As we are fast approaching half term, here is a quick reminder that Barracudas are offering an exclusive discount. With a wide range of fun, active, and engaging activities for children aged 4 to 14, Barracudas is a great option for holiday childcare.

Parents can enjoy a special £20 off per week, or £4 a day discount on bookings using our unique code.

To find out more and secure your place click here

Discount Code: HSCP25

This week, we’ve been celebrating House Charity Week with a series of inspiring school assemblies focused on the importance of giving back.

One of our charity partners, Youth Talk, visited to speak with students about the vital work they do supporting young people and families in our community. They discussed the types of challenges they help with and how their services make a real difference to those in need.

It’s incredibly important that we continue to support Youth Talk, so they can keep providing this essential help to others.

A huge thank you to all our students for getting involved and supporting the week’s fundraising efforts, your kindness and enthusiasm truly make a difference to so many.

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 follow the link on your House Google Classroom (it will be posted on Monday at 8.a.m.) to fill out the Google Form. 

Good luck! Why not play at home and see who is the quickest to get the answer (unfortunately we can only accept answers from students)?

World Mental Health Day 2025

This year’s theme is Access to Services - Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies, which reminds us that everyone deserves mental health support, especially in times of crisis.

It highlights the importance of universal access, integrating mental health into emergency responses, and building resilience in individuals and communities.

Let’s take today to:

• Check in on one another
• Be kind
• Remember it’s okay to ask for help

Together, we can make mental wellbeing a priority for all.

Yr 11 MFL Information Evening 

We are pleased to invite parents and carers of Yr 11 students studying French, German, or Spanish at GCSE to our MFL Information Evening.

The event will take place in the Main Hall on Thursday 16th October at 5.30pm.

During the evening, we will provide an overview of the new GCSE course, explain key content, and highlight ways you can support your child’s revision at home.

Students are also welcome to attend and join the discussion, so we look forward to seeing you there and sharing helpful insights to support your child’s language learning journey.

HOUSE POINTS

Shakespeare remain out in front, with a slight swap from Elgar moving into second place in front of Turing. All very close with these three leading the field...

1. Shakespeare 5,895
2. Elgar 5,366
3. Turing 5,066

Special mentions this week:  

• T Somers (9S) - (23) – Most points this week
• S Smith (8S)- 82 - Highest scoring Year 8
• T Somers (9S) - 87 - Highest scoring year 9
• T Tearle (7A) - 95 - Highest scoring year 7
• J Scott (10A) - 53 - Highest scoring year 10
• A Shaikh (11J) - 28 - Highest scoring year 11
• F Evans (12S) 21 - Highest scoring sixth former
• 12S - Highest quiz score - 50/55
• Elgar most house points this week - 1,018
• Hepworth for winning year 7 speed stacking

'Churchill deserves his status as the greatest Britain ever'.

This was that motion that Sandringham sixth formers debated with students from Sir Robert Woodard School on Thursday afternoon during an online debate. Students had to research, prepare and debate both sides of the argument. Following the presentation of their arguments they had to be ready to think on their feet to both pose and address rebuttals.

Parallel Histories praised our students for their clarity of argument, use of historical sources to enhance the debate and their use of persuasive language.  Well done to Leah, Vivienne, Conor, Oliver, Joshua and Rhys. We're looking forward to the next one already.

This week Yr 7 took on the Speed Stacking Challenge in their house teams, and it was great to see everyone working together in such a speedy fashion!

It's definitely more tricky that you think, and there were quite a few techniques being showcased, but there was of course only one winner at the end.

Congratulations to Hepworth who raced through the event to claim victory.

We’re Hiring!

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

- Assistant Operations Manager 

- Teaching 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.

DofE Silver Practice Expedition

Last Sunday morning 61 intrepid Yr 11 students embarked on an expedition to the South Downs National Park. This was a 3 day expedition, exploring both rural farmlands and upland downs.

Unbelievably for an Autumn expedition , we didn’t have a single drop of rain and the sun shone for most of the time groups were out walking. However the shorter daylight hours provided challenge as, although all the groups were in camp before dark, they experienced the difficulties posed by having to organise a camping area and cook an evening meal by torchlight. 

There were the usual DofE challenges of farm animals blocking paths, narrow stiles and gates to manoeuvre through with big backpacks and temporary misplacements while on route. However staff were really impressed by how the students stepped up to the next level and everyone was able to complete the expedition.  Students have plenty of time to reflect on their experience before their qualifying expedition in July as well as complete the other sections of their Award.

