Dance Extracurricular Timetable and Auditions

Please see the new timetable for 2026-27 Dance clubs and company rehearsals and the audition dates for the dance company this year.

We can't wait to get back into the dance studio!

Music Department - Clubs 

Our Music Department runs a wide range of clubs and ensembles, which will be starting from next week.

All details can be found on SOCS and new members are very welcome, so come and give it a try! You can sign up on SOCS, or just turn up on the day.

Instrumental and singing lessons will also be starting over the next few weeks. Lessons are held in the F block practise rooms and lesson times are displayed on the noticeboard in the Music Department.

If you are unsure where / when your lesson is then you can ask any of the Music Department team and we will point you in the right direction!

Smooth Start, Safe Finish!

As a community school, we want to ensure that we do the right thing wherever possible to maintain positive relationships with neighbours. Wherever possible, students should walk or cycle to school, but we appreciate that there are times when families may need to drive students to school.

Please note the following expectations in such instances

• Drop offs / pick ups should not take place immediately outside the school given the impact on other road users.
• Families must observe common sense parking regulations which includes not blocking driveways or parking on verges, particularly on Skyswood Road
• Families must not park in Malvern Close and students should not walk through the flats before or after school

Parking enforcement teams will operate in the area and we will challenge drivers who ignore our requests so we would really appreciate your ongoing support.

New Drumline Ensemble at St Albans Music School

Hertfordshire Music Service is launching a brand-new Drumline Ensemble for young drummers and percussionists aged 9 and above.

Open to all abilities, it's a fantastic way to build confidence, learn drum notation, and enjoy high-energy group music-making.

• Wednesdays - 5.50pm - 6.30pm (term time)
• St Albans Music School
• £65 per term (14-day trial period available)

You can also sign up and withdraw within 14 days of confirmation if it’s not the right fit, so why not give it a try.

Click here for more information or to sign up.

The Puzzle of the Month is a Mathematics challenge run monthly now. This months 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).

School Social Media Channels

If you would like to keep up to date with all the activities, events, and news going on throughout the school - and believe me, there is a lot going on - then please follow our social channels to make sure you're not missing out on any updates.

• Main School News: @sandringhamsch1
• PE & Sport: @sand_pe
• The Arts: @sand_artsteam
• Trips: @sand.trips

Give us a follow so you can see what our students are getting up to.

HOUSE POINTS 

We kick the year off with Turing take an early lead in the race to be crowned House Champions.

1. Turing 175
2. Fawcett 159
3. Elgar 112

Special mentions this week:  

• R Keith (7F) - (8) – Most points this week
• R Keith (7F) 8 - Highest scoring year 7
• I Eliasu (8H)- 4 - Highest scoring Year 8
• C O'Sullivan (9S) - 5 - Highest scoring year 9
• H Macdonald (10H) - 4- Highest scoring year 10
• A Abdul-Rahman (11F) 2 - Highest scoring Year 11

Cyber Choices and Online Safety - With Hertfordshire Police Cyber Protect & Prevent Officers

Technology plays a central role in family life. From smartphones and tablets to gaming platforms, social media and smart devices, our children are growing up in an increasingly connected world. While technology brings many benefits, it also presents risks that can affect both young people and their families.

In this engaging 60-minute session, Hertfordshire Police Cyber Protect & Prevent Officers will explore two important topics: keeping your family safe from cybercrime and helping young people make safe and positive choices online.

You will receive practical advice on improving your family's cyber security, including how cyber criminals target individuals and households, the most common online threats, and the simple steps you can take to better protect your devices, accounts, and personal information.

The session will also examine how a young person's curiosity about technology can sometimes lead them towards risky or illegal online activity. Many children enjoy learning how technology works, developing coding skills, gaming, or exploring tools and techniques they discover through websites, videos, and online communities. While these interests can create exciting opportunities and valuable skills, it is important to understand where the boundaries lie and how to encourage positive and lawful use of technology.

Topics covered include:

• Practical cyber security advice to help protect your family online.
• Common cyber threats, scams and frauds affecting individuals and households.
• How cyber criminals target people and what you can do to reduce the risk.
• The types of online activity that can place young people at risk of cyber offending.
• The potential consequences of becoming involved in cybercrime.
• Warning signs that parents and carers should be aware of.
• Positive pathways for young people interested in technology, coding, and cyber security.

Whether you are looking to better protect your family online or support a child with an interest in technology, this session will provide valuable knowledge, practical advice, and the confidence to navigate today's digital world safely.

