Welcome to the First Year Blog!
It’s hard to believe it has only been two-and-a-half weeks since the start of the year! Already are the First Years ready to show visitors around on the Open Morning tomorrow, and they have made an excellent impression on their teachers so far! Next week is a really exciting one with all First Years heading off to Avon Tyrrell – have a great trip everyone!
SECOND WEEK SUMMARY
This is my second week at Hampton and yet again, it doesn’t fail to impress. I started Monday with Chemistry where we learned how to use the bunsen burner. I’d never used one before, so I thought I was going to start a fire in the room (Luckily, I didn’t!) but it turned out to be lots of fun. We finished the day with Design Engineering, in which we’re creating boxes out of wood. The week kept getting better after that with Physics on Tuesday, Football training on Wednesday, and PE on Thursday. I enjoyed the challenge we did in PE, where we had to run as far as we could around the field in 12 minutes.
By Jack M (1F)
CLUBS, CLUBS, CLUBS!
This week the First Years have really been able to get stuck into clubs at lunchtime! Have a read below at just some of the clubs they’ve tried out this week:
Starting the clubs at Hampton School is what I had been looking forward to from day one. These vary from tactical thinking in chess to beekeeping on a Friday afternoon. So far, the clubs I have tried are really fun. My favourite clubs have been Lego Architecture, Football and Wicket Keeping. The clubs provide a great opportunity to meet pupils from other forms, I have made many new friends. All of the staff running these are really nice and encouraging. Every night before bed, I eagerly await to see what the club I am going to do has to offer. By Ruhaan V (1B)
My first club ever was amazing. It was table tennis. I met many of my other peers and we all had a fun time playing together. I played many games, and I lost a bunch, but I still had fun and had a wonderful time hanging out with my peers. It was so much fun to play my peers and friends from my old school. I would highly recommend it. There is so many people who go and the tables are filled with people to play. Everyone has a different skill level there and even if your new or have never played table tennis before come and try it. I can guarantee you that you will have an amazing time. The tables are stuffed with people, and I can guarantee you will never be able to have a table to yourself. It is a fantastic way to bond with your peers as most of the time you will be playing doubles with a peer. Table tennis is an amazing sport, and it is a great way to spend your Friday lunchtimes. By Leonardo P X (1L)
The co-curricular fair was outstanding. There were stalls galore with each one representing a different club. At first, it was quite crowded at many clubs, so I aimed for the ones that hadn’t gathered may people. The night before, I had prepared a list of over 20 clubs to enrol in but as I looked at the timings, it was going to be a disaster! What was unfortunate was that beekeeping and table tennis club were both planned for a Friday which meant I had to do one or the other. I thought the smart solution was to putting multiple clubs on one day, but I was completely wrong. Now my lunchtimes are filled with having a quick lunch, navigate my way to the first club and then sprint (not in the corridors, I fast walk) to the second club which so far, I have not been late to.
My favourite club of them all though, is Physics Club a wonderful and creative club where each week there are different challenges to encounter and you must use you mind figuring them out. Assisted by Mr Walsh and a Sixth Former, they also make us do a competition based on that challenge. The best part is the merits. Yes, the merits that lead you to win vouchers, food and certificates! Winning a challenge is two merits (academic) and participation is also a merit (once again, academic). I felt so much pride when being awarded those two merits for winning a challenge where we could only use paper straws, newspapers and tape, you had to make a bridge that could hold 1kg for about a minute! Thank you Mr Walsh who organised Physics Club! By Naivedya A (1L)
At Hampton some of the most exiting things you can do are the extra-curricular activities. There are a variety of different interests you could indulge in and there is a club for everyone. After all they do say “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy…’’
On Monday I do Physics Club, where we explore different concepts. This is my favourite club, personally. I think this because you learn so many new things and everyone gets to discuss their ideas on improving a specimen that ranges from many things; you may even be able to take part in a competition for a prize! Mr Walsh makes physics fun and time flies by. On Tuesday I do the Junior Debating. I think this is one of the best clubs as you get to learn more about each other and get to talk about your opinions on a subject as well as trying to battle it out in a debate. The last time I went to debating, I spoke about a random subject for one minute without hesitation and repetition, I was not worried about making a mistake as I knew all the people in my group were supportive, not only was everyone a great speaker but they were also blessed with the art of listening. Miss Peattie is in charge of the Debating club.
