Sandringham Christmas Fair – Saturday 6th December

December is nearly here so its just about to get festive - our Christmas Fair will take place on Saturday 6th December between 11am -  3pm in the Main Hall.

There will be lots of festive treats, fun stalls, and activities for the whole family to enjoy.

As always, we need your help to make the day a success:

• Parents and Staff Volunteers: Please sign up here to lend a hand where you can throughout the day.

• Tombola Donations: You can contribute via ParentPay which is already set up on the system, or you're very welcome to bring chocolates, sweets, or bottles to Reception.

Come along, enjoy the festive atmosphere, and help us make this year’s Christmas Fair a wonderful celebration for the whole Sandringham community.

Well done to Yr 10 BTEC dance students who completed their Component 2 performance exam this week!

You've worked so hard this term, and now onto the final written elements of the coursework. 30% nearly completed - woo hoo!

Poppy Appeal 

A heartfelt thank you to all students, staff and families who contributed to this year’s Poppy Appeal. Your donations support the vital work of the Royal British Legion and help provide lifelong assistance to serving and veteran members of the Armed Forces and their families.

We are grateful for your kindness and continued support.

Order Your Christmas Tree & Support The School.

Remember to order a beautiful quality Nordmann Fir tree delivered straight to your home with Christmas Treeasy and help raise £3.50–£6.50 for our school/PTA per tree.

Free delivery, optional recycling, stands, and logs available. Some of the delivery dates are now full so be sure to get yours booked in asap to avoid disappointment.

Order online here or scan the QR code attached, and don’t forget to select our school to ensure your donation counts.

Student Christmas Lunch – Orders Now Open

Our Student Christmas Lunch is now available to order via ParentPay.

Parents and carers will need to select either the meat (turkey) or vegetarian option when placing the order. Desserts will be chosen by students on the day.

• Cost: £5
• Order deadline: Midnight, Monday 1st December 

See the Menu in the image attached.

We look forward to a lovely festive lunch to get everyone Christmas ready.

BIG BANG COMPETITION 

Have you got a brilliant idea, an inventive project, or a passion for science, tech, or engineering? The Big Bang Competition is your chance to showcase it!

Create a project on anything STEM-related - from experiments and inventions to research and real-world problem-solving - and submit it to be judged by industry experts. Finalists get the chance to present their work at the Big Bang Fair and win amazing prizes! Turn your curiosity into something extraordinary and enter the Big Bang Competition now.

Find out more here.

Lessons and Carols – 15th December 7pm

Our annual Lessons and Carols will take place on Monday 15th December at 7pm in St Paul’s Church, St Albans.

This is always a special evening that involves our choirs and a number of our instrumental groups. All students involved in the event should have received an information letter via Parentmail last week and tickets are now available from the Sandpit Theatre.

This is a popular event and tickets will not be available on the door, so we suggest buying your tickets early to avoid disappointment.

Battlefields Trip

On Friday and Saturday, we went on the battlefields trip, which was an extremely eye-opening and thoughtful experience. 

On Friday, when we first arrived in Belgium, we went to see the ‘trench of death’ - one of the only preserved Belgium trenches left - and thought about how tall the trenches needed to be and learnt about how soldiers lived during war. It was fun wandering around the trenches and imagining what it was like to live as a soldier. We then went to the Passchendaele museum, where we split up into different groups and explored. The museum was built like a timeline of the battle of Passchendaele; the top being the beginning of the battle and the bottom being the end, which I thought was really interesting and helped me to grasp an idea of how long and how catastrophic it was. We also took a look at an extensive dugout system which would have been used in world war one and learnt about what a soldier in the war would wear, such as puttees and webbing - which one of my classmates had to wear! At sunset, we went to the Tyne cot cemetery but unfortunately couldn’t see much of it as it was getting dark. However, we were able to see the wall of names encircling the graves, giving us an idea of the lives lost in war. We also had a look at some of the graves, which were our first time seeing graves that were for unidentified soldiers. We then promptly went to the town of Ypres - one of the most important towns during WW1 - where we brought scrumptious Belgium chocolate and ate dinner. The true highlight of our day was when we went to the Menin Gate to hear the last post and to do a two minute silence at 8pm, which is a tradition that has been going on every day ever since the Menin Gate was built. It was a time that really let us reflect on all of the soldiers that lost their lives serving in the war and showed us the amount of missing bodies there are still out there. 

