Jazz Workshop Day

Calling all young musicians!

Hertfordshire Music Service is hosting an exciting Jazz Workshop Day on Saturday 18th April at Stevenage Music Centre from 10am - 4pm.

This high-energy, immersive day is open to secondary school musicians (Grade 4+), instrumentalists and vocalists, and will be led by specialist jazz tutors including Victoria Port, Lewis Sallows and Ollie Copeland. Whether you’re classically trained, into pop, self taught, or simply curious - if you play or sing, you belong here.

Students can expect practical workshops, ensemble playing, improvisation in a supportive environment, and a final performance for friends and family.

Tickets: £35
Early bird offer: £5 off for the first 10 applicants
Stevenage Music Centre, SG2 0HS

Please see the attached flyer for full details and booking information - there are limited spots available so book in whilst you can.

Sandringham’s Spring Concert - A Musical Treat

Join us on Wednesday 11th March at 6:30pm in the Sandpit Theatre for our much-anticipated Annual Spring Concert.

This is always one of the musical highlights of the year, featuring performances from all of our choirs and instrumental clubs - including our ever growing Show Choir, the ever popular Jazz Band, and the outstanding Sinfonia Orchestra.

With a fantastic range of repertoire and plenty of talent on display, it promises to be a brilliant evening of music.

Tickets start from just £4, so be sure to click here to secure yours quickly before they sell out.

We look forward to seeing you there for a wonderful Spring term celebration of music.

House Maths Competition 

Just before half term, the Main Hall was a battleground of brains for our House Maths Competition. With teams taking every round very seriously, the atmosphere was focused, competitive, and full of quick-fire calculations.

It was a closely fought contest, but in the end it was Shakespeare who claimed the top spot, followed by Austen in 2nd place and Fawcett in 3rd.

A fantastic effort from all involved, the standard was impressively high.

A big thank you to the everyone who organised, and Mr Curzon for helping to create the quizzes, and to the Maths Faculty for their support in making the event such a success.

Well done to everyone who took part!

Hemel Storm Easter Basketball Camp 

Thinking about the Easter holidays already? Looking for an active and fun way to spend the break?

Hemel Storm Juniors are running their Easter Basketball Camp from Monday 30th March to Thursday 2nd April at Hemel Hempstead School.

Open to primary and secondary aged students, the camp offers high quality coaching in a fun and supportive environment.

Please see the attached flyer for full details and booking information - 10% early bird discount available until 15th March. 

Red Envelopes and New Beginnings: Sandringham Celebrates Lunar New Year!

This year, Sandringham School felt a little more vibrant, a little luckier, and a lot more red! For the first time in our school’s history, we came together to celebrate Chinese New Year, marking the start of the Lunar calendar with a day full of energy and tradition.

The festivities kicked off with a spectacular whole-school assembly. It wasn’t just a sit-and-listen event; it was an immersive dive into the rich customs that define the Spring Festival. The highlight of this was the entire hall erupted in a chorus of voices as students and teachers alike practised their Cantonese blessings. From a booming "Gung hei faat choi!" (wishing you prosperity) to a cheerful "San nin faai lok!" (Happy New Year), the spirit of the festival was truly in the air.

The excitement didn't stop at the assembly. During lunch break, the school was buzzing with hands-on activities:

• Fai Chun Workshops: Students tried their hand at the ancient art of calligraphy, writing traditional fai chun (red banners) to bring good luck to their homes and friends.
• Red Packets (Hongbao): There was a massive rush for the lovely red packets! In Chinese culture, these symbolise good energy and best wishes for the year ahead.

From learning the deep symbolism of the customs to the simple joy of sharing a red envelope with a friend, the day was a resounding success. It was more than just a celebration, it was a way for us to appreciate the diversity that makes Sandringham such a great place to learn.

"Gung hei faat choi!" to all the Sandringham teachers, parents and students.

