HOUSE POINTS

Shakespeare remain the front runners for the title, with their lead over second place having increased slightly.

1. Shakespeare 19, 765
2. Turing 17, 732
3. Fawcett 16,761

Special mentions this week:  

• J Parker (7J) (13) – Most points this week
• T Tearle (7S) 249 - Highest scoring year 7
• M Altiganer (8F)- 226 - Highest scoring Year 8
• T Somers (9S) - 230 - Highest scoring year 9
• G Birkin (10s) - 159- Highest scoring year 10
• L Jones (11H) - 54 - Highest scoring year 11
• B Stevenson (12S) 55 - Highest scoring sixth former
• 12S - Highest quiz score - 155/175
• Shakespeare staff for winning STAFF BADMINTON
• S for most house points this week - 726

GCSE Drama Practical Exam

Our brilliant Drama students completed their practical exam this week and we couldn't be more proud of how they performed.

Every student really gave their all, and shone on stage as they embraced the scripted exam - huge congratulations!

Next week we will see our Yr 13's take to the stage to complete their final practical - we can't wait to see their performances and wish them the very best of luck.

Train To Teach

Are you thinking about a career in teaching? 

Find out more at the forthcoming information event from the Alban Teaching School Hub.

17th March - 10:00am - 12:00pm 

Sign up using the QR codes provided.

Herts For Learning - Year 7 Maths Challenge

Last month, two teams of students competed in the Yr 7 Maths Challenge run by Herts For Learning. 

The Yr 7 Maths Challenge is designed as informal, friendly inter-school competitions, designed to challenge young mathematicians. They require excellent communication, problem-solving and team-working skills, as well as mathematical skill and insight. Success in the challenges relies on much more than mere mathematical calculation.  

Competing against almost 100 teams from schools across Hertfordshire, our team from A Half was successful in qualifying for the Final in April.

Congratulations to the following students:

• Armaan R 
• Cherry Li 
• Scarlett L
• Jayden C

F1 STEM Enrichment Day

A group of 40 students from Yrs 7 - 11 recently had the fantastic opportunity to take part in a very exciting STEM Enrichment Day.

During the visit, students were challenged to design a 'nose cone' for a Formula 1 car, testing their ideas and presenting their findings to one another. It was a great opportunity to explore engineering concepts, teamwork and problem-solving in a real-world context.

The day also included the chance to race on F1 car simulators, followed by a guided tour of the Williams Racing Museum, where students were able to learn more about the history and innovation behind the team.

A huge thank you to @williamsf1official for hosting such an inspiring experience for our students, and we wish the team the very best of luck for the rest of the season.

British Science Week Build-Up

Last Wednesday, in anticipation of British Science Week, we hosted a lively chemistry show built around the theme of curiosity - the driving force behind all scientific discovery. The day began with a matinee performance for visiting local primary schools, where pupils were encouraged to ask questions, make predictions, and share in the excitement of hands-on science. The evening performance welcomed families and members of the wider community, creating a wonderfully energetic atmosphere.

Throughout the show, a range of classic and crowd-pleasing demonstrations helped bring chemistry to life. The dramatic whoosh bottles and whoosh rockets illustrated the power of fuel-air mixtures, while the chip fat fire demonstration highlighted the importance of understanding fire safety in the kitchen. Curiosity was also sparked through more subtle but equally fascinating experiments, including the egg in a bottle, the rhythmic motion of the Riggs-Bauscher oscillator, and the striking blue glow of the luminol reaction.

Audience participation was a key part of both performances, with volunteers helping to demonstrate principles and test predictions. In the evening show, we were also delighted to welcome the Head Teacher, who gamely joined in and added to the fun.

The response from pupils, parents, and staff alike was overwhelmingly positive. The show served as a reminder that chemistry is not just a subject to be studied, but a field to be explored with curiosity, creativity, and a sense of wonder.

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).

