SEND Health & Wellbeing Survey 2025 

Parents and carers are encouraged to support young people aged 11–25 with SEND to take part in the SEND Health and Wellbeing Survey 2025, which is open now until Friday 6th February 2026.

The survey is anonymous, can be completed on any device, and includes a save and continue option so it can be done over more than one session if needed. Young people may require support, and it’s recommended they are given privacy when answering personal questions.

The survey helps shape local services by gathering valuable information on areas such as mental health and wellbeing, physical activity, safety, and bullying, ensuring future support better meets the needs of SEND young people and their families.

Start the survey here or scan the QR code on the flyer.

Thank you for supporting this important opportunity to have young people’s voices heard.

HOUSE POINTS

Shakespeare are still out in the front maintaining their lead over Turing and Fawcett.

1. Shakespeare 15,725
2. Turing 13,614
3. Fawcett 13,272

Special mentions this week:  

• J O'Sullivan & A Williams (7S) (12) – Most points this week
• G Priestly (7S) - 190 - Highest scoring year 7
• M Altiganer (8F)- 181 - Highest scoring Year 8
• T Somers (9S) - 196 - Highest scoring year 9
• G Birkin (10s) - 124- Highest scoring year 10
• L Jones (11H) - 47 - Highest scoring year 11
• F Evans (12S) 34 - Highest scoring sixth former
• 12S - Highest quiz score - 114/125
• Austen most house points this week - 544
• Leila S & Naomi S (Austen) for winning house choreography

SEND Coffee Mornings 

DSPL7 and Vista St Albans are hosting a series of SEND Coffee Mornings for parents and carers of children with SEND, with or without a diagnosis. These informal drop-in sessions provide a safe space to chat, share information, and access support from School and SEND Family Workers, the DSPL7 SEND Lead, and other professionals.

Dates: 8 Oct, 25 Nov,  28 Jan,  17 Mar, 13 May,  30 Jun
Time: 9.15 - 11.30am @ The Hub, Fleetville Junior School, AL1 4LW

(No booking required. Free parking available nearby at Morrisons.)

There is also the option to book a 20–30 minute appointment with professionals during the morning.

House Choreography 

This week, the school was filled with energy and creativity as our annual House Choreography event took place.

A total of 14 original dances were performed, all choreographed by students, showcasing an impressive level of talent, teamwork and dedication. In total, 38 students took part across the houses, marking a brilliant celebration of student creativity.

Congratulations to our winners:
1st – Leila S and Naomi S (Austen)
2nd – Alice W (Hepworth)
3rd – Sophia E, Evie K, Amber C, Julia Y and Rita D (Fawcett)

Well done to everyone who participated and supported their fellow students. It was great to see such enthusiasm, collaboration and performance quality.

On Tuesday 20th January Yr 12 historians debated online with Bishop's Hatfield Girls School to discuss the Balfour Declaration of 1917. Using the Parallel Histories students were invited to prepare arguments from both an Israeli and from a Palestinian perspective to examine the motives and impact of the British government's declaration. Participants deployed their research skills to establish the context of the Declaration in 1917 and their analysis skills to assess primary sources to help establish arguments.

The delivery of their speeches was excellent and demonstrated both a superb standard of both historical understanding and oracy.

Well done, Conor, Sebi, Suhaila, Holly, Leah, Joshua and Oliver. 

Holiday Clubs

Barracudas Activity Day Camps, the UK’s favourite school holiday camp for children aged 4 to 14 years, will be open at our school in 2026.

80+ exciting activities including arts and crafts, sports, teambuilding and much more! We also have specialist activities including archery and motorsports offered at our Easter and summer camps.  

Parent discounts: Parents can get £25 off a full week or £5 off a day by applying this code in the promotions box: HSCP26. *can’t be used in conjunction with other codes (apart from our Early Booking Offer)

Ofsted registered, confidence building camps with high staff to child ratios.  

Save up to £125 with their Early Booking offer and your exclusive code! 

Book now at www.Barracudas.co.uk or call 01480 467 567. 