A Level Dance Performance Evening

Join us for a special evening celebrating the hard work and dedication of our A Level Dance students as they perform their practical exam pieces to a live audience.

A Level Dance
Monday 9th March at 5:00pm
DC1 (approx. finish 6:00pm)

Free to attend so please do come and support the students, all are welcome.

Similar to our GCSE students, these performances are the culmination of months of independent rehearsals and creative development since October, and offer a wonderful insight into the talent, commitment and resilience of our senior exam classes.

Making a Difference Through Volunteering

We’re proud to celebrate Logan in Yr 12, who has been volunteering at the Marshalswick Hospice Shop for over two years as part of his Duke of Edinburgh’s Award journey.

Logan first joined the team while working towards his Bronze Award and has continued ever since. Now completing his Gold Award, he dedicates an hour each week, balancing this alongside four A Levels, contributing towards the required 52 weeks of service.

His role includes preparing games and books for sale, restocking shelves, and serving customers, all helping to generate vital funds for the The Hospice of St Francis. Logan particularly enjoys seeing how every task, however small, contributes to supporting others.

Having moved to the UK five years ago, Logan values the Hospice shop as an important part of his local community. Inspired by the warmth and friendliness he experienced as a customer, he felt motivated to give something back.

We are hugely proud of his commitment, and sense of community spirit. He is one of many Sandringham students making a real difference through volunteering.

Well done Logan.

Competition Time

It is nearly the 3rd Extended Learning Day on the 5th March and so we will be running the following competitions during the lunch break in the LRC:

Book in a Jar competition - Guess the title and author of the shredded book

Book Cover re-design - Design a fresh and exciting cover look for your favourite book.

There will be a small prize for each winning entry.

As ever, our helpful librarians will be on hand to help with all things bookish!

HOUSE POINTS

Shakespeare remain in the top spot for now, but who knows what the rest of the Spring Term has in store to shake things up...

1. Shakespeare 18,407
2. Turing 16,617
3. Fawcett 15,436

Special mentions this week:  

• T Tearle (8T) (17) – Most points this week
• T Tearle (7S) 230 - Highest scoring year 7
• M Altiganer (8F)- 204 - Highest scoring Year 8
• T Somers (9S) - 225 - Highest scoring year 9
• G Birkin (10s) - 150- Highest scoring year 10
• L Jones (11H) - 52 - Highest scoring year 11
• B Stevenson (12S) 45 - Highest scoring sixth former
• 12S - Highest quiz score - 140/155
• Turing for most house points this week - 529
• Shakespeare for winning House Maths
• Turing for donating the most clothes to Herts for Refugees

Sandringham School Takes Part in Future Citizen Week

We’re excited to share that we are proudly taking part in Future Citizen Week - a national week of action celebrating sustainable fashion and creative citizenship.

Future Citizen Week runs from 16th - 22nd March 2026 and brings together schools, colleges and young people across the UK to explore how we can make fashion more sustainable, fair and creative. The week is designed to empower young people with tools and inspiration to rethink how we create, wear and care for clothes in a way that benefits people and the planet.

During the week, students will be getting involved in exciting activities such as clothes swaps, upcycling and repair sessions, all designed to spark creativity and help shape a fairer fashion future. By taking part in Future Citizen Week, Sandringham School is helping to lead the way in inspiring action and positive change, showing that sustainable values and style go hand-in-hand.

Shining on Stage

We are delighted to share some brilliant news about Teresa L in Yr 9, who recently achieved outstanding success at the All England Dance Qualifiers.

Competing at the Milton Keynes Festival of Dance, Teresa took 1st place in Ballet Solo and 3rd place in Lyrical Solo, which is an incredible achievement. As a result of her performances, she has now qualified for the Regional Finals in May.

We are all proud of Teresa’s dedication, and we’ll be keeping everything crossed for her at the Regionals.

Well done Teresa!

