London Marathon - Final Push for Miss Lennox

This Sunday 26th April, Miss Lennox will be taking on the London Marathon in support of St John Ambulance, a charity whose lifesaving work supports communities across the country.

As she prepares for race day, there is still time to show your support. Any donations, big or small, would be hugely appreciated and will go towards supporting this incredible cause.

If you would like to contribute, please visit her JustGiving page here:

We’re incredibly proud of Miss Lennox and we do wish her the very best of luck, along with everyone else running to raise money for their chosen charities - such an inspirational event to watch.

HOUSE POINTS 

Shakespeare remain out in front, with no change of pace from Turing or Fawcett who are still chasing for the top spot.

1. Shakespeare 21, 349
2. Turing 19, 401
3. Fawcett 18, 179

Special mentions this week:  

• J Yeo (9N) & F Weber (7E) (12) – Most points this week
• T Tearle (7S) 287 - Highest scoring year 7
• M Altiganer (8F)- 242 - Highest scoring Year 8
• T Somers (9S) - 245 - Highest scoring year 9
• G Birkin (10s) - 178- Highest scoring year 10
• L Jones (11H) - 57 - Highest scoring year 11
• B Stevenson (12S) 55 - Highest scoring sixth former
• 12S - Highest quiz score - 176/205
• T for most house points this week - 435

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.

A Shot At U14 England Basketball  

Huge congratulations to Alex C in Yr 9 for being selected to the U14 England Selection Camp in June.

Alex has been in the Aspire pathway and now sees himself selected to go up to the National Performance Centre in Manchester in a bid to make the final squad.

Best of luck Alex, this is thoroughly deserved after a great season for Sandringham and at @oaklandsball.

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).

Yr 10 Rugby Success

Congratulations to Alp A, Theo S and David P who were part of the Nomads Rugby Team that successfully defended the U15 Hertfordshire Plate against Verulamium RFC.

It was a hard-fought victory and a fantastic way to round off what has been a brilliant season for the boys.

Well done to all three students on this brilliant achievement.

Science and Innovation Competition Winners 

Wednesday night saw the final of Imperial College’s Science and Innovation Competition. Not only were Tim C, Valen C, and Dexter W selected as one of three finalists to present their idea but they won the 14-16 age group! The quality of their project was impeccable and the amount of effort and time that had been put into it was a credit to the team. This is without mentioning how well they presented their idea. They represented the school exceptionally well. The team should rightly be proud of the work they put into the competition and were thoroughly deserving winners.

Wind Band Day

A reminder that Hertfordshire Music Service is hosting a Wind Band Day on for woodwind, brass and percussion players in Yrs 4 - 9.

Open to students with at least two terms’ experience (with a beginner group also available), this is a great opportunity to develop skills and play as part of an ensemble.

Wednesday 20th May - 9:30am - 2:30pm - £30 per student
Booking deadline: Wednesday 13th May

For more information and to sign up click here.

Please note: Headteacher permission is required as the event takes place during the school day.

Ms T Dowling

We’re Hiring!

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

- Theatre Operations Manager 

If you, or anyone you know would like to be part of our passionate and dedicated team, please visit the website here for more information and to apply.

Join our Six Week Reading Challenge!

Students and families are invited to take part in our new Six Week Reading Challenge. Our challenge is inspired the Sunday Times’ Get Britian Reading’ campaign -  which aims to combat the trend of adults and children spending more time on screens than reading books, emphasising the mental health benefits of reading for pleasure.

Sandringham students can pledge to read at least ten minutes a day for six weeks to themselves or to someone else by collecting their Six Week Reading Challenge bookmark from the LRC. Our bookmarks include a tick box for each day of the challenge. Completed bookmarks should be returned to the LRC and students will be rewarded with a new e-praise award.

We hope as many of you as possible will take up the challenge and we can’t wait to hear what everyone is reading!

Last month, students from Yrs 9, 10 and 11 sat the Intermediate Kangaroo and Olympiad run by the UK Mathematics Trust.  The Kangaroo and Olympiad are follow on rounds from the Intermediate Maths Challenge for students achieving a qualifying score.

This was a fantastic opportunity which offers students the chance to develop their mathematical problem-solving skills. It encourages mathematical reasoning, precision of thought, and fluency in using basic mathematical techniques to solve interesting problems.  

In the Olympiad, congratulations to:

• Tim C - achieving a Certificate of Distinction and Bronze medal
• Caleb M - achieving a Certificate of Merit.

