Welcome to the Third Year Blog!
The content in this week’s blog is focused on the summer sport of Cricket and the build up to the Rowing season, which is also predominantly a summer sport (at least in terms of the actual regattas – as anyone anywhere Hampton will know, the training for rowing is a very special, all-year-round type of rewarding relentlessness). Despite this, the (frankly a little bit boring now) rainy weather still feels apt with the upcoming ESFA final looming next week for the First XI.
Of course, the current Third Year were not at the School last time this happened as an event, so did not experience the remarkable day that a trip to a League One ground to watch your School team play can offer. It is a genuinely outstanding trip and one to be enjoyed with a positive, supportive and vibrant spirit. It’s easy to say that it will be one of your more memorable Hampton experiences if you are one of the pupils who has chosen to go, but it may well be true.
No doubt there will be a blow-by-blow account of the day in next week’s blog, but for this week, we have a report from the Easter rowing camp in Somerset and two Cricket reports on incredibly tight, thrilling finishes to matches for the U14B and C teams in matches against Merchant Taylors’ School, an excellent cricket School.
Enjoy the rest of the blog, enjoy your Bank Holiday weekend and enjoy the anticipation of a rousing rendition of ‘All Steinway School’ at Stoke City on Thursday afternoon.
Heads of Year message
Behaviour in the Third Year has, broadly speaking, been good since the start of term and we hope that this will continue to be the case throughout this half term as pupils prepare diligently for their end of year exams. It is important to note that we expect the large number of Third Year pupils joining the trip to attend the ESFA Final in Stoke on Thursday next week to maintain exemplary behaviour throughout the day – including good conduct on the journeys to and from the ground, as well as in the stadium itself. Good natured support is encouraged, but all boys must be prepared to respond to the advice of supervising staff if they are deemed to be “getting it wrong” or they risk being ejected from the stadium and having to sit supervised on the coach.
Third Year Germanists enjoyed a trip to LEH to watch a play this afternoon. What a nice why to start the weekend, whilst also developing their language listening skills.
Third Year Exams
Third Year Exams will take place during the week commencing Monday 22 May (the week before half term). All boys will benefit from two 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 8 May. Boys should use the homework time available to prepare diligently for Exams. Subject specific revision check lists will be available online from w/c 1 May.
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 pupils are those who make the most of the wide-ranging opportunities available at Hampton and enjoy their time at school. This remains true in the lead up to summer exams. The co-curricular guide can be found here.
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 – well done for completing another action-packed week at Hampton. Enjoy the bank holiday weekend and any fixtures. Make sure that you are up to date with all your homework by the end of this weekend. Next week we will be planning revision schedules and expecting you to start revision for summer exams. As always, 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
Easter Rowing training camp
Leander K-B (3J) tells us all about the exciting Easter Rowing Camp that some of Third Years attended during the Easter break:
About a month ago now, around 40 Third Year Hamptonians set off from the Millennium Boathouse on a four-hour drive to Wimbleball Lake in Somerset. We had spent several hours the Thursday beforehand de-rigging the boats and loading them onto the trailer and were ready for the trip.n
After a quick pit stop along the way, we arrived at Wimbleball before promptly beginning to unload the boats and rig them ready for use. We had a quick 30 minute session on the water just to get an idea of where we would be rowing for the next five days and then headed back to our accommodation which was a beautiful hostel in the middle of the country. However, we came back to find that the power was not working as the generators had broken. We had a few hours without light or hot water, but the problem was resolved in the end. The coaches worked hard to get our food to a catering service where they heated up the food and brought it back to the hostel.
Sadly, the time delays the previous day had meant that rowing was delayed by two hours the next day. We started in the morning with making our lunch and preparing the dishes. After washing our dishes and preparing our kit we headed out for the day and rowed until about 4pm. The lake was beautiful and there was loads of great scenery. I also managed to do a couple sessions rowing although I am a cox and I enjoyed it loads (despite being a little rusty). We headed back for dinner before getting an early night for the next day.
Tuesday was the activity day, where after one session of rowing, boys would take part in a water sports session consisting of paddle boarding, kayaking and sailing. However, the weather that day was very blustery and rainy meaning almost all the boys very cold and very wet after the first sport so we wrapped up early for everyone to get dry.
For the next three days we were back to early starts, waking up at 6am every morning to have breakfast and make our lunch before leaving promptly at 7:30. These were two days of great rowing and we all got some good technical feedback at the end of each day during our video analysis session. We also had some great fun and Thursday night when we had a karaoke night, featuring songs such as Tequila, Viva La Vida and the coaches featuring the song Country Road.
Friday was our last day of rowing and after a great session with a few races we headed back and packed all bags ready to leave the next day. The next morning, we loaded our bags into the people carriers and headed back to the lake to de-rig the boats and load them onto the trailers. After one last short session of rowing, we swiftly loaded all the boats and headed home. Despite the rainy, blustery weather, and the hard work, I think everyone got lots out of the trip and that it was a valuable experience.
Thanks to all the coaches for helping out as well!
Cricket Galore
U14B Cricket
The U14B cricket team hosted Merchant Taylors’ School at the weekend, a school who we had both beaten and lost to before. After winning the toss, we chose to field first. Our opening bowlers, Jack and Alex bowled well, not giving any early runs away. The first wicket came from Steffan, which gave us a breakthrough from a strong opening batting partnership. The second wicket came soon after from Jaipaal, after a rather plum lbw appeal was given. Steffan got his second wicket of the game, with a great catch from Yuvraj. Our bowling attack got better and better as wickets finally started to come quickly, and after the 30 overs Merchant Taylors’ had scored a total of 172 runs from 7 wickets.
