opportunities in multiple lessons to discuss global politics. It has been excellent to see students genuinely interested in the outcome of an election and we hope this enthusiasm for politics only continues to grow.

We have now launched the information for applications for the Sixth Form in 2021. It was fantastic to see so many Year 11 students and families join us for the launch of the BSV Education Trust 'Into the Sixth Form' Evening presentation on Thursday evening. If you missed it, or would like to watch it again, all resources and the launch video can be found on the link below. The main Sandringham Open Evening will be held online on 14th January 2021.

https://sandringham.herts.sch.uk/sixth-form-admissions/

The MFL department challenges you to create a foreign Christmas card. This is a National Competition for all Schools in the UK (Year 1-9) We would like you to design a card which shows the Christmas traditions of another country. You should research and design your card using a variety of materials. Entries can be submitted in any foreign language – N.B. entries containing English language will not be accepted.

ENTRY DEADLINE: 30TH NOVEMBER

Submit to the MFL Office - C Block First Floor (C6-8) OR to your French/German/Spanish teacher. Entries must be completed by hand (not online) and must be no larger than A4 size. Both accuracy of language and design will be judged.

To find out more about our existing vacancies, please visit our website.

https://sandringham.herts.sch.uk/vacancies/

A huge congratulations to Ellen B in Year 13, who came an amazing 2nd in the Junior Women event at the National hill climb championship on Sunday. Her second ever open event and her first ever hill climb event! She completed the 700m course in an impressive 3minutes 17.46 seconds. 

Ellen has experienced national success on the road, track and cyclocross and here at Sandringham, we are all very proud of her achievements. 

If you would like your son/daughter to be featured in the Sandprint please email melissa.holian@sandringham.herts.sch.uk

IMMUNISATIONS: Mon 8th March 2021- Year 9 Polio, Tetanus, Diptheria & Meningitis ACWY. Tue 18th May 2021- Year 8 HPB2

LOCKER KEYS:    We still have some locker keys available for Years 8-11 so please come to Student Services if you need one. These are £5 to rent for the school year.

SAVERCARDS:    Students ages 11-18 who travel by bus can apply for a Savercard online at www.hertsdirect.org/savercard

CYCLING TO SCHOOL :    We have excellent bike storage and recommend that students walk or cycle wherever possible. Please be careful on the slippery roads at this time of year.

LOST PROPERTY:  We have a new lost property cupboard at Student Services which students can access at all times to check for lost items.

FIRST AID: We are currently updating care plans for students who have medical conditions and will be sending out an email shortly. Please could you reply as soon as possible.

During the week of 16-22 November, young people, parents/carers and professionals can sign up to FREE webinars by Just Talk on topics such as:

• The Importance of Sleep for Teenagers
• Five Ways to Wellbeing
• Mindfulness for School Staff
• Managing Separation Anxiety
• Developing Resilience
• Health, Nutrition and Wellbeing
• Wellbeing for Parents/Carers
• Mental Health & Wellbeing for Young People

You can find out more details and sign up here Just Talk Webinars. We hope you find the information useful.

FRENCH:    Le mot de la semaine :       justifier  

SPANISH:    La palabra de la semana:  justificar

GERMAN:    Das Wort der Woche:        erklären

Thinking questions:

• The English, French and Spanish are very similar. What might the reason for this be?
• Did you know that all German verbs end in an en?
• These are all infinitive verbs (no one is doing the verb) – in English these are written to… for example to justify.

J is for… Justify (verb)

Definition: To provide or be a good reason for (something).  To prove or show (something) to be just, right or reasonable

Example: He tried to justify his behaviour by saying that he was being pressured unfairly by his boss

Synonyms: Advocate, Defend, Uphold

Antonyms: Attack, Condemn, Contradict

Etymology: From the Latin word ‘justificare’ meaning to do justice to, from the Latin root ‘jus’ meaning law or right

Sadly, current restrictions mean that team sports cannot take place at the moment. But the PE department are still busy running training in bubbles and the Year 7 netballers had a great time earlier this week despite the rain. 

Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella is a thrilling and evocative love story set in London during the Second World War.  The internationally acclaimed choreographer’s interpretation of the classic fairy tale has, at its heart, a true war-time romance.  A chance meeting results in a magical night for Cinderella and her dashing young RAF pilot, together for just long enough to fall in love before being parted by the horrors of the Blitz. Matthew Bourne’s vivid story telling has never been more heart-stopping and touching and will take the audience into the heart of Prokofiev’s magnificent score.  Tickets £13.50/£10

Filmed over the course of four years, award-winning director Phil Grabsky follows leading concert pianist Leif Ove Andsnes’s attempt to understand and interpret one of the greatest sets of works for piano ever written: Beethoven’s five piano concertos.  Against the wonderful background of Leif Ove playing these 5 pieces, we also show how these works offer a new fresh way of examining Beethoven’s life and work.  Tickets £10

Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake comes to cinemas with a fresh look for the 21st century.  This thrilling, audacious and witty production is perhaps still best known for replacing the female corps-de-ballet with a menacing male ensemble, which shattered convention, turned tradition upside down and took the dance world by storm.  Collecting over thirty international accolades including an Oliver Award and three Tonys on Broadway, Matthew Bourne’s powerful interpretation of Tchaikovsky’s beloved tale is still original and still unmissable, a passionate and contemporary Swan Lake for our times.  Tickets £13.50/£10

Welcome to the Dream Shop!  You are invited to discover the mysteries of Dream Making and to share the secrets of mixing the perfect dream.  It’s important work – thousands of dreams are dreamt every single night, and they all have to be made just right.  So, join PaddleBoat Theatre Company in this magical story and discover the joy of being a Dream Maker.

Dream Maker is a perfect return to the theatre for families aged 3+ and for anyone who would enjoy a relaxed, inclusive experience.  Tickets £40 (Sits up to 6)

We hope everyone is keeping well.  Through December, and January we have lots of exciting screenings coming to The SandPit. Including, Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake and Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella, A Beethoven Journey and Dream Maker!  We look forward to opening our doors again safely and to see you all again.