Welcome to the Third Year Blog!
And we’re back…
The Third Year Blog always feels that the second half of the autumn term is a wonderful part of the year, particularly for Third Year pupils. Everyone is settling into their new forms, everyone has found their own rhythm, the sports season is in full swing, exams are still a distant obstacle and, if you view the half term as a burst of intense activity leading into the festive cheer of the Christmas holiday, everything starts to look very rosy.
Of course, this is only amplified by the fact that we’ve all just had a couple of weeks off to recharge before this sprint towards the tinsel and turkey. While some of us spent the holiday watching England’s batsmen get repeatedly dismantled by anyone (ANYONE!) who deigned to bowl a ball at them and others seem to have essentially retreated beneath a blanket, armed only with an Xbox controller, a Netflix subscription and an ambition not to see the morning hours; some of the year ventured further afield, which is the sort of thing the blog loves to hear about. As a perfect example of this, a good chunk took the opportunity to head to Tenerife for a Geography trip, with three reports below on what they learnt about the physical and human geography of the island and what feels like a disproportionate focus on the experience of going to THE NUMBER 1 WATERPARK IN THE WORLD.
What else is there in this week’s blog? Well, the half term is starting with a flood of activity that you can read more about below, with a talk from a nationally important voice in the political discourse of the country, the impending excitement of ‘No Limits Week’ and even Odd Socks Day (though for those of us with a tendency to wear odd socks most of the time anyway, due to their levels of organisation not stretching as far as being particularly fussed about which shade of grey, blue or black is on each foot on a daily basis, this event does not hold the frisson of excitement that it might). The long and short of it is that, as always, there is plenty to get your teeth into, as well as the usual features of connection corner and Two Truths and a Lie.
So let’s get into it! Go go go go!
Heads of Year Message
Well done to everyone for making such a purposeful start to this half term. We hope that the Grade Card reflection exercise the boys completed on Monday will focus their minds on the task ahead. We ask that all of the boys commit to high standards in School – aiming to impress in all they do in the classroom and through co-curricular activities.
No Limits Week
We are very excited about the return of No Limits Week. We encourage all Third Year pupils to take a full and active part in the co-curricular activities on offer next week, recognising that many clubs will make an extra effort to put on activities that are suitable for beginners or newcomers on a “have a go” basis. Every pupil will need to get sign off having attended three co-curricular clubs/activities in their yellow books. Our recommendation is that everyone should aim to try at least one club/activity that they have never done before – you may just find that you enjoy it!
Maths Setting Tests
Please can we ask parents to direct any queries regarding Third Year Maths setting to Mrs Watson-Evans (M.Watson-Evans@hamptonschool.org.uk) in the Maths department.
Uniform
In the colder weather, boys are allowed to wear sensible hats, coats and gloves to keep warm on their journeys to and from school, but they must revert to full school uniform throughout the school day whilst on site. This means they must wear a school tie (properly tied) and school blazer, with a white shirt (tucked in and buttoned up), smart black trousers, dark socks and smart black shoes (non-trainers). If they are cold, it is permissible to wear a vest under the shirt and/or a black V-neck jumper. Coats should not be worn in school. Persistent failure to meet these uniform requirements is a conduct issue and can lead to sanctions and/or contacting parents.
Boys – Please remember to let us, your Form Tutors or the relevant subject teachers know if you are having any difficulties. We hope you all have a lovely weekend.
Best wishes
Mr T Rigby & Mrs M Bedford
Geography trip to Tenerife
There was some fascinating geography on display for some of our Third Years over half term, as they visited the volcanic island of Tenerife. Let’s find out more:
After an early start at Gatwick airport, we were delighted to arrive under blue skies and direct sunlight. We drove straight to a banana plantation where we learnt how important bananas are to the Tenerife economy and tasted some of the local banana delicacies. On the second day we woke up to yet another sunny day. We drove by coach to Mount Teide National Park where we explored the amazing volcanic rock formations that got their uncanny form due to weathering. The cable car then took us to the summit of Mount Teide where the views did not disappoint. We could see across the whole island and even some other Canary Islands! In the evening we went into Puerto de la Cruz for an ice cream and a chance to do some gift shopping.
On Wednesday morning the excitement levels were very high. It was Siam Park day! We split into groups and spent the whole day running around the water park and trying to pack in as many rides as possible. The best rides were, The Tower of Power, Kinnaree, The Dragon and Singha. The wave pool was very popular and the waves were massive! On the final day, we explored volcanic lava caves underground, and learnt about how they were formed. The caves themselves were incredible and we spent a minute with our torches off so that we could appreciate how dark and silent the caves were. I couldn’t see my hand when I put it a few centimetres from my face!