After a long, restful sleep, we immediately started the second day off in France, first going to a German cemetery, which was completely different from a french or British Memorial. I thought it was fascinating learning why these graves were so different from the others we had seen, and also how the Jewish soldiers had different graves compared to the others. We then went to see the sunken lane and Hawthorn Ridge, really helping us to visualise what the soldiers were doing and feeling and how they fought in the same place that we were standing in. Whilst we were there, we learnt all about the battle of the Somme, and how it was one of the bloodiest battles during the great war - with over 50,000 injured or hurt on the first day, most of the soldiers were killed after the first 30 minutes - a chilling reminder how quickly lives were lost. At the end of our trip we stopped at Thiepval, which was a memorial dedicated to the missing British and South African soldiers. To me, this was the most moving part of the trip, as it really put into perspective the amount of lives lost during the war and the absolutely devastating impact it had on individual families. It really made us think about the impact war left and the tragedies that came with it.

Overall, I really enjoyed the battlefields trip and would strongly recommend that you (Year 8) go next year. I found it to be really moving and interesting, and an experience that I will never forget. Thank you to the history department and the school for planning such an enthralling and thoughtful trip!

Written by Jessica P.

Christmas at Church Farm

If you're looking for a magical way to kick off the festive season, they you can head to Church Farm in Ardeley, who have have officially launched its Festive Farm Experience.

You will step into a winter wonderland where children can meet Father Christmas, chat with friendly elves, and even write and post a special letter to Santa. The farm is alive with festive cheer, offering plenty of activities to keep all ages entertained, from seasonal crafts to interactive farm fun.

With twinkling lights, warm treats and a cosy Christmas atmosphere, the Festive Farm is a wonderful way to create some great Christmas memories.

Book your tickets via the Church Farm website here.

Preloved Uniform Sale 

Alongside all the festive fun at this year’s Christmas Fair, we’re pleased to confirm that the Preloved Uniform Sale will be taking place in the Old Gym.

It’s a great opportunity to pick up some good quality uniform items at affordable prices, while supporting sustainability at Sandringham.

We are also putting out a friendly plea for any unwanted, good condition preloved uniform including football boots and sports trainers.

If you have items to donate, please drop them into Reception by Thursday 4th December.

Thank you for helping us promote reuse, reduce waste and support families across our community.

Need Someone to Talk To? Just Shout 85258

There is always someone out there to talk to - If you ever feel stressed, anxious, low, or just need someone to listen, you can text SHOUT to 85258 any time, day or night, and a trained volunteer will listen and help you find a way forward.

It’s completely free, available 24/7, and totally confidential.

You can find out more by visiting their website here.

Yr 8 attended their first Careers Assembly of the year on Tuesday.  Mr Wills visited the whole year group, to talk to them about careers in marketing.  Before his career change into education, he worked in the marketing sector for 30 years and was therefore able to pass on a great deal of information from his experience.  From Pepsi, to Thorpe Park, the students were able to find out more about becoming a marketeer.  Thank you for your time Mr Wills and thank you Yr 8 for listening so intently to the presentation. 

Throughout the year we will welcome more visitors to talk about different career opportunities.

DECORATION DONATIONS - One Final Plea - Help Us Give the Christmas Fair a Festive Glow Up

Please help us to make the school look fabulously festive this year - If you have any old or unwanted Christmas decorations, please consider donating them to us. Your contributions will help transform the school into a magical festive space for everyone to enjoy.

Drop off your decorations at Reception and help get Sandringham Christmas ready.

HOUSE POINTS

Shakespeare are leading the pack as we head into the Christmas countdown, with a close contest for second and third between Turing and Elgar.

1. Shakespeare 10,305
2. Turing 9,043
3. Elgar 8,865

Special mentions this week:  

• T Tearle (7A)- (14) – Most points this week
• T Tearle (7A) - 150 - Highest scoring year 7
• O Hunt (8T)- 132 - Highest scoring Year 8
• T Somers (9S) - 132 - Highest scoring year 9
• G Birkin (10s) - 83 - Highest scoring year 10
• L Jones (11H) - 38 - Highest scoring year 11
• F Evans (12S) 29 - Highest scoring sixth former
• 12S - Highest quiz score - 79/85
• Turing most house points this week - 521
• Hepworth for winning BOYS INTERHOUSE SWIMMING
• Fawcett for winning GIRLS INTERHOUSE SWIMMING
• Hepworth for winning Half term 1 - Maths puzzle

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).

£3,592.22 for Children in Need

A huge thank you to our Sandringham community as so far, we have raised an incredible £3,592.22 for Children in Need. Your generosity and support will make a real difference to children and young people across the country.