Free Supporting Links Courses - Summer Term Now Open

Bookings are now open for the Summer Term parenting courses delivered by Supporting Links.

These courses are funded by Hertfordshire County Council and are free for parents and carers to attend, offering practical advice and support to help families navigate everyday challenges.

For more information on the available courses and how to book, please check out the website or see the attached poster.

Iftar Party Success 

We were incredibly proud to host the first Iftar ever held at our school - a truly special and memorable evening. The event welcomed an amazing turnout of staff and students, and it was so heartwarming to see our community come together in such a meaningful way.

The aim of the Iftar was to create an open and welcoming space for both staff and students, while strengthening community links and fostering greater understanding. It was wonderful to see people from different backgrounds sharing food, conversation, and reflection as we marked this important occasion.

A massive thank you to Mrs Moussaoui, Ms Numuah, Mr Khan, Mrs Mouncey, Rayyan S, MJ, Temi A, Diego D, Salman E, Amy P, Julia Y, and all the students from Race Equality and Islamic Society for their hard work and dedication in organising the event. We would also like to extend our sincere thanks to everyone who donated and brought food and decorations especially Mrs R Ahmed, Mrs A Hatia and Mr F Mir - your generosity made the evening so special.

This first Iftar was a powerful reminder of what we can achieve when we come together as a school community. We look forward to building on this wonderful beginning in the years to come.

Young People’s Race Inclusion Forum - Opportunity for Black Students (Aged 14 - 18)

Hertfordshire Constabulary, working in partnership with Hertfordshire County Council Services for Young People, is inviting Black young people aged 14 -18 to join the Young People’s Race Inclusion Forum.

The Forum gives young people the opportunity to share their views and help inform and shape policing in Hertfordshire. Members will meet two to three times per term (either in person at a Young People’s Centre or online) to discuss topics such as stop and search, recruitment and wider policing issues. Youth Workers will be present to support discussions.

This is a valuable opportunity for young people to have their voices heard and make a meaningful impact. Participants will receive certificates of involvement and may request references to support future opportunities.

To register interest, please complete the online form via QR code on the attached poster.

We’re Hiring!

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

- Technical Theatre Manager

- Casual Theatre Technician

If you, or anyone you know would like to be part of our passionate and dedicated team, please visit: https://sandringham.herts.sch.uk/vacancies for more information and to apply.

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).

GCSE Dance Performance Evening

Join us for a special evening celebrating the hard work and dedication of our GCSE Dance students as they perform their practical exam pieces to a live audience.

GCSE Dance
Tuesday 3rd March at 5:00pm
Sandpit Theatre (approx. finish 6.45pm)

Free to attend so please do come and support the students, all are welcome.

These performances are the culmination of months of independent rehearsals and creative development since October, and offer a wonderful insight into the talent, commitment and resilience of our exam classes.

Red Nose Day Is Coming

Red Nose Day is fast approaching, and we’re looking forward to coming together as a school community to support this fantastic cause. A range of fun activities will be taking place, and we would love to see as many students and staff getting involved as possible. Let’s start building the excitement now and drum up plenty of support.

Donations are now open on ParentPay, so if you’re able to contribute, please feel free to do so - every donation, big or small, makes a real difference.

More details about the activities will be shared soon, so watch this space!

Youth Choir is Calling...

Students in Yrs 10-13 with a love of singing are invited to join the Cathedral Youth Choir at St Albans Cathedral.

The choir is made up of around 25 singers, who meet weekly on Tuesdays from 6:30 - 7:30pm in the Cathedral’s Song School.

Members sing a monthly service of Compline during term time, as well as contributing to Choral Evensong, carol services, and concerts throughout the year.

This is a great opportunity for students who enjoy singing and would like to continue developing their musicianship beyond school. It’s especially suited to confident singers who can read music and are keen to perform in a beautiful and historic setting.