A massive thank you to the staff who supported the students and to the students who were excellent ambassadors for both the school and the Award.

If you have a budding Chloe Kelly who is desperate to get out playing on the football pitch, this is for you!

The Wild Cats team at Harvesters Football Club are golding training sessions for girls in Reception and Yr 1 on Monday's between 5pm - 6pm.

Contact the club secretary at club.secretary@harvestersfc.co.uk to register your interest, and arrange a trial session.

A reminder for those interested - every year we enter a number of students for a home language GCE/GCSE or A level exam.

For example, if you speak Polish at home, you might be interested in doing the GCSE.

If you would be interested in completing a GCE/GCSE in your home language, please email into reception for the attention of Ms Baikie and Ms Bowman (Exams).

Students are only able to do the GCSE exam in Yr 10 or Year 11, we do not enter younger students.

The deadline for expressing interest is Friday 24th October for entry in the summer 2026 exams.

No applications will be accepted after this.

Co-parenting with care for parents with children with SEN

Family lives are delivering Co-parenting with care for parents with children with SEN programme during the Autumn term, funded by Herts County Council for parents/carers who live in Hertfordshire or who have a child attending a Hertfordshire school.  

This 6-week online programme offers a structured approach to help parents navigate their unique challenges, improve their relationship, and create a more supportive environment for their SEN child/ren . This group is aimed at parents who have a child with SEND and who are separated or divorced or going through the process of separation or divorce.

The programme covers themes including:

• Understanding SEN and its impact on children and family dynamics
• Effective Communication Skills
• Managing Emotions & Stress
• Collaborative Problem Solving
• Building a Supportive Network
• Creating a Unified Parenting Approach

Co-Parenting with care for parents of children with SEN

Wednesday 15, 22 October and 5, 12, 19 & 26 November

9.30am to 11.30am - Via MS Teams

Co-Parenting with care for parents of children with SEN

Thursday 16, 23 October and 6, 13, 20 & 27 November

7.00pm to 9.00pm - Via MS Teams

We accept referrals from professionals as well as self-referrals. Please click here Co-Parenting with Care for parents of children with SEN for our online referral form or scan the QR code on the attached flyer

You can also email services@familylives.org.uk or call us on 0204 522 8700 or 0204 522 8701 for more information. 

Have a hauntingly good, family friendly time at Church Farm, Ardeley’s Halloween Spookfest, running from 18th - 31st October.

A Farm Day Pass includes a Spooky Farm Trail, Big Bale Play, Tractors & Digger Ride-Ons, Creepy Fairy Woodland Play, Scarecrow Trail, Spot the Pumpkin (with sweet prizes), photo ops, and lots more thank you can see on the poster and website.

If you book early you'll secure last year’s prices, plus parking is free, dogs are welcome, and under-twos go free.

Visit the Church Farm, Ardeley website here to book your Spookfest adventure.

Come and train to teach at Sandringham School!

Applications for the ITT teacher training programme opened this week on Tuesday 7th October.

We are proud to be a placement school for Initial Teacher Training at Alban TSH who offer flexible, highly-personalised, school-based routes into teacher training. This includes: tuition fee paying, assessment only and Postgraduate Teacher Apprenticeship for a wide range of secondary courses. There is also the opportunity to gain PGCE status in addition to QTS. Alban TSH is an experienced provider of teacher training and has established partnerships with many outstanding schools in the region. Get in touch with our team teaching@albantsh.co.uk to find out more. 

Help Support Youth Talk

Here at Sandringham we are proud to support Youth Talk, one of our valued charity partners, through a Foreign Currency Exchange Competition running until Friday 17th October.

How you can Help - Have you got some treasure hidden at home? We’re asking families to collect any foreign currency including coins or notes, even old pre-euro money, from friends and relatives, and return it to school anytime next week (13th-17th Oct) in the bags provided.

In partnership with Unicorn Foundry, all currency collected will be converted into pounds, with every penny donated directly to Youth Talk.

Every £50 raised funds one free counselling session, helping to make a real difference to the lives of young people in our community.

Thank you for your generosity and continued support, together we can turn spare change into meaningful change.

Have you considered studying abroad?

