The Bedfordshire schools Battle of the Bands event involving upper schools from around the area took place last night in Milton Keynes. 5 Sandy Upper school students hastily put together a band in the past couple of weeks for the event.

With only a short amount of practice before their performance, they should have been the underdogs.

But not only did they put on a fantastic performance, they got through to the final 4, and they then managed to achieve third place out of the 11 bands performing.

The band consisted of Tia Jackson as the main vocalist, with members of the crowd commenting on how confident she was and what a great voice she had.

Eddie Hubberd was on drums, who managed to lose a drum stick in the final performance.

Evie Mugridge was on the keyboard and Ollie Bond and Angus Monaghan on guitars.

It is always fantastic to see the amazing talents of the students of Sandy Upper School and the school is really pleased with how they performed.

Thanks to Mr Phelps in the Music department for his work with the band.

I know that the students are on a high and already thinking about next year’s event.

You can check out a video of their performance in the Broadcast Extra area of the site here.

It is a pleasure to write to you with so much good news.  The school has been buzzing over the last two weeks with so much activity. Our young people are involved in so many aspects of school life. 

I cannot be too fulsome in my praise of the Dance Show that took place last week and was filled to capacity every evening.  Watching pupils and students aged from 5 years to 19 integrating together and working so well to produce such a high calibre performance is warming and endearing. The younger pupils were enchanting, while the older students showed both their sophistication in performance but also their warmth when looking after the younger children.  Collaboration on this level is so important and highlights how our family of schools is determined to serve the community aswell as they can. The packed audiences for the three nights highlight the commitment of our parents/carers and all our schools truly value this support.

To continue the praise, I must congratulate Jack Culbert on winning the over 16 Musical Theatre Award in Bedford.  Jack, who attends our Sixth Form, is not only a talented musician but also an academic.  He wishes to apply for Oxbridge and we shall give him every support.

It is a pleasure to write to you with so much good news. The school has been buzzing over the last two weeks with so much activity.  Our young people are involved in so many aspects of school life.  I cannot be too fulsome in my praise of the Dance Show that took place last week and was filled to capacity every evening. Watching pupils and students aged from 5 years to 19 integrating together and working so well to produce such a high calibre performance is warming and endearing. The younger pupils were enchanting while the older students showed both their sophistication in performance but also their warmth when looking after the younger children. Collaboration on this level is so important and highlights how our family of schools is determined to serve the community aswell as they can. The packed audiences for the three nights highlight the commitment of our parents/carers and all our schools truly value this support.

To continue the praise, I must congratulate Jack Culbert on winning the Over 16 Musical Theatre Award in Bedford. Jack, who attends our Sixth Form, is not only a talented musician but also an academic. He wishes to apply for Oxbridge and we shall give him every support.

The Drama Department are proud to announce that one of our students, Adam Weeks, has managed to secure a place at the prestigious Central School of Speech and Drama. Adam has been a regular face in the drama department and on the Sandy stage since his mum was persuaded that he should be opting for GCSE drama. Adam by his own admission has always been quiet and taking drama has been the making of him.

He immediately felt at home in the drama studio and excelled at GCSE and AS, achieving an A grade at both levels. Hardworking and committed at all times, Adam thrived on the challenges drama offered and soon found himself auditioning for school productions. He initially appeared in chorus roles as a Bohemian in We Will Rock You but with such talent it was not too long before the leading roles of Cogsworth in Beauty and the Beast and Danny Zuko in Grease came along.   Adam has always supported the department and nothing is too much trouble whether it is painting set, helping young students with choreography/singing/acting or showing he's a dab hand with a hoover on the balcony, and this support has been much appreciated and welcomed. With over 5,000 applicants for a handful of places I can see why he has stood out from the crowd and was snapped up as he is a shining example of what a drama student should be.   Congratulations Adam and please remember your drama teachers when you pick up your Oscar or Tony award.

Letter from the Governing Body