Welcome to the Third Year Blog!
The second half of the spring term is a great part of the year, as we work and build towards Easter and the summer that lies beyond it. There was an almost frantic energy in the School corridors on Monday as everyone got back together, talking about their half term breaks and getting themselves back in to the timetable and classes. There’s a sense of excitement about getting back together and back into the routine that not many of the School would admit to, but plenty feel.
After the first day back, everything calms down a little in School, but while that is true for the majority of the Hampton community, IT NEVER CALMS DOWN IN BLOG TOWN. This is particularly true when we have the half term activities of the Third Year to consider.
We have an elite Skiing report.
We have an elite Tennis report.
We have words from a triumphant musical theatre performer.
We have a veritable cornucopia of food photography from a week of Hampton home cooking.
We have the truth about Mr Walsh.
We have murky lies about Mr Dow.
And we even have some chicks!
I don’t know why you’re still reading this bit. Get in to it!
HEADS OF YEAR MESSAGE
Interform Cooking Challenge
Mr Moore is delighted to have received so many excellent photographs of the boys’ culinary exploits over half term. A reminder that these count towards the Interform Challenge. The deadline for photo submissions (to count towards Interform points) is 8am on Monday 27 February. Please email any final photos (one per pupil) to h.moore@hamptonschool.org.uk over the weekend.
English Reading Project
A reminder from the English Department that the boys need to submit their Critical Statement Response on two texts (which will count as 20% of their end of year exam mark) to their English teacher by 4pm on Friday 17 March at the latest. If boys are absent on the day, they should ensure that their response is emailed to their teacher by the deadline. Any late submissions will not be marked.
Third Year Parents’ Evening
We hope that parents found the appointments on Tuesday evening both instructive and reassuring.
Form Tutor appointments were not available, but you are welcome to contact your son’s Form Tutors and/or us by email to arrange a phone call, or MS Teams meeting, if there are any concerns that you wish to discuss.
Our discussions with colleagues this week reflect what we read in the Autumn Term Reports – that the boys are making good academic progress and laying solid foundations for their GCSE years. We remain highly optimistic for all the boys in the Third Year as they move up the School and we look forward to helping them achieve their “personal best” during the remainder of this academic year.
Study Skills Evening
Study Skills Evening (for parents) will take place on Monday 24 April from 6.30pm. We will write to all parents before the end of this term with further details, including how to sign up to attend the event. Sign up will be on a first come first served basis. The capacity for this event will be 100 people, so we ask that only one person per household attends.
Absences
For medical absences, please notify your son’s Form Tutors via email (cc’ing absence@hamptonschool.org.uk) on the morning of each day of absence by 8:45am, or complete the absence form via the parent portal. For planned absences and appointments, please contact Heads of Year requesting the absence with as much notice as possible.
Boys – Please remember to let us, your Form Tutors or the relevant subject teachers know if you are having any difficulties.
Have a lovely weekend.
Best wishes
Mr T Rigby & Miss M Bedford
Joseph & the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat
After a view from back stage before half term, this week we have a report from one of the cast members of Joseph. Samuel H (3F) references what we didn’t mention last week, which is that the production was a joint one between Hampton and Waldegrave School, which made the professionalism and cohesion of the production even more impressive. There is nothing better than making new friendships and that is evidently what happened here.
Being in Joseph has been great fun. Whilst it may have been awkward working between two different schools in the first week, by the end we are all great friends. After the auditions in October, I had never imagined the fun I would have during the production. While it was incredibly tiring at points and I still cannot dance at all I would 100% do this all over again and it will be a memory to last a lifetime.
Interform – Come Dine with Me
Over half term, Mr Moore challenged the Third Year to cook a meal for their family as part of the Interform ‘Come Dine with Me’ challenge. He was overwhelmed with the response, with a flood of photos demonstrating that the year is full of budding young chefs (or at least with boys willing to put some effort in in order to try to win that sweet, sweet Interform trophy).
Here’s a selection of the delights that the boys produced…. The only surprise was that no one tried to recreate a Katsu Curry or Sausage Casserole as an homage to Hampton favourites!
The results of which Form got the most Interform points based on their efforts will be announced next week!
National skiing championships
Joshua G (3J) tells us what he got up to during half term:
During half term, I skied in the English Championships in Bormio. It was very fun and enjoyable and an overall great experience. I placed 30th in the giant slalom race and unfortunately DNF in the slalom race. However, I improved my skiing and will race later on this year in the Great British Championships.
Well done Joshua – fantastic to hear!
Tennis
Dario P (3H) has also been busy out on the tennis courts:
This week I was fortunate to be able to compete in a national tennis tournament in Sunderland. I was put into a tough group consisting of three very strong players, and was able to win one of my matches. I bounced back from a difficult first day when I lost both my matches, even though I felt I was doing the right things, to win my third match the next day. I was very happy with my win as I beat a player who I have lost to several times before and never beaten, with a comfortable 6-3 6-2 victory. Unfortunately, I fell just short of qualification to the knockout stages but I hope this experience will help me do so next time.
Egg-WATCH
The Biology Department had some very special visitors in School this week. Take a look at the video below to find out what happened to the batch of eggs delivered on Monday:
CLassics Talk
If you’re interested in all things Classics, next week we have Dr Abigail Graham coming into School to talk to us about life in Roman Britain. Come along to the Hammond Theatre on Thursday 2 March at 1pm.
Two truths and a lie
Before half term, Mr Walsh, 3C Form Tutor, was our subject. He tried to claim that the following were true.
- Mr Walsh visits a different country every weekend.
- Mr Walsh holds a pilot’s licence
- Mr Walsh reached the rank of Champion 1 in Rocket League
While, incredibly, Mr Walsh DOES visit a different country every weekend, he is unable to fly himself there. The lie was the idea that Mr Walsh holds a pilot’s licence. What this does, of course, mean is that he would be able to trounce each and every one of you at Rocket League. He will never be able to prove it, but it is a stone-cold fact.
This week, Mr Dow is trying to pull the wool over our eyes. He would like you to believe that the following are all true:
- Mr Dow is an expert ‘beat-boxer’
- Mr Dow has lived in 30 different houses in his life time
- Mr Dow eats with his fork in his right hand and his knife in his left hand
Answers in the blog next week…
CONNECTION CORNER
After a break over half term, we’re back with another perplexing puzzle! Why don’t you have a go at it over the weekend:
Have a great weekend!