We are pleased to share that St Albans School will be hosting an International Universities Fair on Monday 3rd November at 7.15pm.

At least seven overseas universities will be attending, offering an excellent opportunity for pupils and families in Yrs 10 - 12 to explore studying abroad options and learn more about international higher education pathways.

Visitors are kindly asked not to arrive before 7.00pm and please note that there will not be parking available on site.

For more details and to register click here.

Don’t miss this valuable chance to discover exciting university opportunities around the world - there is a lot to see!

The secret is out!

Velocity 2026 is coming, and we can't wait to see what's in store.

Save the dates: 5th, 6th and 7th February.

Information on tickets coming soon.

French: furtif/furtive

German: gerissen

Spanish: furtivo/a

Thinking question: The French and Spanish translations are very similar to the English word this week - why is German often different?

The Song Walker by Zillah Bethall.

When a young girl wakes in the middle of the desert, she has no idea who she is. She’s wearing one shoe, a black dress, and she’s carrying a strange, heavy case. She meets Tami, who is on a mysterious quest of her own. Together, the two girls trek across the vast and ever changing Australian Outback in search of answers. Except both are hiding secrets. . .

Luca F, Yr 9, who has recently read the book says, ‘I liked how the main character loses her memories and has to work out who she is. The descriptions of the setting were really good.’

Recent statistics show almost 90% of Sandringham students borrow books from the LRC and are regularly reading at home. It’s lovely to see so many students enjoying their reading, using the LRC and talking about books. Librarians take great pleasure in recommending books and our aim is to always try to put the right book into the hands of our students. Communication has recently been sent home to all year seven, eight, nine and ten parents outlining how we nurture a love of reading and what parents can do to encourage reading at home. We suggest that even ten to fifteen minutes reading per day is incredibly valuable and can help students to unwind. Reading regularly for pleasure improves literacy and concentration skills, vital for academic attainment across the curriculum. Through reading, young people are exposed to different cultures, perspectives and experiences which helps to develop emotional intelligence, empathy, and improves mental health. If you have any questions or queries, or require some reading suggestions for a student, please do not hesitate to contact us via sand-library@sandringham.aetrust.uk Happy reading!

F is for… furtive [adjective]

Definition: Attempting to avoid notice or attention, typically because of guilt or a belief that discovery would lead to trouble.

Example: The couple spent a furtive day together.

Synonyms: Secretive, Clandestine, Covert

Antonyms: Honest, Open

Etymology: From Latin furtivus (‘stolen’), from fur (‘thief’).

Yr 8: A big win for the year 8 basketball team as they beat SCC 69-63 in the county league. Having already played against SCC multiple times since the start of year 7, it was pleasing to see this team come out on top in a very tight game.

Yr 10: The U15 boys basketball team have lost their opening county league game this week in a very close game which finished at 41-47 Vs Queens school. The boys are looking to bounce back in their next games Monday and Wednesday next week.

Yr 7: Two good games last weekend as our youngest cohort take two wins. Both the A and B teams won 8-4 v SJL. Well done to all who played.
A team - Foster (2), Parker (2), Quinn (2), Jones & O’Sullivan
B team - Leith (3), Bullivant (3), Rama & Ball

Yr 8: Last weekends game against SJL was a well fought contest. Sandringham were 10-0 up, and then leading 20-10, and finished with a 20-20 draw. Hat-trick of tries from Marwaan and 1 from Jensen. MOM Jensen

Yr 9: A strong performance from this improving group of boys as they beat SJL last weekend. Tries spread across the team ensure that captain Harvey was delighted at the final whistle!

Yr 10: A hard fought game from this team but unfortunately the boys just weren't quite able to make it happen. 19-0 at half-time, but bringing it back to 19-12 to finish. One try in it! Scorers: Hunt & Tarar

A huge well done to all of our Cross Country Runners who ran at Queenswood in the ESSA Cross Country National Cup this week. Every single one of you gave it your all and we are extremely proud of you. Now we wait to see which teams will qualify for the Regional Round. Congratulations on a brilliant combined effort.

Yr 7: A really big well done to the Yr 7 A and B Teams, who were both absolutely fantastic in their respective games against RPS.

The B team came out as winners, with MVP going to Eva for some excellent shooting.

The A Team suffered a narrow loss, with Zara selected as OPM and CPM Abbey for some excellent interceptions.

