Welcome to the Second Year Blog!
In Blog Club this week we came to the sad realisation that, after this week, we would only meet one more time before the end of the year! It made us really reflective over what a fantastic year we’ve had so far and what the next week will look like with events like Founders’ Day, the hotly-contested Interform Swimming Gala, as well as everyone meeting their new tutor groups.
This week we have an interview with Mrs Owen, an end of season rugby review, a report on the fantastic steel pan workshop and we get to find out more about what’s been happening in Spanish lessons this half term.
Tutor Question of the Week
This week the pupils wanted to know… in the word ‘scent’ which letter is silent, the s or the c?
S: No-one!
C: Miss Tiller, Miss Winstock, Mrs Hill, Miss Holt, Miss Bryant, Mrs Owen,
Have you ever had a burning question you’ve always wanted to ask your form tutors, then please send your suggestions for next week’s Tutor Question Time to b.tiller@hamptonschool.org.uk.
Meet Mrs Owen!
In our penultimate blog of the year, Rory M (2B) interviewed our wonderful Head of Second Year – Mrs Owen!
Did you always want to be a teacher?
No, at first I didn’t know what I wanted to be. I went to Russia and began teaching English at a school and found that I enjoyed teaching.
Do you have a favourite language?
I started learning Italian and while I don’t speak it fluently it was the language I enjoyed speaking the most.
Best bit about being a Head of Year?
Getting to know so many pupils really well and knowing them as they work their way through the School.
What is your favourite food?
A really good chilli con carne, but it must be half rice and half chips
Which do you prefer, cats or dogs?
Dogs
Do you have a favourite book?
Yes, ‘Bonjour Tristesse’ by Françoise Sagan
Do you have a special message for all the boys in Second Year going into the final week of term?
Yes, let’s keep it fun, Ms Owen doesn’t want to use her cross voice in the final week of term!
End of Season Rugby Review
We started the rugby session with enthusiasm in September last year, with the expert coaching of Mr Gray. After a difficult start to the campaign, our first victory came during a closely contested match against St George’s Weybridge. Unfortunately, we were swiftly put back in our place against Epsom College a week later. However, our confidence returned with a powering victory over Halliford. The highlight of the season was the Middlesex Festival at the end of November. Not only did this get us out of School for a day, but also enabled us to pick up our first piece of silverware. We ended the day as champions, having won all our games though teamwork, courage, and sheer determination.
An unfortunate winter period followed, with a mixture of weather conditions and several fixtures were cancelled which obviously annoyed the team. Our first sevens tournament was at Warwick in March of this year. The day started well, with us being victorious in four out of five group matches. Unfortunately, limited by injuries, we lost the final game of the day. The season finale was the Rosslyn Park tournament on the last day of term. Despite missing half of our squad through injury, we fought hard against new opposition with our new replacements in horrendous weather conditions. Although we could’ve done better with our full squad, we were rewarded with a victory in the last match of the day.
Throughout this season of rugby, the U13A team has had contributions from many players: Xavier, Bene, Rafe, Gui, Ethan M, Ethan D, Matteo, Vuk, Luc, Archie, Konrad, Jake, Ed, Billy, Sam, Tristan, Olly, and Elliott. The season was enjoyable and huge thanks go to Mr Gray for all the work he has put in. Hopefully, with some new players joining us at under 14s, we can enter next season with more excitement.
By Kian W (2W)
Movie auditions
Last week everyone who wanted to audition for a real movie was gathered into the Drama Hall. There were about 30 of us, all keen to get past the first rounds of auditions. We had all been sent the script prior to the auditions but were still given 20 minutes to prepare. I was in a group with some boys in my class and the Second and First Years were split; so, I performed with just my year group. Once the 20 minutes were up each group performed but only the person playing George was recorded so each group had to rotate. It was very nerve racking because the camera was right in your face, but it ended quickly. I still haven’t heard anything from them yet but the time the emails are sent vary. Just keeping my fingers crossed!
By Max D (2L)
Steel Pans Workshop
Last Wednesday my form and I stepped into the Hammond to take part in a hugely entertaining steel pans workshop. We learnt about how the steel pans originated from Trinidad and Tobago by being cut out from washed up oil drums. We started playing different steel pan instruments and worked our way round, playing a wide variety of steel pans whilst learning about the notes and we eventually finished by playing the song ‘Hot Hot Hot’ on the steel pans.
It was a great workshop that everyone enjoyed in the lead up to the end of term.
By Rory M (2B)
Spanish Boardgames!
As a project, our class (2L), split up into groups to create a Spanish-related board game. A variety of games were created, such as: chess but you have to answer a Spanish question to move; Risk, but you need to answer a Spanish question to attack and deploy your troops. Over the past two lessons, we have been playing these board games, which all proved to be very fun, however frustrating when you got the question wrong! All board games were either copies of already existing board games, or entirely new games such as the board game that Max Dexter and Zachariya Iqbal who created an original, complicated game where each player had a number of HP, weapons, items and money. Even the names of the games were Spanish related, such as ‘La batalla de España’ (the battle of Spain) and ‘La persecución’ (the chase).
By Dom N (2L)
SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENTS
We absolutely love being able to celebrate your achievements, so please make sure you send anything you’re proud of to: b.tiller@hamptonscool.org.uk
JOKE COMPETITION
The Second Year Joke Competition continues to bring those who come to Blog Club a good laugh, thank you for all your submissions! This week the winning joke was submitted by Daniel M (2B) Congratulations, you’ve won a Merit!
What is the scariest school for pigs?
Ham-pton School!
We will be continuing the competition next week; you can enter by emailing b.tiller@hamptonschool.org.uk . If your joke gets a mention in the blog, then you can collect a merit from your form tutor. Remember to use your name and form otherwise you won’t get any credit for entering.
Try your best to crack us up – good luck!
QUIZ OF THE WEEK
Well done to everyone who had a go at last week’s quiz. Merits go to:
2L: Olly P
2J: Isaac H, Jack H, Ben G, Kian IB, Leo S
2H: Darshan S
2F: Ishaan A
2B: Kiran G, Rory M, Anton C
2W: Oliver S
Take a look at this week’s questions below, have a go yourself or challenge people at home and see if they know the answer. Points for the Interform Competition will be awarded to the form with the most entries over the term.
Why don’t you have a go at the very last quiz of the year! Enter your answers here.
Here are the answers from last week’s quiz
- Who composed the music of Star Wars, Jaws and Harry Potter? John Williams
- Who is Google CEO? Sundar Pichai
- What is another name for the Einstein-Rosen Bridge? A Wormhole
- What is the least seen colour on a flag (not including small categories like lilac and turquoise)? Purple
- Who was the first British prime minister? Robert Walpole