If you would like to find out more or arrange an audition, please contact Lizzie Birnie, Music Secretary at: lizzie.birnie@stalbanscathedral.org

Further information can also be found on the Cathedral website.

This could be a wonderful opportunity for any budding singers looking to take their passion to the next level.

Athletics Spikes Donations 

As the athletics season approaches, the PE Department would greatly appreciate any donations of old or unwanted athletics spikes.

These will hugely benefit our athletes throughout the season. If you have a pair at home that are no longer needed, please consider donating them to the PE Department.

Thank you for your continued support.

Celebrating Mrs Stephen & Arts Award Opportunities at Sandringham

We’re thrilled that the wonderful work of Mrs Stephen was celebrated nationally by arts award in their annual Valentines blog. Mrs Stephen is a trained Arts Award adviser here at Sandringham School. Mrs Stephen has been inspiring our learners through her own creative practice - most recently sharing her experience of exhibiting at The Royal Academy Summer Show, giving students a real insight into what it’s like to create and showcase art at a high level. Her kind, supportive approach helps students feel confident and excited about their creative journeys. If you would like to read the blog please see it here.

As an Arts Award adviser, Daisy works closely with students as they explore their own artistic skills and experiences, helping them build portfolios and reflect on their creative development. Her nurturing classroom creates a safe, creative space where students feel comfortable sharing ideas, trying new things and taking pride in their work.

What is Arts Award?
Arts Award is a nationally recognised qualification that celebrates young people’s engagement with the arts - whether that’s visual art, music, drama, creative writing, film, dance or more. It helps you develop skills such as planning, reflecting, presenting your work and exploring creative careers.

How can YOU get involved?
Students at Sandringham can take part in Arts Award at different levels — from Discover and Explore up to Bronze, Silver and even Gold — through creative projects linked to the work you’re already doing in school and beyond. You can:

• Develop personal art projects or creative portfolios
• Interview artists and creatives
• Attend creative workshops or exhibitions
• Reflect on your progress and present your achievements

Whether you love painting, photography, performance, digital art, music or poetry, Arts Award gives you the opportunity to turn your passion into a recognised qualification. Ask Mrs Kelly if you’d like to start your Arts Award adventure, and discover just how creative and capable you are! 

Chemistry Show Next Week!

With British Science Week just around the corner, the much-anticipated Sandringham Chemistry Show is nearly here - Wednesday 4th March at 6:00pm

The Sandpit Theatre will be filled with flashes, bangs and a whole host of exciting live experiments as we bring science to life on stage.

It’s a fantastic opportunity to see science in action and experience the wow factor behind some spectacular chemical reactions.

If you haven't already, get your tickets here - It’s going to be a Science Spectacular!

Potential Kids - March Activities

Potential Kids are running a range of sessions throughout March for neurodivergent children and young people, their siblings, and parents/carers.

These sessions provide a welcoming and supportive space for families to connect, have fun and access tailored activities.

To book a place, please visit their website here or for further information email: info@potentialkids.org

Please see the attached poster for full details of sessions, timings and venues.

Free Online Parenting Workshops – Spring Term

There are still spaces available on a range of free online parenting workshops delivered by Family Lives, funded by Hertfordshire County Council.

Sessions this Spring include:

• Reducing Conflict
• Sibling Rivalry
• Anxiety around ADHD
• Empowering Parents
• It’s a Dad’s Life

All workshops take place online via MS Teams and are open to parents and carers living in Hertfordshire.

To book a place, please complete the online referral form or scan the QR code on the attached flyer.

Tutor Time Reading Update

As families will know, students in Yr 7 - 11 have a dedicated tutor time each week where they can read for pleasure. It’s been fantastic to see the range of books that students are reading. 

Furthermore, we are really grateful to all the form tutors who are supporting this whole school priority. During these tutor sessions, they also have the chance to read their own books which they have been really enjoying, all the while being great role models to their tutor group. 