We knew that this was a big total to chase, but we started well with Charlie who gave us a steady start in our innings. Adi came in at number three and scored 22 runs, increasing our run rate. After 18 overs, we had a total of 62 runs. We knew that we had to up our run rate to chase the needed total. A strong partnership began with Yuvraj and I and, with 5 overs to go, we needed 15 runs an over. Merchant Taylors’ brought on their opening bowlers, who had bowled very well throughout the entirety of the match, giving away very few runs. We stepped up to their bowlers and scored important boundaries, quickly chasing their total until the final over, where 20 runs was required to win.
The first ball of the over was a wide and we managed to run a single, giving us two runs. Yuvraj was on strike. He was given a loose full toss delivery which he smacked over deep mid-wicket for six runs, meaning that we needed 12 runs off 4 balls. Next ball, Yuvraj came down the ground to hit another six over mid-on, and now we only needed 6 runs off 3 balls. Instead of holding back, Yuvraj hit his third six in a row and we won the game dramatically in the last three balls. Yuvraj got 45 runs off 27 balls, and I got 47 runs off 46 balls. A great first game of the season for the Bs, who face another tough opponent in Harrow School next weekend.
By Harry D (3A)
U14C Cricket
The C team won by two runs in a close and well-fought match on Saturday. Having been put in to bat by Merchant Taylors’, the C team seized a great start before Farris S fell. Merchant Taylors’ soon grabbed another wicket, with the departure of our second opener and another shortly after. Now our team was in a precarious situation as we were 5 wickets down for less than 50 runs. We desperately needed a good partnership. Fortunately, Namish J and Will K added some vital runs, before Namish fell too. Another great partnership between Ben B and Will K followed and with this, we reached 148-8 after the 25 overs with Will K ending on a superb 52 not out.
Having set Merchant Taylors’ 149 to win from 25 overs, we knew that we needed to get off to a good start with an early wicket, and we did just that. Our first wicket came lightning fast within the first over, as Ollie W expertly removed one of their openers. We were rewarded further with two wickets in two balls with beautiful bowling from Ben B soon after. The new batsmen continued in their pursuit of 149 with wickets falling every so often. By the 16th over, Merchant Taylors’ had 84 on the board with 65 required from the final 9 overs. Towards the end of their innings, the required run rate climbed up to a mammoth 14.5 an over.
It looked as if Hampton were heading towards a secure victory before it happened. What happened? Well, the last over happened.
The last two overs started off pretty well. We got a wicket as one of their batsmen took a very risky run and was consequentially run out. Spectacular fast bowling from Ollie W haunted the opponents in the penultimate over, with him conceding very few runs. At this point, even if we bowled wides every ball for the last over, we would win. They needed 19 off this last over.
Will K, the star of our innings, getting 52 runs not out, came to bowl the decisive over. It started off looking as if it was going well. Until it wasn’t. One of the opponent’s batsmen hit a magnificent six, flying past our fielders into the distance. However, we regarded that as lucky, and we were still on course to win. How wrong we were. They hit another phenomenal six on the second last ball, leaving us quivering in fear in our cricket kit.
They needed 3 runs off the last ball to win. As the last ball was being bowled, the air was so thick with tension you could cut it with a knife. Our fielders were hoping, fingers crossed, that they could not strike a boundary past us and get the win. The ball glided through the air towards the batsman on strike. Luckily for us, the ball was excellently bowled and we took the opportunity for a run out, granting them no runs, which resulted in our victory!
Scorecard
Hampton 147-8 (25 overs)
Merchant Taylors’ 145-9 (25 overs)
By Joshua C (3H) and Arie B (3C)
Two truths and a lie
You might meet Mr Hurst, Third Year tutor and think ‘What a reliable, charming man.’ You would be wrong. He is a liar. Last week, he claimed the following things were true:
- Mr Hurst once hit a 6 at the Ageas Bowl, home of Hampshire and Southern brave
- Mr Hurst once scored a goal against Hampton School
- Mr Hurst was once a mascot for Manchester United
For those who know him, this was a fairly easy lie to unearth. While he rightfully tries to hide the fact, Mr Hurst is a Reading FC fan, meaning that it was inconceivable that he would have been a mascot for Manchester United.
This week we have the illustrious Mr Lee as our contributor. Here is a man who wants to be honest, but is having his hand forced by the nature of the feature. We, at the Third Year Blog, can only apologise for impinging upon his natural integrity. Which of the following statements is the lie that is causing Mr Lee moral pain?
- Mr Lee once won a ballroom dancing contest
- Mr Lee is scared of heights
- Mr Lee has seen the band Bon Jovi perform live on two separate occasions
Which is the lie? Find out next week…
CONNECTION CORNER
Well done to the everyone who had a go at last week’s Connection Corner. Merits go to all those who correctly guessed that the answers were all Fish. Big shout out to Leander K-B, Oliver A, Arie B, Joshua R, Neel M, Albert S, Maurice R, Theo S, Cyril B and Ben B.
Another tricky one to have a go at over the weekend:
In case, you’re still perplexed here are the answers from the last week’s conundrum:
What is the name of the children’s party entertainer who always looks sad? Clown
What food do you often eat with ice cream at children’s parties? Jelly
What type of animal is Crookshanks in the Harry Potter films? Cat
Which precious metal did thieves steal in the infamous Brink’s Mat robbery? Gold
Connection: Can all be followed by fish (Clown, Jelly, Cat, Gold)