Teeing Off Again - The Golf Society Returns

Following the success of last year’s inaugural Golf Society, we are delighted to be running it again this year. With increasing interest in golf across the school community, the society will offer students opportunities to learn, practise and play, with activities suitable for all abilities - from beginners to experienced golfers.

Plans include group lessons, opportunities to play at local courses and the chance for experienced players to enter county competitions, alongside school competitions for all levels.

If you are interested in getting involved, please complete the survey by scanning the QR code on the poster.

For further information, please see Mr D Smith (PD Year 9).

Dance Success 

Well done to all Yr 11 GCSE and Yr 13 A Level dance students and their performers for choreography preparations and performance evenings over the last couple of weeks. You absolutely smashed it!

Thank you to everyone who came to support, it really does make such a difference.

Bring on the final practical exams!

Yr 7 Book Club Takes Off

A group of enthusiastic Yr 7 students, led by Neve, have recently set up their own Book Club, which now meets weekly in the library at lunchtime.

The group has already been enjoying a wide range of fantastic books, coming together to share their thoughts, recommendations and favourite moments from what they’ve been reading.

It’s great to see such enthusiasm for reading and for students taking the initiative to create their own opportunities to connect over a shared love of books. Especially as we have Our Year of Reading initiative rolling throughout the year.

Well done to Neve and all of our Yr 7 book lovers for making the club such a success - long may it continue.

German Exchange Trip

Last week, the A-level German group spent a week in Hamburg, in Germany. Each of them stayed with a host family of a student of the Dietrich Bonhöffer Gymnasium in Quickborn, Hamburg. The week was an exciting experience, featuring the chance to take part in different aspects of German culture as well as different activities, while fully immersing themselves in the language. Speaking German for the whole week was challenging at times, but with the patience and support of the generous host families, everyone’s language skills improved in no time. 

They went on this trip with the German exchange group of KS3&4 students; taking part in numerous activities, including tours of Hamburg, a day trip to a beautiful nearby city called Lüneburg and an engaging experience at Dialog Im Dunkel, where they were guided round a pitch-black simulation by a blind person, navigating our way using only their hearing and touch. Most importantly, everyone spent an exciting day at the school, getting involved in the exchange students’ normal lessons in German, as well as teaching a grade 5 class English, and telling them about Sandringham. Check out some of our enthusiastic Yr 9 students documenting their time on this trip...

We are all immensely grateful for this wonderful trip - organised by Frau Kincaid and Frau Webb as well as the English teachers at DBG - and hope that it can continue for all of the next A-level German classes in the future.

Medicine Through Time Workshop 

Below you'll find a brilliant summary from Georgia and Maya for the Medicine Through Time Workshop that Yr 11 historians participated in last Thursday:

"Last Thursday, we attended a history workshop as part of the ELD. It was an immersive recap of our Medicine Through Time course with lots of interaction, excitement and fun. Jess and Jed, who led the session, were absolutely brilliant and everybody had a fantastic time. 

We ran through all of the time periods included in our course. In the Medieval period, some students were dressed as Hippocrates and Galen and were in charge of the four humours! One student was even dressed as a monk and wore a long, brown robe. During the renaissance period, a student got their leg “amputated” by a barber surgeon. We then revised the industrial period where we watched Jess and Jed act out the development of vaccines with several props and different voices. Finally, we arrived at the modern period and the Western Front of the First World War and several students carried each other on stretchers, and demonstrated some of the medical equipment developed there!  

Overall, it was a thoroughly enjoyable and useful workshop, and everyone involved took a lot from it, thanks to the involvement of us and our peers in the journey of the course, and the amazing talents of Jess and Jed in making the content interesting and easy to understand. 

Georgia and Maya 

Potential Kids - Easter Activities

Potential Kids are running a range of sessions throughout the Easter holiday 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.

Comic Relief - Next Friday

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.

Friday will be a non-school uniform day, and in order to support this amazing cause, 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.