Looking forward to seeing what this group of girls can achieve...the future is looking promising.

Yr 8: A fantastic performance from our U13 team has led them to a win in round 1 of the School Sports Magazine Competition. Some excellent progress from all players, and everyone can be super proud of themselves. POM went to Sofia for her fantastic movement around court and excellent shooting.

Yr 8: A great performance from these four who won multiple fixtures and finish 3rd in the District Tournament. They narrowly missed out on a County Final but represented the school brilliantly. Congratulations boys.

Yr 9 Girls: Well done to the U14 team, who played in the Harpenden Colts Tournament today. Winning one and drawing two in their group games, they went into the semi-finals, where they drew 1-1 against KWS. Unfortunately they lost out in the penalty shoot-out, and eventually finished 4th overall! A brilliant effort by everyone who played so congratulations girls.

Yr 10 Girls: Congratulations to our U15 girls football team who win their first game of the County Cup campaign! 

Yr 11 Girls: Our U16 girls cane out victorious in their first County Cup match this evening. A brilliant display of football against a strong opposition. Congratulations POM S. Davies.

Senior Girls: A 4 - 2 win for our Senior girls today in their first game of the season. Good to see lots of new combinations on the field. Looking forward to seeing your progress over the season.

ESSA: Congratulations to our female swimmers who all represented Sandringham in last weekends English Championship qualifying round at Watford. A brilliant effort made by all, and we can't wait to hear how you get on in the next round.

A huge congratulations to our Junior Boys Swim Team, who have qualified for the ESSA National Finals!

Hugo (Yr 8), Oscar (Yr 8), Christian (Yr 7) and Albie (Yr 7) put in an outstanding performance at the Regional Championships, finishing first place in the Medley Relay Race.

The team will now go on to compete in the National Finals on Saturday 15th November.

We’re incredibly proud of their hard work and dedication, and good luck for the Finals!

Another hectic week for our sports teams. It's rugby to kick off the weekend, and ending with some netball and basketball on the courts. Good luck to all teams and individuals, looking forward to seeing all those results.

District Cross Country: The District campaign came to an end today as we finished the season at Westminster Lodge. Some strong performances from our students who have run brilliantly over the first half term. Some of these runners will be looking forward to competing at the Regional Finals in November. We are looking forward to seeing how you get on then. Congratulations to everyone who has run, and good luck to those next month.

Yr 11 Boys: After a brilliant match, it was a tough result to take as we narrowly missed out, losing 5 - 4 on penalties against JFK. After McCree put us one up, we weren’t quite able to hold on and it finished 1 - 1. We go again in the national cup so we're keeping our heads up.

Join us for KT's Academy's winter production of Dancing through the decades.  

Join us down memory lane, where the children will showcase their performance skills through the decades.

A variety of dance, singing and acting performances showcased by our students. 

Saturday 29th November

Get your tickets here.

Following on the success of the smash-hit ‘Bugsy Malone’, Limitless Productions, returns to The SandPit Theatre this Halloween, with a brand newfull-scale musical.

One of the darkest musicals ever written,Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is the unsettling tale of a Victorian-era barber who returns home to London after fifteen years of exile to take revenge on the corrupt judge who ruined his life. When revenge eludes him, Sweeney swears vengeance on the entire human race. Perhaps composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim’s most perfect score,Sweeney Todd is lush, operatic, and full of soaring beauty, pitch-black comedy and stunning terror.

Featuring a sizeable cast, full scale set and immersion throughout, this classic musical thriller is not to be missed.

Click here for ticket.

We are excited to announce our first Music Faculty event of the year and also our first ever, Sandringham Jazz Night on Tuesday 21st October @ 6:30pm

This new event, will feature many of our school ensembles, including the Jazz Band, Concert Band and Senior Choir and will take place in the main school hall.

Tickets are now available from the Sandpit Theatre Box Office here.

Sandringham School Drama Faculty presents the world-famous Willy Wonka, and he is opening the gates to his mysterious factory…but only to a lucky few. Young Charlie Bucket and four other golden ticket winners will embark on a life-changing journey through Wonka’s world of pure imagination including chocolate waterfalls, nutty squirrels and the great glass elevator, all to be revealed by Wonka's army of curious Oompa-Loompas.

The only tickets remaining are for Thursday 13th and Saturday 15th November 

Get your tickets here, this is not one to miss!