This session is suitable for parents and carers of children of all ages. The advice and guidance provided aligns with the Government's Stop! Think Fraud, and the National Cyber Security Centres CyberAware and the National Crime Agency’s Cyber Choices campaigns.

Microsoft Teams meeting

• Join: Here 
• Meeting ID: 398 469 490 028 60
• Passcode: UP9LP2jD

Introducing Our New Photography Partner - Splaat Photo

We are excited to announce that this year we are partnering with a new photography and videography company, Splaat, who will be capturing all our school events, performances, and milestones going forward.

Splaat were on site this week taking individual student portraits - there should have been a slip of paper featuring their individual details and a unique QR code brought home on Wednesday or Thursday, which you'll need to keep hold of.

How It Works & What to Expect:

• Personal Online Gallery: Scanning your QR code or visiting the website Splaat Photo will give you details of how it works going forward, and details on how to register so you can access your personal gallery where your images will be uploaded.
• Ongoing Memories: Over the coming year, any professional photos or videos taken of your child at school events will be uploaded directly to their portal.
• Easy Ordering: You will have the option to view, select, and purchase high-quality photos or video coverage where your child appears - giving you access to moments you wouldn't normally get to see.

A detailed letter will be sent home shortly with instructions on registering for the portal and accessing your account.

In the meantime, please hold onto your child's QR code slip, and have a look through their website to understand more about how they work.

New Term, Safe Habits: Online Safety at Home

As our new Yr 7 cohort adjusts to secondary school life, many will be taking their first steps toward greater digital independence.

Protecting our young people online works best through a layered approach - combining network controls, device settings, app permissions, and regular open discussions.

To help parents and carers navigate this smoothly, Internet Matters provides a downloadable 'Layering Up for Online Safety' guide. It breaks down device setup into simple, manageable steps so you can create a safe digital environment at home for the year ahead.

Visit Internet Matters - Layering Up for Online Safety to give you any guidance you may feel you need.

Mental Health 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.

Year 7 Welcome BBQ

A very warm welcome to all of our new Year 7 families.

To help everyone settle in and get to know each other, the brilliant FOSS team are is hosting a Year 7 Welcome BBQ:

• Thursday 10th September
• 6.00pm in the Main Hall
• Tickets are £4.50 per person (includes a hot dog), purchased on ParentPay
• Booking Deadline: Sunday 6th September

The BBQ takes place immediately after the final Peaks Information Evening in the Sandpit Theatre - once that session finishes, please head straight over to the Main Hall to grab a hot dog and mingle with your fellow Year 7 students.

Tickets must be booked in advance so we can confirm numbers, so please make sure you get yours by the end of the weekend.

French: méticuleux/méticuleuse

German: genau

Spanish: meticuloso/a

Thinking Question: Why is learning other languages important? What can you gain from the experience?

Agency for Scandal, by Laura Wood

Eighteen-year-old Isobel Stanhope is keeping a lot of secrets. There's the fact that she's head over heels in love with a Duke who doesn't know she exists; there's the fact that her family is penniless but nobody in society knows about it; and then there's her job at the Aviary, an investigative agency run by women that specializes in digging up scandal on powerful men. When Izzy finds herself pulled into a case that involves gaslighting, blackmail, and missing jewels, as well as the Duke who holds her heart, can she and her friends untangle the web of secrets and lies to uncover the truth and protect the innocent? And when the stakes are so high, what happens when the crush she's been hiding begins to turn into so much more?

I read the book over the summer holidays after a recommendation from a student. It was a fabulous read! Strong female leads, clever plot and a hint of romance – I loved it!

M is for Meticulous (adjective)

Definition: Showing great attention to detail; very careful and precise

Example: He kept meticulous records of all his business transactions.

Synonyms: Careful, thorough, precise, scrupulous

Antonyms: Careless, sloppy, negligent

Etymology: From Latin 'meticulosus' (fearful), from 'metus' (fear), later meaning 'very careful'

Limitless Academy of Performing Arts

After 2025's smash-hit, Sweeney Todd, Limitless Productions returns to St Albans with something a little more sweet!

Step into a world of pure imagination with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: The Musical - a dazzling stage adaptation of Roald Dahl’s beloved classic.

When young Charlie Bucket wins a golden ticket to the mysterious Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, he embarks on a fantastical journey filled with astonishing inventions, mischievous competitors, and life-changing lessons. Bursting with catchy songs, colourful characters, and magical surprises, this heartwarming musical celebrates imagination, kindness, and the joy of dreaming big—perfect fun for audiences of all ages. 

This amateur production is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International. All authorised performance materials are also supplied by MTI: www.mtishows.com.

Tickets are available on the Sandpit Theatre website