Thanks for your kindness and continued support. 

Charity Week 

Next week we will be celebrating Johnson and Newtons House Charity Week, with a range of fun activities taking place across the school to help raise money for our three chosen partner charities. We hope as many students and staff as possible will get involved and support these fantastic causes.

The week will begin with bake sales on Monday and Tuesday, followed by the ever-popular Teacher vs Student Easter Races on Wednesday. On Thursday, Year 7 and 8 students can take part in Bonkers Bingo, and the week will finish with the raffle for our Giant Easter Egg on Friday.

Raffle and Bonkers Bingo tickets will be available to purchase throughout the week and on Parent Pay, so keep an eye out and get involved where you can.

Thank you in advance for all your support in helping us raise money for some very worthwhile causes.

Staff Badminton Battles 

This week we had our Staff Badminton Competition, with around 20 members of staff taking part in a very athletic display of sport and ‘friendly’ competition.
It was great to see staff from across the school getting involved and supporting one another.

Final results:
1st - Shakespeare
2nd - Turin
3rd - Austin
4th - Fawcett
5th - Hepworth
6th - Johnson & Newton

Well done to everyone who took part, and congratulations to Shakespeare for taking the top spot.

Family Support Workers Service 

The Ambition Education Trust has a team of Family Support Workers who support children and families across schools within the trust.

The service offers short-term, non-judgemental support to families where a child may be experiencing challenges that are affecting their wellbeing or school life. Sessions can take place regularly and are usually held in the family home, helping to create a comfortable and supportive environment.

Support is entirely voluntary, and all information shared is treated respectfully and confidentially.

For more information, please see the poster attached.

Code Name Kingfisher, by Liz Kessler.

When Liv finds a secret box from her grandmother’s childhood she uncovers an extraordinary war-time story of bravery, betrayal and daring defiance. A story that will change Liv and her family forever…

Evie K in Yr 7 has recently read the book and wrote the following review for us:

“This book is tragic but heart warming, where you see the highs and lows of the two main characters in war time  from  multiple different perspectives. Highly recommend.”

French: aiguiser

German: wetzen

Spanish: afilar

Thinking Question: How many languages do you think are spoken by students and staff here at Sandringham?

This week, students have been completing the school’s annual reading survey in tutor time and it’s been fascinating to learn more about their reading habits. It’s clear how the vast majority of students read regularly and it’s been interesting to see how physical books are still the most popular format for reading, with approximately 90% reading books versus 10% reading eBooks or listening to audiobooks.

It’s valuable to know that the most likely source of book recommendations comes from friends and families, reminding us all that personal recommendations are a key driver for students’ book choice. The school’s LRC and browsing bookshop shelves are also influential. In terms of what students like to read, when it comes to fiction, the most popular genres are crime, thriller, mystery and adventure.  For non-fiction, sport, true crime and history are most popular.  The Librarians have been digesting the data in more detail this week and are keen to respond to the students’ suggestions to make the LRC yet more enticing. 

Thank you to families for their continued support for students’ reading, it makes such a positive difference to their reading habits, happiness and success.

W is for … whet [verb]

Definition: Excite or stimulate (someone's desire, interest, or appetite).

Example: Here's an extract to whet your appetite.

Synonyms: Rouse, Inspire, Tempt.

Antonyms: Dull, Spoil.

Etymology: From Old English hwettan, meaning “to sharpen”. 

Plenty of Football over the weekend ahead, with a bumper Tuesday of fixtures next week. Good luck to everyone involved.

Yr 9 Girls Badminton: Our incredible U14 team finish 4th in the Country!

Up against independent and selective state schools, our girls played excellently. They have made history today by becoming the highest finishing badminton team in the schools history. Congratulations girls on this truly incredible achievement.

Yr 8 & Yr 10 Girls: A double win for our U13 and U15 girls basketball teams on Monday against Queens School. Fantastic performances from every player on both teams… well done girls.