Neasden Temple - Yr 10 - Extended Learning Day

As a part of their ELD this week students in Yr 10 visited the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Neasden. The BAPS organisation is a specific denomination of Hinduism founded in 1907. The day began with a session at school where students learnt more broadly about key beliefs in Hinduism and looked at a range of temples from around the world. After this we made our way over to Neasden where we took part in a traditional Puja ceremony in the Mandir. This was a fantastic opportunity as for many students it was their first personal experience of Hinduism and something so different from their own culture. Following this we were able to look round the temple examining the intricate architecture before students were shown a video which documented its construction. Finally, we received a talk from one of the educators at the temple and had a Q+A.

YOU'RE HIRED! Year 11 - Extended Learning Day

Yr 11 attended a ‘You’re Hired’ event on Tuesday, for their ELD.  They attended 12 useful sessions, one of which was a mock interview with a local professional.  This was an invaluable experience for the students, many of whom have never been to an interview before.  They also went to interactive sessions run by our own Sandringham Sixth Form, Elstree Screen Arts Academy, Oaklands College and West Herts College, to find out more about courses on offer for next year.  They attended an apprenticeships session with Computacenter, as well as a CV Skills session with Morgan Sindall.  It was fantastic that some of our alumni represented these organisations too and lovely to see them back.  We would like to thank every volunteer and organisation who gave up their time to support this day and make it so beneficial for the students.

Musical in a Day:Matilda - Year 8 -  Extended Learning Day

This week, all of our Yr 8 students took part in our annual ELD Day, Musical in a Day, bringing Matilda to life in just one day.

Students showed exceptional commitment, creativity, and teamwork as they worked towards a full performance in the Sandpit Theatre during Session 5. The day offered every student the opportunity to take part in the Arts, while also learning more about creative careers and our Arts Award programme.

Staff from across The Arts, alongside our Technical Theatre team, worked collaboratively to create a truly engaging and inspiring experience, culminating in an outstanding afternoon performance.

Supporting Links - New Courses Dates Added 

Due to high demand, additional courses have been added for the Spring Term.

These courses are run by a local Social Enterprise that provides parenting support through courses, workshops, and 1:1 mentoring for parents and children across Hertfordshire and the surrounding areas.

The organisation values the experience and knowledge every parent brings and works to build confidence and positivity by offering practical guidance. Their sessions help parents better understand their child’s behaviour, develop effective strategies that really work, and strengthen communication - laying the foundations for positive and successful family relationships.

Places may be limited, so we encourage families to explore the available options and book early where possible.

RAF Museum - Yr 9 - Extended Learning Day

This Tuesday, Yr 9 visited the RAF Museum in Hendon, a trip to support their learning in History and STEM subjects.

It was an action packed day exploring the various hangars and discovering more about the development of aircraft and the significant battles in the air since the creation of the RAF in 1918. Students learnt about the advent of flight at the start of the 20th century, the events of the Battle of Britain, and had the opportunity to see the cockpits and engineering feats of countless aircraft’s from across the decades. They learnt about the development of Bomber Command and use of radar in the Second World War, which even included seeing a Lancaster Bomber up close.  They had the opportunity to go inside the Short Sunderland, a flying boat patrol bomber used during the Berlin Air Lift of 1949. The museum team delivered an excellent workshop which emphasised the contributions of Black, Asian and ethnically diverse men and women who served in the RAF and WAAF, sharing a range of stories of courage, inspiration and overcoming injustice. Student participation was excellent; lots of thoughtful questions and a few volunteers who even got up on stage to try on some uniforms!

We hope Yr 9 thoroughly enjoyed and learnt a great deal from the visit; their behaviour and engagement in the day was superb.

Final Reminder - Battle of the Bands Next Tuesday!

The countdown is on - Battle of the Bands returns to the Sandpit Theatre this Tuesday 27th January, kicking off at 6:30pm.

Get ready for an evening of live music as our talented student bands take to the stage and compete for the crown. It promises to be a brilliant night of energy, creativity, and incredible performances.

If you haven't got them already, Tickets are on sale via the Sandpit Theatre.

You do not want to miss out, so grab yours now.

Get Into Teaching Hertfordshire Online Event

Get Into Teaching Hertfordshire is hosting an online recruitment event on Tuesday 10th February at 6 - 6.45pm, for anyone interested in finding out more about routes into teacher training.

This short session will provide helpful information about how to begin a career in teaching and the different training pathways available.

To register, scan the QR code on the attached flyer.