In the Kangaroo, congratulations to:

• Stefan C, Mati M and Oliver S - achieving Gold
• Finn N - achieving Silver
• Guy RJ - achieving Bronze
• Stefan C - Best in School
• Mati M - Best in Year 10

Congratulations to all students, you should all very very proud of yourself.

Hemel Storm Junior Basketball - Summer Term & Half Term Camp

Hemel Storm Junior Basketball have updated their summer term session dates, along with details of their May half term basketball camp.

Sessions are available for both primary and secondary school-aged children, offering a great opportunity to develop skills, stay active and enjoy the game in a fun and supportive environment.

For more details on session times and how to book, see the attached poster or visit their website here.

Prefect Interviews

Prefect interviews took place this week, with many students seizing the opportunity to shine and take part in discussions with Mr Gray and Mr Cracknell.

Well done to all students who applied, we were impressed by the enthusiasm and commitment shown throughout the process.

We look forward to announcing the successful candidates soon.

Oaklands College Open Evenings Next Week

Don't forget - Oaklands College is hosting their Open Evenings for students and families interested in exploring post-16 options.

Welwyn Garden City Campus - Tuesday 28th April from 5:00 - 7:30pm
St Albans Campus - Thursday 30th April from 5:00 - 7:30pm

These are great for Yr 10/11 students who would like to find out more about the courses and opportunities available after GCSEs.

Supporting Links - Summer Term Courses

A range of free online courses and support services are available this summer for parents and carers, delivered by external providers.

These sessions offer practical advice, guidance and support to help families navigate a range of topics.

To explore the courses and book a place, please visit the relevant provider websites. You can also view the course booklets here:
Summer Courses – Part 1
Summer Courses – Part 2

Summer Term Parenting Workshops

Coram Family Lives are offering a range of free online parenting groups and workshops this summer, funded by Hertfordshire County Council.

Open to all parents and carers in Hertfordshire (or those with children attending a Hertfordshire school), these sessions provide practical advice, support and resources to help families support their children’s development and wellbeing.

Workshops cover a variety of topics, including:

• Bringing up confident children with ADHD/ASD
• Reducing conflict and encouraging cooperation
• Supporting pre-teens and teenagers
• Managing anxiety around ADHD
• Sibling relationships

Sessions run throughout May, June and July (morning and evening options available).

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

An Exceptional Performer 

A huge congratulations to Evie, who has accepted her place at Bird College Conservatoire to study Professional Dance and Musical Theatre.

This is a fantastic achievement and a reflection of Evie’s dedication, talent and hard work. Gaining a place at such a prestigious conservatoire is no small feat, and we are incredibly proud of all she has accomplished.

We can’t wait to see where her journey takes her next and wish her every success for the future.

Media

The Media faculty have been supporting ‘Our Year of Reading’ this week by sharing some fantastic book recommendations with all their classes. 

Teacher recommendations have included Lion: A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierley and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (The Tales of Dunk and Egg) by George R.R. Martin. These recommendations have given students the opportunity to discuss a range of genres from fantasy and adventure to memoirs.

As ever, we hold a wide and varied stock of books in the LRC and would welcome all students to borrow books and request any that aren’t currently in our collection. Thank you to Mr O’Connor and the Media team for supporting our Year of Reading this week.

French: énigme

German: problema

Spanish: Mysterium

Thinking Question: All of the translations this week look like other English words - why might some languages have more words than others?

C is for… conundrum [noun]

Definition: A confusing and difficult problem or question.

Example: The riddle presented quite a conundrum.

Synonyms: Puzzle, Mystery, Enigma

Antonyms: Solution, Answer, Clarity

Etymology: Possibly 16th century, in English. Therefore, though it appears to be modelled on Latin in the fashion of nonsense words like "hocus pocus," it is not Latin.

District Swimming Champions

Congratulations to the following students who represented Sandringham as part of the St Albans District Secondary Schools Swimming Team on Friday 17th April:

• Olivia D 
• Sofia S 
• Christian G
• Oscar C
• Hugo K
• Rose M
• Summer B 
• Oscar M

We are thrilled to share that the St Albans District team were crowned Champions, successfully defending their title from last year, which is a fantastic achievement.

Well done to all students involved on this brilliant team success.

For full results, please visit the Herts School Swimming website here.

Yr 8 County Cup  Boys Final

Both sides came into the final as District champions, each having lost just once all season, in the ESFA, setting the stage for a closely fought contest.

