Virtual Open Evening 2020
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Due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic and the necessary social distancing measures we’ve put in place, we unfortunately cannot host Year 6 pupils and their parents at our much talked about, and looked forward to, academy open evening this year.
We’re sorry you won’t be able to join us. As an alternative to this, we’ve created this page to act as a ‘virtual open evening’ that will be live from Monday 28th September. You’ll be able to meet some of our staff, learn more about what our students will be studying at secondary school and even take a virtual tour of our school!
This page will remain live from Monday 28th September, so please feel free to visit and take a look as many times as you like!
To ensure your child has the best chance of securing a place for September 2021, applications stating Sandhill View as first choice must be submitted to the Local Authority between 7th September and 31st October 2020.
You can submit your application by visiting this page and following the online instructions.
A Message from Our Headteacher
Before you begin, listen to this quick message from our Headteacher, Mrs. Maw.
An Introduction to Life at Sandhill View Academy
Below you’ll find some explanations of all sorts of the important things you’ll need to know about starting at Sandhill. To begin, we’ve put together a video of some of the things our students got up to in their last academic year reflecting a broad range of life at Sandhill View Academy.
Next, we asked some of this year’s Year 7 students about their first few week’s at Sandhill View and how they felt about attending the school. Take a look at what they said about us!
Come & Have a Look Around
Even though we can’t invite you into our school building this year, you can take a virtual look around our school by navigating on the window below. You can also enter full screen mode by clicking the banner above. Try it out! You’ll find links to all our subject challenges and subject leader introductions here aswell (scroll down for more information about those.)
Getting the Best Outcomes for Our Students
At Sandhill we pride ourselves on giving every student the opportunity to achieve their best. Aspiration is one of our highest priorities and we place a lot of importance in helping pupils recognise what they are capable of as well as unlocking their full potential. This not only means good results but also fostering a sense of direction in our students.
Don’t just take our world for it though! Look below for some of the happy faces from our results days over the last few years as proof of the kinds of success we offer!
The Sandhill Scholars Project
To help foster an environment of aspiration and high achievement we have introduced a ‘Scholars’ programme for our year 10 students
The ‘Scholars Programme’ is a 1-year academic programme for Year 10 students. The year is made up of three elements – a lecture phase, a study skills phase and a project phase. In the lecture phase, students attend a weekly guest lecture on a Wednesday after school, from October-February half term. In the past, this has included skeleton science, comic book drawing, cosmology in an inflatable planetarium, a crime scene investigation, and much more! It’s a great opportunity to cover a range of interesting topics that go above and beyond the school curriculum. From February-Easter, students attend a series of study skills sessions, to provide them with the ability to work independently and at a high level.
Finally, the students design their own academic project – either an essay or an artefact. In the past, this has included music composition, an artistic drawing, and an essay on the merits of space travel. Punctuated throughout the year are several university visits to institutions such as Newcastle, Sunderland, Durham and Cambridge, finished off with an end-of-year graduation event for students and families.
In the video below, students who have taken part in the scholars programme and are now studying at the Sixth Form at Southmoor explain their experiences and what they feel are benefits of taking part.
A Nationally Recognised Careers Programme
There has never been a time when careers guidance has been as important for young people as it is today. At Sandhill View Academy we have a critical role to play in preparing our students for the next stage of their education or training and beyond. With the greater choices of education, training and employment, our aim is to prepare students for these ever changing opportunities, responsibilities and experiences and to equip them with the skills to manage the choices, changes and transitions ahead of them.
Our careers education curriculum is delivered to all year groups through our personal development. To support our delivery of careers, we have strong partnerships with a wide range of educational institutions, training providers and employers who contribute to our careers programme. Please see our CEIAG events section for details of our latest careers events and activities.
The Academy provides in-school guidance and independent advice from our dedicated careers advisor to ensure our students receive the impartial advice that they need. Our personal careers advisor is Julia Robinson. Julia is a professionally trained careers guidance practitioner.
As part of our commitment to providing high-quality careers education, information, advice and guidance we have achieved the Inspiring IAG Stage 3 (Gold) Quality Award in Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG); an award that meets the Quality in Careers Standards.
In the video below, Mr Wareham, our Our Director of CEIAG explains more about careers and personal development at Sandhill View Academy
The Sixth Form at Southmoor
The Sixth Form at Southmoor was established in 2014 to be a beacon of high aspiration in Sunderland. Five years later and we are providing exactly that for our students. Sandhill students who meet the entry requirements are guaranteed a place at our very popular sixth form.
We pride ourselves on being forward thinking and outward facing. For those interested in vocational routes, both in Health and Social Care and Engineering, we have established a second partnership with Sunderland University.
And for the highly academic, we have our OxNet hub – Oxford University’s first outreach hub in the North East. Not only does this give us a fantastic range of specialist lectures, visits and seminars, but the whole Sixth Form benefits from the advice and guidance of our network of academics and higher education professionals.