This is a great opportunity for anyone considering teaching as a future career to find out more in an informal and accessible way.

Generation Welwyn Hatfield - Careers Event

We’re pleased to share details of the next Generation event, Generation Welwyn Hatfield, taking place on Friday 6th February at The Fielder Centre, Hatfield.

It's encouraging Yr 10 students and above, along with parents, to attend the Twilight Session from 3.30–5.00pm.

The event will feature over 50 employers, all ready to talk about:

• Their companies
• Career pathways and roles
• Apprenticeships and future opportunities

This is a fantastic chance for students to explore career ideas, ask questions, and gain valuable insight into the world of work.

Find out more and book your place click here or check out the video to get an idea of what will be going on during the event.

Sandringham Ranked Among the Top Sports Schools in the Country!

We’re delighted to share that Sandringham has once again been named in the School Sports List 2026, ranking an impressive 61st nationally. This is a fantastic achievement and something our whole community can be proud of.

The Top 200 Sports Schools list, published annually by School Sport Magazine, recognises schools that excel across a wide range of sports, not just one. Rankings are based on performances in multiple national competitions, with up to 20 sports and over 120 competitions considered.

To put this into context, schools ranked in the top 100 sit within the top 2% nationally, highlighting just how competitive this list is.

A huge thank you to our students and families for embracing the opportunities on offer, and to our dedicated PE staff who work tirelessly to provide such positive, inclusive, and high-quality sporting experiences.

Well done to everyone involved, it's something we should all be very proud of.

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).

Have Your Voice Heard – The Sandbox Survey

The Sandbox, a free online mental health support platform for young people, is inviting young people with an Asian background to take part in a short survey to help shape their support and services.

This is a chance for young people to share their experiences and have their voices heard. The survey is quick and easy to complete - just scan the QR code on the poster.

Your feedback can help make a real difference to the support available for young people.

Spring Term Online Parenting Groups 

Family Lives, funded by Herts County Council, is offering a series of free online parenting groups this Spring term for parents and carers living in Hertfordshire.

These programmes provide support, guidance, and practical resources to help parents and adult family members support their child’s growth and development. Participants also have access to Family Lives’ helpline, live chat, and online resources for ongoing support.

Spring Term Sessions:

Less Shouting, More Co-operation

• Tuesday 20 January - 3 March, 7:00 - 9:00pm
• Or Thursday 9 February - 23 March, 9:45 - 11:45am

Bringing Up Confident ADHD/ASD Children

• Friday 23 January - 6 March, 9:45 - 11:45am

Getting on with Your Pre-Teen/Teenager

• Tuesday 3 February - 17 March, 7:00 - 9:00pm

Dads Together

• Wednesday 4 February - 18 March, 7:00 - 9:00pm

Booking & Contact Information:
To book a place, complete the online referral form here or scan the QR code on the attached flyer. For more information, email services@familylives.org.uk or call 020 4522 8701 /020 4522 8700.

Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro 

Youth Talk is one of the school’s nominated charities and does amazing work supporting young people across the district.

Jim Lewis, who leads on their work with school, is climbing Kilimanjaro over February half term in an effort to fund raise.

If anyone in our community felt able to support this effort via his Just Giving Page it would be much appreciated and help support Youth Talk’s work. 

Thank you for your continued support.

German Exchange with Hamburg  2026/27

For many years, we have enjoyed a wonderful partnership with a school in Quickborn, just outside Hamburg. Our German Exchange Programme offers a unique opportunity for students to host an exchange partner and experience life with a German family.

Last week, we launched our sixteenth German Exchange. Students in Yrs 8 and 9 who are interested should refer to the letter sent home to families. Further information is also available from teachers in the MFL department.

The deadline for applications is Friday 30 January, with pairings taking place in March.

Mental Heath Services Directory 

It’s important for students, parents and carers to know that help and support are always available should you need it. Hertfordshire’s Children and Young People’s Mental Health Service Directory brings together a wide range of services that can provide help with emotional wellbeing, anxiety, stress, behaviour challenges and more. 