Finally in the afternoon, we visited the mysterious pyramids that were thought to have been built by farmers, but new evidence shows that they were built at about the same time as Aztec pyramids, which could show that there is a link between them. The pyramids also face to a gap in a ridge where the sun appears to set twice. Is it a coincidence or is there a possible link between Aztec sun worshippers and these Pyramids? I’d like to say a huge thank you to all the teachers who made this trip possible because it really was a great experience!
By James E (3F)
I had never been to Tenerife before so as we boarded our early morning flight, I was very anxious to see what the island was like. However, as we circled Mount Tiede (the third largest volcano in the world) before going into land at the airport, I was blown away! We landed on the south side of the island – which is much drier than the north side due to the rain shadow cast by Tiede. This was my first time seeing such an arid environment and it was amazing seeing the volcanoes jut out of the dust and cacti – something I will never forget. We immediately headed over to a very interesting banana plantation and learnt about how they are grown in the Canary Islands (whilst also sampling some of the delicious produce).
The next day, we went to Mount Tiede National Park, a rust-red landscape with towering pillars of basalt, sprawling dried lava flows and the looming giant of Mount Tiede. Walking around the top of the volcano was difficult because of the altitude but I am very glad I stayed up there, because I was rewarded with the most beautiful panoramas of alien volcanic features and pristine azure sea that I will ever see.
The following morning, everyone was buzzing with excitement for Siam Water Park. My personal highlights were the wave pool, the Kenari slide and the drop slide into a shark tank. After this adrenalin-filled day, we returned to the hotel, ready for our final day of adventure. Firstly, we travelled to the fertile slopes of Mount Tiede, put on our helmets, turned on our torches, and delved into the lava tunnels. Lava tunnels are formed by the surface layer of running lava solidifying to form a ceiling of igneous rock, and the rest of the lava flowing on, to create a hollow tube just below the newly formed ground. Walking through these caves was defiantly an incredible experience. You only get to appreciate pitch darkness when everyone has turned off their lights in a underground cave, something that will always stick with me. After a quick lunch, we set off for our final stop, the Pyramids of Guimar. These old stone structures were built by the indigenous people of Tenerife and were only recently discovered as an important archaeological find in the early 1990s. I learnt a lot about the history of Tenerife here and about how Pyramids were used by ancient civilisations.
Finally, before returning to the airport, we ended on a refreshing ice cream from the museum cafe. An amazing trip only possible with the hard work of the staff that took us and gave us such a great time. With lifelong memories and a great understanding of volcanoes, tectonics and the Canary Islands we returned back to Hampton and home.
By Alfie K (3H)
During the half term, 38 lucky Hamptonians were given the opportunity to travel to Tenerife, both to learn about the fascinating geography of the region and to go to the best water park in the world. After an early start at three in the morning and a four-and-a-half-hour flight, we arrived in Tenerife. After a quick stop at the local supermarket and lunch, we arrived at our first of many activities, a banana plantation. Once there, we were given a very interesting tour that involved telling us how all the platanos trees (platanos is a certain type of banana, but sweeter) are given the level of water they need and also how the platanos trees reproduce. The water given to the trees is a mixture of desalinated water, rainwater and sewage water. After the tour we made our way back from the plantation to our hotel, on the other side of the island! The rest of the day was spent being assigned our rooms and eating our dinner, before retiring to bed.
The next day was an exciting excursion to Mount Teide. After arriving at the base of the mountain we ascended in a cable car and ended up only two hundred feet from the summit. After an excursion across one side of the mountain, which ended with a geography talk from Mr Townshend about prevailing winds we arrived back at the cable car lift, where we took our time to recover our breath and look down at the fabulous view around us. At that point, most of the boys, including myself, decided that they were too tired to try and attempt a walk in the other direction and so went down in the cable car to grab a bite to eat and purchase some souvenirs for family.
In the evening, at the end of an eventful day, we were told that we were allowed to go into town and purchase an ice cream, as well as some food at the local supermarket. The ice cream was delicious and everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves. The Wednesday was the day almost everyone signed up on the trip for (of course, they wanted to learn about the geography of the region as well) – Siam Waterpark. The world’s best waterpark, some of Siam’s more well known slides include Dragon and The Tower of Power. It was a great day as we were all allowed to go and queue for our own rides and so everyone went with their friends. To try to describe the whole day and all the slides we went on wouldn’t do it justice, so I won’t try. Of course, to make it geography related, we were asked about the economic benefits of Siam Waterpark building a new slide every year.