Sandringham raced into a 2–0 lead through early goals from R. Duncan and R. Newton, but Broxbourne battled back to level. S. Okundonor restored Sandringham’s advantage just before the break, and they defended superbly for much of the second half. However, two late long throws in injury time saw Broxbourne snatch a dramatic 4–3 victory. R. Newton was named man of the match.

It was a classic case of victory snatched from the jaws of defeat, and a cruel ending for Sandringham, who were just seconds away from completing the double. Despite the heartbreak, the boys have had an outstanding season and can be incredibly proud—now it’s time to dust themselves off and go again next year. ⚽️

Yr 7 County Cup Boys Final

A massive congratulations to the Yr 7 boys for their county final last night. Although the result did not go in our favour, the boys worked continuously throughout the game, playing a side who has reached the ESFA semi-finals.

To be district champions and second in the county in their first year is something they should all be incredibly proud of! 

Yr 11 County Cup Girls Final

Last weekend our amazing U16 girls took to the pitch to play the last game of their terrific season in the county cup final.

The game didn’t start as well as we would have liked and nerves got the better of us, seeing us 4-0 at half time with a big job to do. We regrouped, changed our plan and the girls dug deep to pull out a second half to be proud of.

They finished the wrong side of a 5-4 result but their second half efforts could not be faulted. We are so proud of every single one of them and lucky to work with such a hard working group - we go again next year.

Congratulations to N. McKinstry her dominant midfield performance secured her player of the match.

Thank you to our wonderful senior players R. Kosh & R. Cullen for your support on the sidelines. You are such brilliant role models.

Senior Athletics District Champions 

For the first time in Sandringham history, we have won the Senior Championships. An incredible afternoon at Westminster Lodge for our athletes who performed brilliantly against some extremely strong individuals and schools.

With a busy period for all Yr 11-13 students, the PE staff were immensely impressed with the commitment to this event, as well as the performances. With plenty of PB’s and District medallists, Sandringham walked away as:

Boys CHAMPIONS 
Girls CHAMPIONS (joint) 
Overall CHAMPIONS 

Our athletes have built this over the last few years with their eagerness, dedication and commitment to Sandringham athletics, and fully deserve the success that has come. A shout out to H Smith who performed for the last time in a Sandringham vest.

Individual Champions:
O Blok (1500m)
T Pritchard (Steeplechase)
A Curtin (Javelin)
S Tindall (High Jump)

Incredibly proud of this group - well done!

Season Jumps Into Action

The athletics season kicked off this afternoon with our Yr 7 & 9 teams taking to the track. With only a week to prep our youngest year group, they were highly impressive, showing lots of potential. Our Yr 9’s dusted off the cobwebs and our host meet allowed us to try lots new things.

Athlete of the Meet:
Year 7 Girls - I Ticehurst - 1 Gold and 2 Silver 
Year 7 Boys - S Turkovic - 1 Gold and 1 Silver 
Year 9 Girls - E Power - 2 Silver 
Year 9 Boys - A Cofone - 1 Gold and 1 Silver 

Next friendly is next Monday (27th April) - looking forward to it.

HSAA Combined Events

Our Junior boys and Junior girls both performed well this week, competing in 5 events each to gain points for their teams.

E. Power and A. Cofone finished 7th overall with our junior boys taking a bronze medal in the team competition.

T. Russ also competed in the inter boys competition today as a year young and secured good points whilst also looking to prep for his county league season.

It was great to see our students competing in new events for the first time with some pleasantly surprising results.

Athletics and cricket taking up the dominant spots in the sports fixtures this term - let's hope the sunshine is here to stay for a while now. Good luck to everyone taking part.

CMG Arts Present Dream Big 

Join us to celebrate their youngest students from CMG Arts as they take to the stage with their big dreams and spectacular stage presence.

Sunday 14th July - 11:00am and 3:00pm 

Book your tickets here.

Best Theatre Arts - This Weekend!

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.

This weekend, the 25th and 26th April  - get your last minute tickets here.

Excel in Dance!

The talented students from Excel Performing Arts perform in their brilliant spectacular annual show Excelocity. 

Excelocity will be an exciting and entertaining mix of performing arts including ballet, tap, lyrical, contemporary dance, jazz, commercial street, hip hop dance as well as drama and singing. With dazzling costumes and fantastic choreography, Excelocity will be a show where the most amazing, special memories are made.

SIGN UP FOR WAITLIST TICKETS IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO FIND TICKETS FOR THIS PERFORMANCE. 

Tickets will be allocated based on demand so we may not be able to offer more than 2 waitlist tickets per person. Regularly check your emails for updates regarding these tickets.