There’s still time to contribute - donations will remain open on ParentPay until next week for anyone who wishes to add their support.

Thank you to everyone who has taken part, donated, or helped organise activities - lets keep it going!

In Tribute to Athena Yan

Following the tragic news shared with our community last week, we would like to pay tribute to Athena Yan, one of our Yr 9 students, who sadly passed away after a medical emergency. This loss has deeply affected all of us at Sandringham, and our thoughts and heartfelt condolences remain with Athena’s family. We continue to kindly ask that their wishes for privacy are respected during this incredibly difficult time.

Athena was such a cherished part of our school. She was known for her kindness, her sensitivity and the genuine empathy she showed to those around her. She consistently put others first, and her warm relationships with both students and staff meant so much to her. Athena’s thoughtful and caring presence made a lasting impression on everyone who knew her.

A naturally creative young person, Athena found real joy in drawing, where her talent shone far beyond her years. She approached all her subjects with intelligence and curiosity, but the arts held a particularly special place in her life. She loved music, reading and dancing, and outside of school she enjoyed being a sea cadet. We will miss Athena dearly. Her characteristic smile, her loyalty as a friend, and the gentle positivity she brought into school each day will stay with us always.

We know that a loss like this is incredibly hard to understand. Support is available and will continue over the coming weeks, and we encourage open conversations at home for those who wish to talk about how they are feeling.

At a time of such sadness, we are truly grateful for the compassion and understanding shown across our community. Together, we will continue to support one another as we remember Athena and the special place she held within our school.

Below are links to various support networks that may be helpful, in addition to the support available within school:

Bereavement Support:

Chum.co.uk Bereavement Services

Cruse Bereavement Support

Health For Teens Bereavement network

General Support and Counselling:

The Sandbox

Rephael House 

Christmas Fair Raffle Tickets - More Prizes Added 

Don't miss out on getting your Raffle tickets for our Sandringham Christmas Fair which are available to buy via ParentPay.

A list of all the prizes can be found here in our Christmas Brochure.

We want to extend a huge thank you to all the wonderful contributors who have been incredibly generous with their donations. As you can see, there is a fantastic variety of updated prizes to be won, so make sure you get your tickets for a chance to be part of the draw.

Don’t miss out, so grab your tickets and keep those fingers crossed they call your number!

Songlight by Moira Buffini

This week we are highlighting recent winner of the YA book prize, Songlight by Moira Buffini. Songlight is set in a post-apocalyptic dystopian future and will appeal to fans of The Hunger Games. Don't be deceived by Northaven's prettiness, by its white-wash houses and its sea views. In truth, many of its townsfolk are ruthless hunters. They revile those who have developed songlight, the ability to connect telepathically with others. Anyone found with this sixth sense is caught, persecuted and denounced. Lark has lived in grave danger ever since her own songlight emerged. Then she encounters a young woman in peril, from a city far away. An extraordinary bond is forged. But when power is everything, how will they survive?

Shraddha L, 7A, who has recently read Songlight says, ‘It was very thrilling and every page made me feel more intrigued. Once I started reading, I couldn’t put this book down!’

French:  élogieux/ élogieuse

German: lobend

Spanish:  laudatorio/a

Thinking Question: Which language is the official language of the most European countries?

L  is for… laudatory [adjective]

Definition: Expressing praise and commendation.

Example: The writer published laudatory reviews in the newspaper.

Synonyms: Complimentary, Approving, Flattering

Antonyms: Disparaging, Damning

Etymology: From Latin laudatorius (‘praiseworthy’), from laudare (‘to praise’), from laus (‘praise’).

Yr 7: 7A - Another tough fixture v Avanti Grange last weekend as our boys lose 5-1. Some really positive moments throughout but plenty to work on in training. 7B - Tries galore as our boys win 8-5 and maintain their unbeaten streak. Great to see the quality in depth among our youngest year group. A special mention to Z Landau for his hat-trick. 

Yr 8: Our final opponent for the season last weekend was Avanti Grange. A strong opposition who came away with the win on this occasion. Today was a true celebration of the season, with a large number of boys playing who have come so far this year. We have created a great squad who will hopefully continue their development in years to come. Well done boys, it’s been a pleasure

Yr 7: It’s been an exciting couple of days for the Yr 7 team, with two challenging matches and some fantastic performances from the boys.

County Cup vs JFK: The U12s faced JFK in the County Cup, with several players stepping into different roles than usual. Their adaptability and teamwork paid off, resulting in a 3-1 win, thanks to a brilliant hat-trick from E. Rance, who was deservedly named MoM.