Yr 8 Girls: A fantastic game for our U13s in the County League on Tuesday resulting in a 50-22 win against Beaumont. Everyone played fantastically! Well done team.

Yr 10 Girls: A well contested game for our U15s this on Tuesday this week. The result ended up going in Beaumont’s favour with a 43-30 loss, but everyone played so well and can be super proud!

Yr 7 Boys: Last weekend two U12’s teams played Roundwood Park. Both games competitive and played in a brilliant spirit, with a 4-3 win and a 3-0 loss. Well done to all involved, especially to the debutants this morning

Yr 8 Boys: We ran out 5-2 winners last weekend vs Roundwood Park School. Goals from Josh, Emilio, Alby, Aaryan & Tim. Well done all.

Y9 Boys: We win on a Saturday! Our Yr 9 boys played Roundwood at home last weekend and with a brace from Archie Brown & Charlie Cox and a screamer from Taka L, Sandringham come away 5-1 winners. Well done to all the boys involved.

Yr 10 Boys: A very competitive and evenly contested game v Roundwood Park last weekend as our boys steal a 1-0 win. An F. Rowland goal topped off a solid performance from all 14 players. Another Saturday fixture which allowed more minutes and even some debuts for the school.

Yr 11 Boys: An even game last weekend v Roundwood Park in the District Cup Quarter final. The last 15 mins brought some excitement to the soggy supporters as Anfield put us ahead before we were pegged back with 5 to play. We dug deep to clinch a 2-1 win in the last few minutes through a Novotny winner. 

D Kennedy & R Bullivant represented @hertsschoolsaa at the UK Inter-county XC Championships in Nottingham this week. In doing so they helped Herts finish 14th nationally. Well done boys.

Yr 9 Girls: Well done to the U14 Girls Football a team, who played SJL in the District Competition, in what only can be described as hurricane conditions! The game ended 1-1, with a goal from Flo R. Well done to all.

Senior Girls: Our senior girls started their district cup campaign with a win against STAGS! A great game girls, start as we mean to go on. Pom: A. Kirby 

Yr 7 Boys: County finalists! A brilliant performance this afternoon vs St Clement Danes has secured our place in the County Final. A hat-trick from Ethan. R. and 2 from Ross. B. gave us a 5-1 victory. Well done lads.

Yr 8 Boys: This team are into their second Final in as many weeks. 3-0 away winners vs SCC. Goals from Danny, Fin & Rory. Sam picks up MoM. County and District Finals await. Well done boys.

Yr 9: Well done to the U14B netball team, who beat NBS in the District League this afternoon. OPM Daisy J

Yr 11 Boys: On Monday this week the U16’s played their County Cup Semi Final vs Watford Grammar. Missing a key individual was tough, but the boys fought hard and created some great opportunities. Unfortunately the scoreline was against us, and we wish Watford good luck for the final. Well done for the last 5 years lads, you've been brilliant!

Senior Boys: A win on the road in the National Quarter Final for the Senior Basketball Team over The John Fisher School this week. The boys had to dig in today in the what was a very physical game. It sees the team through to a National Semi Final to be played next week. Another great achievement for this team.

Best Theatre Arts

What happens when the lights go out? At a technology-free wilderness camp in the middle of nowhere, young people from three very different schools must learn how to live in a new, uncertain future. They’re disconnected, alone, and afraid. But don’t worry, it’s not the end of the world…

Created by playwright Megan Jenkins and composer Rob Castell, The Flare is an original, cutting-edge contemporary musical designed to inspire honest conversation between generations. Commissioned by Best Theatre Arts and Tip of the Iceberg Theatre Company, this groundbreaking, genre-defying project explores adulthood, nihilism, hope, and retribution, all guided and informed by the real experiences, fears, and opinions of today's young people as they navigate growing up in an ever-changing and sometimes terrifying world.

Running from 25th - 26th April 2026 - get your tickets here.

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.

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!