Attached are a range of photos of tutors sharing the books they’re reading at the moment.

World Book Day 2026

It is World Book Day on Thursday 5th March. This year all year 7 students will be able to select their own World Book Day title to take home. They can choose from the following books, which will be given out during their library lessons in the next couple of weeks:

• Hannah Gold: Bear Rescue
• Jamie Smart: Bunny vs Monkey
• Matt and Tom Oldfield: Unbelievable Football
• Roald Dahl: Chaos at the Chocolate Factory
• AF Steadman: Skandar and the Secret Element
• Nathanael Lessore: Against All Odds

Additionally students may want to visit a local participating bookshop with their World Book Day token, which can be downloaded here - digital tokens can be shown on a phone or tablet, or printed and taken into a participating bookseller.

French: onduler

German: wellen

Spanish: ondular

Thinking Question: French and Spanish are often very similar - why do you think this is?

Girl (in real life) By Tamsin Winter

Most parents try to limit their kids' online exposure. But not Eva's. Her parents run a hugely successful YouTube channel, and Eva is the star of the show. But Eva is getting sick of being made to pose in stupid mum-and-daughter matching outfits for sponsored posts.

Lucy J in Yr 7 said: “This book is amazing! It shows that behind every camera they are not perfect, no one is. This book allows you to realise that not everyone is as perfect as they show and how not everything is true on social media..”

U is for… undulate [verb]

Definition: Move with a smooth wave-like motion.

Example: Her body undulated to the thumping rhythm of the music.

Synonyms: Wave, Swing, Oscillate

Antonyms: Flat, Steady, Smooth

Etymology: From Latin unda, meaning “wave”.

Yr 8 Girls: Well done to our U13 girls who won their first game of the Basketball season against Dame Alice Owen’s. Some fantastic play on show with everyone playing and making an impact in the game.

Yr 8 Girls: Our U13 squad put on an outstanding display of football against a strong Goffs Academy side - they are now through to the semi final of the county cup!
Well done to M. Duncan who was fierce in attack and clinical in front of goal to pick up POM!

Yr 9 Girls: An amazing performance by the U14 girls football team, saw them beat a strong Presdales School 6-1 to take them into the Semi-final of the County Cup! With goals from A.Dibbs, I.Kelly, J.Murphy, M.Richards and 2 from M.Duncan. Special mention to Flo, who played in goal, despite not being a keeper - she was positive throughout and gave a solid performance! Player of the match goes to Jemima for some fantastic attacking play and speed down the wing.

Swim Gala: Our final day before half term brought a friendly swim gala v STAHS. Great to see some new faces swim for the school.

Thanks to the PE trainees for running the gala. 

Yr 7 Boys: This week the U12’s took on Roundwood park in the quarter finals of the district cup. The boys started strong leading the game 3-1 at the break. After battling hard in the second half, they eventually came away 5-3 winners, booking their place in the semi final of the district cup. Hat-trick from E. Rance. Well done boys.

Yr 8 Boys: The Yr 8 team are through to another semi final. 2-0 away winners vs Marlborough. The Windy conditions made it very hard for both teams. Goals from Danny and scoring his first goal for the team Jake, who also picks up MOM.

Yr 10 Boys: A good win v Samuel Ryder this week in the district quarter final. Goals from Sam A-A, Regan & Silcox mean we come away as 3-1 winners.

Congratulations to the Senior Boys Basketball team on a 91-84 win over Wycliffe College before half term. It was another solid performance from the team in a very tough test in the Last 16 of the @bballengland U19 NATIONAL schools competition.

The team continues to play some very strong defence but the game saw some great transitions to offence, finishing at the hoop and some good shooting in all 4 quarters to book our spot in the Quarter finals.

A football heavy weekend, followed by a very busy week of games home and away. Good luck to everyone taking part.

