Welcome to the Third Year Blog!
Welcome back to all members of the Third Year! We hope that you had an enjoyable and relaxing break and have come back to Hampton fresh and raring to go. It has been great to hear about some of the exciting things that the boys have been up to other the holidays – here are some highlights:
- Michael di S went to Cornwall where he learnt to surf, getting very cold and wet in the process but having great fun
- Another person trying their hand at extreme sports in Cornwall was Joseph B, but he was body boarding
- Noel Y had a great time in Rotterdam with his family and absolutely loved jet skiing under the Erasmus Bridge
- Jeff L continued his musical exploits from last term by taking part in a residential with the National Youth Choir, where he had a great time collaborating with other national choirs
The half week has meant it’s been a quiet one by usual standards but there’s plenty to come this term, starting with a busy weekend of cricket and the Harrow Athletics meet. Next week is the annual block cricket fixture with Harrow and we will also see some of the Third Year involved in the Richmond Borough Swimming Gala taking place at LEH.
Have a great weekend all!
Heads of Year Message
We hope everyone is enjoying the start of the summer term (including the unexpected mufti day today in aid of UNICEF) having had a lovely Easter holiday. We were delighted to hear from Mr Clarke that the 26 Third Year boys who went on the Adventure Society trip to Snowdonia over the holidays had a fantastic time whilst being good company and a credit to the school. Mr Clarke was most relieved to “bring all the boys back without a single scar to show despite their mountain biking, orienteering, rock climbing, abseiling, kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding and mountain climbing!” Thanks to Ben W and Henry W for their reports on this trip, and to Gabriel K for his report on the Rowing trip – all below.
Third Year Exams
Third Year Exams will take place during the week commencing Monday 23 May (the week before half term). All boys will benefit from three “Study Skills” sessions during PSHE this term. The sessions will help boys to plan their revision schedule, consider different revision techniques and review some top tips for maintaining their own wellbeing whilst revising. We have asked all Third Year subject teachers to stop setting homework (or to set targeted revision homework tasks only) from Monday 9 May. Boys should use the homework time available to prepare diligently for Exams.
Co-curricular activities
Boys should continue to listen for Form Tutors announcements, check their emails and the digital screens around school for information about co-curricular activities. We firmly believe that the most successful boys are the boys who make the most of the wide-ranging opportunities available at Hampton and enjoy their time at school. The start of term is a good time to review the options available on the co-curricular timetable, which can be found here.
Boys – well done for your enthusiastic start to the term. As always, let us, your Form Tutors or the relevant subject teachers know if you are having any difficulties.
Best wishes
Mr Rigby & Mr Moore
Snowdonia Trip
During the holiday I really enjoyed going on the Snowdonia trip. The trip was long but we were all excited once we arrived. We participated in a number of activities such as walking on the hills and mountains of the Snowdonia national park, and kayaking on a lake with a view of Mount Snowdon. Personally, I found the indoor climbing the most fun. During the evenings we had fun especially on Tuesday and Wednesday nights when we watched the thrilling Champions League matches. The atmosphere inside the room was amazing. Overall, the entire trip was great and I hope to do something like this again in the future. By Ben W
On the first day of the trip we split off into two groups – one to do walking and orienteering and one to do rock climbing. As the weather was relatively nice we got the chance to climb outdoors on a real crag. We started off by doing a bit of bouldering which was very challenging and then we got hooked up and had a go climbing three parts of the crag with varying levels of difficulty. After a long day of climbing we all returned to our dorms for a well-earned rest.
The next day each group swapped activity and due to there being more rain but less wind the climbers had to go indoors, but the walkers braved the elements and were able to climb up Snowdon. Unfortunately, the adverse weather meant that the view from the top was non-existent! After a slightly dryer descent, everyone met up again at the youth hostel and after an early dinner had an optional session of night orienteering and were fortunate enough to be able to watch the exciting Chelsea versus Madrid game.
On our penultimate day, we once again split into two groups based on our cycling ability to make sure everyone could go on a suitable track for them. After a quick warm up, we all lined up to have a go at the ice cream challenge for a free ice cream on behalf of Mr Clark. However, only 4 made it up the gruelling climb after most were disrupted by a van on the track. We then embarked on some tracks and more climbs before descending down a long loopy path to go and meet up with the others for lunch. In the afternoon we headed out on paddle boards or sit on tops and had a lot of fun on the water. After dinner there was more Champions League excitement and some of us went to do some more abseiling. It was a tiring but extremely rewarding trip for everyone! By Henry W
Take a look at some of the activities our intrepid adventurers had a go at in Snowdonia:
Easter Rowing Trip
On Sunday 10 March, Third Year Rowers ventured out to the South-West of England for a five-day trip. Some of us stayed in a hostel in Exmoor National Park, and others stayed in a hostel closer to Wimbleball Lake, where we all did our rowing. The rowing was extremely enjoyable and the conditions were perfect on the river. We worked on our technique during the trip and also race-starts for preparation for events later on in the Summer Term. We have all taken a lot from this trip and it certainly improved our skills. It was also extremely fun on the last day as we were able to do kayaking and paddle boarding, and even jump into the lake! By Gabriel K
Upcoming Clubs
The start of a new term is a great opportunity to try something new from the wide range of activities that are offered at Hampton. Here are some clubs that you might like to check out:
- Photography Club will be happening on a weekly basis this term – a chance for any budding photographer interested in developing their skills. It will take place in Art5 every Tuesday at 12:35pm and will run by Aryan S in the Sixth Form.
- Current Affairs Club is up and running! The club is open to all in First to Fourth Year, and happens every Friday at 1:20pm in Room 99. From exciting debates to interesting news stories that you may have otherwise missed, this club is all about digesting what’s going on in the world in a fun and engaging way. Attendance is not compulsory week on week, so if the club is not for you – no worries!
- Maths Club takes place on a Friday at 1.10pm in Room 7. New members are always welcome – you don’t need to have attended before.
- Climbing Club happens on a Friday at 12.35pm by the climbing wall. Any level of experience is welcome – come and try something new!
- Philosophy Circle run by Mr Scott also happens on a Thursday at 1.20pm, taking place in Room 21. Come along and get involved in some thought provoking discussions!
Connection Corner
Well done to everyone who had a go at the Connection Corner set over the Easter break – 17 of you had a go at the tricky challenge. Big shout out to the 12 Hamptonians who correctly guessed the connection as sweets. Merits go to Billy W, Rayan J, Viren A, Charlie C, Mitul A, Samuel B, Joseph B, Thomas W, Raphael T, Oliver D, Arun D and Ed M.
Have a go at this week’s instalment:
In case you’re still perplexed, here are last week’s answers:
What is the name of the pub game where wooden balls are bowled at wooden pins? Skittles
The card game ‘21’ is more commonly called what in casinos? Blackjack
Which dessert is a mix of chopped fruit served in syrup? Fruit Salad
What is the common name for a leg of cooked chicken? Drumstick
Connection: Sweets