The final day of the amazing trip was spent both in an underground lava tunnel and at the Pyramids of Guimar, where we learnt about how over millions of years, lava has cooled inside the tunnels and created the vast chambers that were left behind. At the Pyramids of Guimar, we learnt about how the pyramids were perhaps a shrine to the Sun God, where people would worship. After those activities, it was sadly time to go home. We boarded our plane and flew back to England, before being driven back to Hampton School, where our parents picked us up.
A huge thank you to Mr Highton and all the teachers involved in making that trip happen, all of us really enjoyed it and I hope the current Second Years can look forward to it next year.
By Rory M (3A)
No Limits Week
Next week is No Limits week, which is all about moving out of your comfort zone and challenging yourself with something new! Lower School Hamptonians are encouraged to go to at least three new clubs or societies over the course of the week. Everyone will be given a ‘No Limits Week Card’ which you will take to each new club you take part in. From History Society to Basketball, from Board Games to Biology Club, this is your chance to discover a new passion and have a go at doing something a little bit different!
Take a look at the full list of all clubs, societies and other co-curricular activities on offer in the booklet below:
Odd Socks
On Monday 13 November, we will be joining with many schools and other organisations across the country by inviting pupils to participate in Odd Socks Day. Odd Socks Day takes place at the start of Anti-Bullying Week each year to raise awareness of bullying. The idea of wearing odd socks is that it is an opportunity for people at schools and workplaces to celebrate their individuality and it is a reminder of the duty we all have to stand up against bullying and discrimination. Let’s hear from Lower Sixth Hamptonians Vaibhav and Isaac to find out more:
TALK!
The first Hampton School Talk! of the year will take place on Thursday 16 November at 1pm in the Hammond Theatre with Harry Cole, the Political Editor of one of the UK’s most popular newspapers, with a string of headline scoops to his name.
Join us to hear from one of the most influential and forthright voices in political journalism and learn all about Harry Cole’s rise to one of the top jobs in the media and his insight on the current political landscape. If you’re interested in all things politics or can see your future in journalism, come along on 16 November and find out more.
Hamptonians from across all year groups are welcome to attend and do not need to book a ticket.
Two Truths and a Lie
To celebrate moving into half term, the last blog welcomed a massive name into the Two Truths and a Lie arena – Mrs Bedford. She claimed that these wild claims could feasibly be true….
- Mrs Bedford has been swimming in open water with sharks and sea lions
- Mrs Bedford has five cats, named after the main characters in The Famous Five
- Mrs Bedford once read the news live on the radio whilst standing in a pond of koi carp
As it turns out, Mrs Bedford has no fear of fish, large or small. She has been swimming in open water with sharks (and sea lions) and she has also successfully read the news live on the radio whilst standing in a pond of carp. If you want to fluster Mrs Bedford, fish or aquatic mammals are not the answer. What this means is that Mrs Bedford does not have five cats named after the famous five – I mean that would be ridiculous, no?
This week, Miss Vasanthakumar is our willing liar – she is so willing, in fact, that she has given us 3 lies and a truth. Exciting times.
She would like you to believe the following:
- Miss Vasanthakumar once solved a Rubik’s Cube in less than 15 seconds
- Miss Vasanthakumar is allergic to plasters (e.g. a square shaped plaster = square shaped rash)
- Miss Vasanthakumar has been to London Comic Con and met some of the cast of Green Arrow
- Miss Vasanthakumar doesn’t actually need glasses – they are just a fashion accessory
All very plausible. But which is the lie?
CONNECTION CORNER
A big shout out to everyone who had a go at the last Connection Corner and well done those of you who answered all the questions correctly. The correct connection was Cakes! Merits go to Krishang T, Harry L, Rufus L, Olly P, Jake O’R, Charlie E, Ishaan A, Siddharth S, Harry L, Darshan S, Daniel H and Svajan G.
Another tricky one this week, have a go over the weekend and see if you can spot the connection:
In case you’re still perplexed, here are last week’s answers:
The area of southwest Germany that is known for dense, evergreen forests is known as what? Black Forest
On what Portuguese island was Cristiano Ronaldo born? Madeira
Stinking bishop is a type of what? Cheese
What figure is often found at the top of a Christmas tree? Angel
Connection answer: Types of cake
Have a great weekend!
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