Yr 8: A win for our year 8s against SRA tonight in the district netball league! Well done to Sylvie who got oppositions player and Millie who got coaches player! Excellent work girls 

Yr 9: Well done to our U14 performance squad who played a fantastic game before half term, coming away with a win against STAHS. POM went to Flo for her excellent defensive work alongside showing great captaincy on court.

Yr 9: Another fantastic game this week for the U14A Netball team, who had a convincing win in their game against STAGS. Excellent play all round, but OPM Hannah K and CPM Zara P.

Yr 7 Boys: Another improvement from the previous game as Sandringham lose by 4 points to SCC. MVP Sharpe.

Yr 7 Boys: A disappointing defeat to KWS before half term as we led all the way up until the last minute. More minutes for some boys as B V-Leempoel takes MVP with 8 points and some great rebounding. An 18-15 loss in our third district league fixture. Junior NBA is now up and running...

Senior Boys: The senior boys tennis team took on Stowe this afternoon in the next round of the LTA schools 11-13 competition. With 3 singles and a doubles win we go through to the regional quarter final next week

Yr 10 Girls: It’s been a busy week for our U15 girls. The girls started the week winning against SRA in the district cup.
We then travelled to Essex to play national cup winners Shenfield in the last 16 of the national cup.Although the game didn’t go our way, the girls stepped up and played some excellent football and we are really proud of them for making it to this stage.
Then to wrap up the week they played Presdales in the county cup semi final. Unfortunate to come off the wrong side of the result but credit to Presdales for an excellent game. POM- F. Randall for stepping up in goal and doing a brilliant job!
New faces to the team this week and key performances from our girls. We continue to build with this talented group 

Our Senior Boys B team National Cup run came to an end just before half term at the 1/4 final stage vs Shrewsbury School. After falling 3-0 behind the game looked lost but the boys rallied back to 3-2 and the game was on. A penalty well executed by Sperry and a good low finish by Bidulph. We then had nothing to lose and went for it leaving gaps at the back which Shrewsbury took full advantage of to finally secure their place in the semi final. A great day all round however and a fantastic experience. Final score 5-2.

Spotlight Dance and Theatre School are showcasing their brilliant performers in this magical show coming to the Sandpit in early March.

Get your tickets here, and don't miss out.

Making Theatre History...

Join Best School of Musical Theatre and Best Beginners St Albans as they time travel through 2,000 years of monumental British history in 2 acts. From standing stones to rampaging romans, killer kings to blitz-time bombs, this gloriously entertaining and inventive production celebrates the colourful and eclectic past of our fair isle through drama, dance, and song.

Saturday 21 March: Best School of Musical Theatre 10am - 1pm Class

Sunday 22 March: Best School of Musical Theatre 1:30pm - 4:30pm Class and Best Beginners Classes

Don't miss out - sign up here!

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.

It's a Green Good Time

Beauty is in the eye of the ogre in Shrek The Musical JR., based on the Oscar-winning DreamWorks Animation film and fantastic Broadway musical.  It's a "big bright beautiful world" as everyone's favourite ogre, Shrek, leads a cast of fairytale misfits on an adventure to rescue a princess and find true acceptance.  Part romance and part twisted fairy tale, Shrek JR. is an irreverently fun show with a powerful message for the whole family.

Once upon a time, in a faraway swamp, there lived an ogre named Shrek.  One day, Shrek finds his swamp invaded by banished fairytale misfits who have been cast off by Lord Farquaad, a tiny terror with big ambitions. When Shrek sets off with a wisecracking donkey to confront Farquaad, he's handed a task – if he rescues feisty princess Fiona, his swamp will be righted. Shrek tries to win Fiona’s love and vanquish Lord Farquaad, but a fairytale wouldn't be complete without a few twists and turns along the way.

With abundant opportunities for imaginative sets and costumes, and a host of over-the-top roles for an expandable cast, there's a part for everyone in this dazzling adventure story.

The show date is the 14th March with a 1PM and 6PM showing.