You can view and download the full directory here:Link

The directory lists a variety of services, including early-intervention and specialist support such as:

• School nurses and duty lines
• Counselling services
• Youth wellbeing support
• Mental Health Support Teams in schools
• Digital and online support tools
• Single Point Access for professional assessment and referrals
• and more to help when you need it. hwehealthiertogether.nhs.uk

There are also services you can contact directly without a professional referral, including free and confidential support for young people in Hertfordshire. So please don’t hesitate to reach out for support when you need it.

The Battle of the Poets - Year 7 - Extended Learning Day

On Tuesday the 20th January, I got to experience my first ever Extended Learning Day here at Sandringham. Year 7 took part in The Battle of the Poets. I particularly enjoyed how we experienced lots of different activities throughout the day. For example, we started the day by doing 3 different mini poetry battles; rhyme, rhythm and performance. Then we listened to a fantastic talk from Performance Poet Harry Baker, that included watching him perform his poems.

After break, we got a chance to experience writing our own poems in small groups before sharing them with our form and voting for our favourite. The winners got the opportunity to perform their poem to the whole of Year 7 and Harry Baker himself who was lead judge and announced the winning poem and house, which this year was Austen, with their poem Fear. 

My favourite moment was when we were able to write our own poems because I liked the opportunity to be creative and express myself in the form of a poem. Overall, I really enjoyed the experience and can’t wait until my next Extended Learning Day.

By Hannah L 7T

Oaklands Open Evening 

Oaklands are very much looking forward to their upcoming Open Evenings at their St Albans and Welwyn Garden City campuses.

Welwyn Garden City Campus - Tuesday 3rd February @ 5 - 7:30pm

St Albans Campus -  Thursday 5th February @ 5 - 7:30pm

Click on the QR codes for more information and how to register.

Thank you to Mrs Posner for creating our fantastic book to screen adaptation display. Our display features numerous books that have been adapted to screen including A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, Dune, Uglies, The Summer I Turned Pretty, We were Liars and other favourites, old and new! Just finished a TV series you’ve enjoyed? Why not see if we’ve got the book and compare how they differ? Or why not read the book before you watch the film?

If students need any reading recommendations, can’t find what they’re looking for in the LRC or would like to make a suggestion for our catalogue, please speak to one our friendly librarians.

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert are expecting a strong boy to arrive any day now to help them plough through the work at Green Gables, but to their surprise, a spindly red-haired girl knocks on their door instead. 'Tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it. . .yet.' Anne charms her way into the Cuthberts' hearts with her big imagination and never ending chatter. But it's not long before Anne has talked herself into BIG trouble...

Elodie S, Yr 7, who has recently read Anne of Green Gables says ‘This book is the perfect mix of fun and adventure. It’s one of the best classics I’ve ever read.’

French: récalcitrant

German: widerspenstig

Spanish: recalcitrante

Thinking Question: Some languages have more words than others. Why do you think this is?

Yr 11 Reading Buddies 

It’s been great to see students reading in tutor time this week, supporting ‘Our Year of Reading’.  Each year group has a dedicated tutor time to read their favourite books and this includes their tutor!  On Wednesdays, Yr 7s read their book to their Yr 11 reading buddy which has provided a great opportunity for students to read and reflect on a story together.  The Yr 11s are being a great support to the younger students and we are very proud of all of them.

R is for… recalcitrant [adjective]

Definition: Having an obstinately (stubbornly) uncooperative attitude towards authority or discipline.

Example: The teacher faced a class of recalcitrant teenagers.

Synonyms: Rebellious, Unruly, Wayward

Antonyms: Manageable, Compliant, Agreeable

Etymology: From Latin recalcitrare (‘to kick back’), from re- (‘back’) + calcitrare (‘to kick’), from calx (‘heel’).

Yr 7 Girls: Well done to this brilliant Futsal team who placed 2nd in the District Tournament this afternoon. Great performances by all against some very tough opponents.

Yr 11 Boys: A brilliant performance sees us into the semi final of the County Plate. Anfield (2), Pentland (2), Cooper & Novotny round off a 6-0 win v Goffs. We kept the ball well, simplified the game and were clinical in the final third.

Year 11: A well fought game resulted in a 64-59 win for the U16’s this week. The boys have a busy period coming up, including a last 16 National trip to Sale. Well done lads.

Well done to our U14 Futsal Team who placed 3rd in the District Tournament. A fantastic performances by all, especially when 4 of the 5 members of the team are in Year 8, and played mostly against Year 9s. Something to be proud of.