On Thursday, I have blog writing club. If you want to be published on the website and feel like a real author this is a club for you. There are many different subjects you can do and there never will be a time you get bored. This is the club I strongly recommend for anyone who likes creative writing and wants to have a career in journalism.Overall, I think clubs are a great way to spend your lunch time as not only you are having fun but also improving on your skills and developing new interests. There are so many different clubs at your disposal and you will never ever get bored at your lunch time. By Ethan S-W (1L)
Take a look at the full list of all clubs, societies and other co-curricular activities on offer in the booklet below:
OPEN MORNING EXCITEMENt
This week was the First Year’s first proper week (after last week’s Wednesday water shortage excitement). This week was action-packed with so many new things, learning, laughter, new friends which are the building blocks to success and just a really good time at this incredible school. Speaking of the school building, Surprisingly, my new friends and I don’t need our maps anymore. From the map being glued to my hands and always looking at it to now being kept in the blazer pocket and not coming out, it feels like I am a proper Hamptonian now and I can’t wait to tour the younger children, who will be First Years next year, around our beloved school on Saturday at the Open Morning (parents who are in the 11+ period: make sure you come, trust me, you won’t regret it). It is quite strange to think that in a year’s time, I won’t be the younger one and I won’t be one of the shortest people in the school. But I admire the current Second Years who love helping us and making sure we get to the right place, and I want to do the same when I get there.
I want to reflect on my journey from the Open Morning last year to now and I remember it was during the 11+ period and I was quite annoyed about two things before going there. Number one, the fact I had to wake up early on a Saturday and number two, the fact that me and my family went to a not so nice school just before this one and therefore I had low expectations. But the minute I left the Main Hall, I was blown away by everything, from the vibrant community of the staff and pupils to the academic standard and excellence and I was actually excited to learn at school which is something which Hampton has upheld to this day. I remember my favourite place was the history board and sorting out all the events. After that, I realised the getting up on a Saturday morning was totally worth it. The process went extremely smoothly from then to the 11+ to the interview to the offer holder’s event to now. Moving on further from Saturday, Avon Tyrrell for my class 1L along two other classes, is on Monday and Tuesday which is quite exciting, and I can’t wait to go there and to write about it afterwards. I hope you all enjoy the hopefully sunny weekend, I can’t wait to see and to tour you at Saturday’s Open Morning! By Rishi K (1L)
SPECIAL SHOUT OUTS!
Naivedya A (1L) won the second prize (People’s Vote, in the category 5-11 years) in the recently concluded Minecraft UK Design for London competition. His entry was shortlisted among many others and then he was voted as second best by the masses who submitted their vote. He was then invited to City Hall to attend in person. He had an amazing time there meeting other kids and networking with a few important people. You can find his design here; well done, Naivedya!
We love to hear about what you have been getting up to outside of school and to celebrate your successes in the First Year Blog! Please do send any information about any of your achievements through to Mr Fuldner (d.fuldner@hamptonschool.org.uk).
THE HAMPTON HUNT
Each week I will set you a challenge where you need to find out a random fact, number or indeed anything else around the School – you won’t be able to do this from home! Points for the interform competition will be awarded to the Form with the most correct entries over the course of the term! You have until the end of Wednesday to complete the challenge; you will find out in next week’s blog if you’re correct, and you will be given a merit by your Form Tutor the following Monday. And who knows – you might get to know the School better in the process!
Last week’s challenge: what is the total number of chairs in all Physics labs with a prime number?
The labs you were looking for were G17, G23, G29 and G61, although it might have been called G59 on the map… Add up the number of chairs in these rooms and you get the answer of 103 or 104 (an extra chair appeared over the course of the week!)
Well done to Toby W (1B), Ruhaan V (1B), Ridhaan G (1F), Ian L (1F), Dushyant P (1H), William B (1F) and Charles B (1F) for getting the correct answer!
That puts 1F in an early lead for interform points – well done 1F!
This week’s challenge is a special one: your answer is not at Hampton but somewhere in the New Forest!
How many windows does the Avon Tyrrell house have?
HINT: you won’t have to count them, you just need to listen very carefully!