National Round 3 vs Queens: The team then took on Queens in their National Cup Round 3 game. After a tightly contested 60 minutes, plus extra time, the match ended 1-1, with E. Rance once again on the score sheet. The winner was decided on penalties, and Sandringham held their nerve to win 3-2.

Yr 11 Boys: The team produced a thrilling performance in their National Cup match against SJL, ultimately progressing after some tense penalties. The visitors took an early lead, but Sandringham responded brilliantly when A. Young delivered a superb free kick that was turned into the net by an SJL defender, levelling the score. The match remained closely contested through 60 minutes, leading to penalties, where Miklas, Anfield, and Cooper stepped up to secure a hard-fought 3-2 victory. Well done to all the boys for their composure, teamwork, and determination.

Yr 10 Boys: A tough draw away against a good Goffs side meant the boys had to be at their very best. For the majority of the game we matched our opponents and battled well. After a few missed chances, the hosts went ahead with 20 minutes left to play. As we pushed for an equaliser, we were hit on the break as the game drifted away. A 3-0 loss after some promising moments is tough to take. As a result, we exit the county cup. A great effort by everyone on the team.

1st XI: The 1st XI secured an exciting 4-3 victory over Haberdashers, booking their place in the last 32 of the National Cup. A special mention goes to Burt, who scored the decisive winning goal, and to McCree, who showed great versatility when he had to put the gloves on and go in goal during the first half, every football fan loves to see an outfield player step into the keeper’s boots! A fantastic team effort from everyone involved. 

Yr 8 Girls: Well done to our Yr 8 football team for winning their friendly against St Columba’s College last week. It was great to see some new combinations and a fantastic penalty by Lena. A massive well done to our Yr 7s Imogen, Ambur and Gabriella who also all stepped up to help the this team out. Excellent attitude and even better play! Brilliant result girls.

Yr 9 Girls: Well done to the Yr 9B team, who put in a confident performance to secure a win against STAGS in a competitive match. The girls showed excellent teamwork and determination throughout the game, moving the ball effectively and creating plenty of scoring opportunities. Special mention goes to Bella, who was our OPM and Zara, our CPM who was unstoppable with her shooting. 

Yr 9 Girls: Well to the U14A Team, who beat Herts and Essex in the County Cup, progressing into the next round. A fantastic team performance by all!

We are incredibly proud of our CoStA swimmers who travelled to Birmingham the weekend before last to represent Sandringham School at the English Schools Swimming Association National Championships.

A huge congratulations to Hugo, Oscar, Christian, and Albie (from Verulam School) on qualifying for this prestigious event, which is an outstanding achievement in itself.

Our junior boys performed brilliantly on the national stage, placing 10th in the Medley Relay and 20th in the Freestyle Relay at that Saturday’s National Final.

Well done boys - your hard work, dedication, and team drive is something to be celebrated.

Yr 7: A great Saturday morning of rugby for two teams as we hosted Roundwood. A 7-7 draw for the B team whilst the A’s lose a close game 5-3. Foster (2) scores for the A team whilst try scorers are shared among the B team. 

Yr 8: Sandringham play well in a very close contest v Roundwood the Saturday before last. A 5-0 loss doesn’t quite reflect the flow of the game. Some big individual performances and clear progression as a team. A performance to be proud of.

Looks like everyone is due a lovely long weekend of rest. As we start the countdown to Christmas, there is still plenty of activity in the first week of December. Keep warm and keep up those brilliant performances in whichever sport you're taking part in. Good luck all. 

Our U14 Girls Badminton team continued their fantastic run in the National Cup with a 4-2 victory over Saint Felix in Round 3. This marks the furthest a Sandringham team has progressed in the competition for some time, a brilliant achievement for the team.

We were also delighted to host additional fixtures for our U14B and U16B teams, both of whom secured well earned wins.

A huge well done to some excellent performances on court.

Our Swimming Team, spanning from Yr 7 through to 12 represented the school in the Inaugural Super League Competition. They all swam brilliantly and did themselves proud, but what they should be most proud of is the way that they conducted themselves. They supported one another, and the older students were excellent role models to the younger members of the team. It really was a fantastic evening. Onto the next week beginning 5th Jan

Save the date!

5th - 7th February 2026.

More information coming soon.

We can't wait!

Join Sandringham Music Faculty at St Paul's Church for an evening of joyful and upbeat tunes. 

This event takes place at St Paul's Church.

Get your tickets here

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.