But most of all, I’m proud of the commitment we have made to our community. At around 230 students, with over a third from schools other than Southmoor, we are big enough to offer choice but small enough to pay attention to the individual. We believe nothing should get in the way of excellence, and as such we have introduced a new scholarship programme, worth £2600 per student, for a select group of academic students in tough circumstances, this includes students who have attended Sandhill View Academy.
Don’t just take our word for it though, check the video below for and idea on what our students have been getting up to over the last few years. You can also see our latest set of results and destinations!
Click Here for our Top A-Level Results & Destinations
What We’re All About
Next you’ll find some useful links to information about Sandhill View. Click the buttons below to find out more…
Below you’ll find some frequently asked questions by new students that you might find helpful, since we know starting somewhere new can be intimidating, we try to help wherever possible.
How long is the school day?
Typically, the school day starts at 8.30 and finishes at 3:35pm. However, more recently, times have been adjusted for staggered starts as a result of COVID-19. Any changes for September 2021 would be communicated fully to all parents and carers before the start of the term, as well as publicised on our website. School ends earlier on a Monday, usually at 2:40pm for Enrichment. Please refer to ‘The School Day’ section above for more information on what our school day typically looks like..
How long are lessons & how many will there be?
Usually, lessons are one hour long. However, at present, times have been adjusted to reopen and to be COVID secure. Any changes for September 2021 would be communicated fully to all parents and carers before the start of the term, as well as publicised on our website. Please refer to ‘The School Day’ section above for more information on what our school day typically looks like.
How long is break & lunchtime?
Morning break is 15 minutes long and lunch is 40 minutes long.
Can I bring a packed lunch?
Yes. Students with packed lunches are welcome to eat in the school restaurant.
What do I need to bring on my first day?
You’ll need all the equipment listed here for your first day and every day when you’re at school.
Can I wear make-up or jewellery?
You may wear make-up, however, it must be subtle and not easily noticed. If it is obvious you are wearing make-up from a distance then you are wearing too much. False eye lashes, gel or fake nails and fake tan are not permitted. Jewellery is not permitted, however, we do recommend you wear an inexpensive wristwatch for good time keeping.
Can I bring my phone to school?
Mobile phones and other mobile devices are not permitted to be seen or used within school boundaries. Any phone seen will be confiscated and returned at the end of the day on Fridays only. If you fo bring a phone it should be kept turned off and in your school bag until you leave the school site.
Will I get much homework?
We believe that regular homework is very important to help you learn how to work effectively outside of the classroom. We place special emphasis on English, Science and Maths homework though you may receive homework from any of your classes. You will never receive so much homework that you will not have time to do it all and our teachers will always make sure that you have plenty of time and the understanding to complete your homework ahead of time. Monday afternoons also allow time for enrichment activities which can involve additional study or homework completion in a supportive environment.
What if I get bullied at school?
Tell us so that we can help you. Bullying is not tolerated in our school and we will do as much as we can to help you but you must tell someone first. This person could be a friend, parents/carers, their tutor, a teacher or your Head of Year.
Where do i go if I need help?
If students need help, they can go to their tutor or their Head of Year located in their year Base. Teachers are also more than willing to help with any problems you might have!
Subjects at Sandhill
In this section you’ll get a little introduction to the subjects you’ll be studying at Southmoor by our Subject Leaders. There are also some taster tasks for you to try out. Make sure you check out our competition below as the best piece of work we receive from our taster tasks will win a prize! Finally, you can also see the teachers in each department who could be teaching you next year…
Subject Introductions
Click Here to Learn About Art & Design
Click Here to Learn About Design Technology
Click Here to Learn About English
Click Here to Learn About Geography
Click Here to Learn About History
Click Here to Information Technology
Click Here to Learn About Maths
Click Here to Learn About MFL
Click Here to Learn About Performing Arts
Click Here to Learn About Science
Click Here to Learn About PE
SEN Support at Sandhill View
Competition Time!
You could take home one of the fantastic prizes we’re offering! Check out the taster tasks in the subject section above, or in the taster task booklet and have a go at completing one yourself! Once you’ve finished your work, we’d love to see it. Send in your completed task to transition@sandhillview.com by 31st October 2020 and we’ll automatically enter you into our Open Evening Competition. The best enteries for each subject will then receive a prize! The more subject tasks you complete, the more chance you have of winning!
Keep in Touch
You can receive weekly updates about everything that’s happening at Sandhill View Academy by signing up to our Headteacher’s Blog. Every week we take the best stories, news and events from around our school and sixth form and deliver them right to your inbox. Sign up now and you’ll never miss a thing! Visit this page to sign up, find out more and read our most recents blogs.
Make Sandhill Your Choice
The preference period for secondary schools in Sunderland is now open. If you’d like your child to study at Sandhill View Academy as a Year 7 student in our 2021/2022 academic year, now is the time to make your choice! To ensure your child’s place at Southmoor please select us as your first choice on the Sunderland City Council Applications Website as soon as possible.
Thank you and we hope to see you and your child soon, if you’d like to find out more about us, take a look through our prospectus below.