Yr 9 Boys: had a cup fixture yesterday this week. It was a good test for the boys to see if they can grind out a hard fought win. Huntley scored two long range efforts to put Sandringham 2-0 up. The opposition showing resilience, capitalised on a period of good momentum and brought the game back level. Extra time was on the card and after relentless attacks on the opposition goal Sandringham couldn't convert. This lead us to penalty’s. With the opposition stepping up first, there player steps up and sends our goalkeeper the wrong away but in doing this drags his shot wide. Sandringham found that finishing they missed in the later stages of the game not missing a single penalty throughout the exchange. Another opposition penalty was missed and Schmidt winning it wrong footing the goalkeeper. Well done year 9 onto the next round.

U14B Girls: Well done to this team for a fabulous performance against SJL in the District League, with Zara, shooting, who couldn't miss, and Kari, the unstoppable barrier in defence. The whole team were fantastic, earning a well deserved win. MVP Yasmin.

U15 Girls: Congratulations to our U15 girls who won their fixture 5-1 and progress into the last 16 of the National Cup. An excellent display of football despite the awful conditions. Some good saves from Erin and a POM performance from Emma!

U16 Girls: This team are progressing into the County Cup semi finals. The girls battled hard to secure a 2-0 win this week v Roundwood Park. POM goes to Z. Salamone for a dominant defensive effort . Goals from L. Wood & N. McKinstry (P).

An actioned packed week for our sports teams as we head into February... good luck to everyone taking part.

Yr 7: Well done to our 7A and 7B Netball teams, who travelled to STAHS. The results didn't go our way, but there was some excellent netball on show. OPMs Abbie and Alexa CPMs Imogen and Annabelle.

Yr 7: Our Yr 7 Netballers lost out to Loreto in the District Cup. It was very tightly contested, with only one goal in it at the end. Into the District Plate we go. OPM Zara and CPM Anna.

Yr 9: The first loss of the season for the Yr 9B team against a strong Beaumont. Some excellent passages of play. OPM Kari, CPM Hattie and PP Melody.

Yr 7 Boys: A 6-3 win for the Yr 7 football team over Dame Alice Owens last weekend. A super performance from Foster with 4 goals.

Yr 8 Boys: Our Yr 8’s produced a great performance to win 5-0 v DAO this last weekend with lots of rotation to the squad. Some brilliant football played as Williams (3), Askem & Myers get on the score sheet.

Yr 9 Boys: Last Saturday morning saw our Yr 9 boys take on Dame Alice Owens away from Home. In what was a closer game than the scoreline shows the Home side won 4-1.

Yr 10 Boys: A competitive game last weekend v DAO as lots of boys get their first minutes of the season for school. A goal from Gardner gave us the lead before our visitors pulled it level at the break. Our boys stuck at it but couldn’t find another goal and ended up losing 3-1. S Warren MOM.

Sandringham School Dance Department invites you to step Into the Upside Down

This year, the theatre transforms into Hawkins, Indiana, where nothing is quite as it seems. As you enter, be prepared to cross the boundary between worlds and embark on a thrilling journey inspired by the secrets, shadows, and supernatural energy of Stranger Things. From the neon pulse of the ‘80s to the eerie echoes of the Upside Down, our dancers will guide you through a story where courage, friendship, and mystery collide.

5th - 7th February 2026

We are offering a Velocity 2026 VIP Package, which includes:

• Priority front row table seating
• 2 programmes
• Games on your table
• Stranger Things themed cocktail/mocktail
• And a few surprises from the other side…

Tickets are now on sale here - be sure to get yours quickly to avoid disappointment. This is one show not to miss!

Science Spectacular!

Sandringham School's Science Faculty presents their annual Chemistry Show!

Expect exciting experiments, funky facts and lots more.

4th March @ 6pm 

Book your tickets here now.

Get Ready for a Face-Melting Evening of Music

The Battle of the Bands is back at the Sandpit Theatre on Tuesday 27th January 2026, starting at 6:30pm.

Come and cheer on our talented student bands as they compete for the crown in what promises to be an unforgettable evening of live music.

Tickets are on sale now via the Sandpit Theatre, so grab yours early as you don’t miss out.