WELCOME TO THE THIRD YEAR BLOG!
When I was 14, if you’d asked me what a magnolia tree was, I would have looked at you blankly before running off to the nearest field to kick balls through goals marked out by jumpers. Now, however, the point at which the magnolia trees start to bloom is the sign to me that we are very nearly at the summer. They are particularly beautiful trees for about three weeks and for the rest of the year you would have no idea what they are capable of. If you’re interested, take the time to investigate what they look like and suddenly you’ll realise they are everywhere in our part of London. They are outstanding.
Of course, their blooming this year has been accompanied by some pretty dreary dampness in terms of the weather. This wetness has led to the boys of Hampton having to spend more time than might be ideal in their form rooms and the corridors of the School. In Italy, there is a tradition called the passeggiata wherein the people of a village or town will spend an enjoyable evening slowly strolling through the streets of their home, socialising, chatting and generally enjoying each other’s company. You could argue that Hampton on a rainy day is the polar opposite of this Mediterranean ideal. There is something about this that also seems to shorten the time period required for the shirt of a Hamptonian to become untucked.
Scientific studies have shown* that while it takes an average of 4.24 seconds for a shirt to become untucked during September in the School, on a wet day in March that average reduces to a remarkable 0.34 seconds. Of course, while your teachers will remain vigilant, it is also important for Hamptonians themselves to ensure that they are walking around the corridors looking like smart young men ready for work, as opposed to sweaty young men, careening off the 3G, hoping that they have left enough time to get to afternoon registration. A word to the wise: even if you are a sweaty young man, careening off the 3G, slightly flustered about your potential lateness, if you remember to ensure your shirt is tucked in as you speed walk down the corridor, you are much less likely to draw attention to yourself…
Of course, looked at positively, the abundance of energy that the behaviours described above are reflective of is a wonderful thing. Lucky for Hamptonians that there is so much on offer to try to sate that enthusiasm! As ever, the Third Year Blog is here to capture all the energy being offered. This week we have a report from the first of two trips to the WW1 battlefields, a report on a Talk! from a senior diplomat, a review of concert performance by the (excellent) Max Richter, a celebratory report from the winner of the LEH Form Charity quiz and a commiseratory report from a member of the U14A Football squad.
So, an awful lot is going on, as is always the case. While the energy needed to engage with everything Hampton life has to offer is particularly evident at this time of year, some of the Third Year community will be looking to conserve their energy a little more during the course of March and in to April. Ramadan Mubarak to all those members of the Third Year and their families who are fasting!
*There have been no studies and, if there were, they would not have been scientific. However, the Third Year blog stands by this observation, unproven though it is. Having said that, if you see a member of staff sitting in reception, staring intently at pupils shirts while holding a stopwatch and a clipboard, you will know that this has become a data point the School is keen to monitor.
HEADS OF YEAR MESSAGE
The Third Year element of the Relationships and Sex Education course concluded this week. We have been pleased with the way that everyone has engaged thoughtfully and maturely with these important topics in PSHE. It is also very encouraging that the boys’ answers to the assessment questions at the end of the course suggest that everyone has been paying close attention during lessons and has retained a lot of the key information.
At time of writing, half of the Year Group is in Belgium walking across the battlefields of Passchendaele towards the Tyne Cot cemetery as part of the second instalment of the History Battlefields Trip. We trust that Forms 3F-3J will act as excellent ambassadors for the School throughout the trip.
Midday on Friday next week brings the end of another action-packed term. The final half day of term will be a mufti day with funds raised towards our nominated Form Charity partners. There will also be a Form Charity foodbank collection outside reception on the final day of term.
Pupil Reports
Spring term Reports will be available to view via My School Portal from 4pm on Friday 22 March.
Behaviour & uniform notice
We ask and expect that all pupils will maintain high standards of behaviour and dress code throughout the final week of term.
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.
We hope that everyone enjoys the weekend.
Best wishes
Mr T Rigby & Mrs M Bedford
Football Update
Leo N (3H) tells us about the U14A footballers recent cup match against Epsom College:
With an unfortunate loss in the ESFA Cup last week, we wanted to use that experience as motivating fuel to win against Epsom and go through into the County Cup final, where we would most likely be able to face Whitgift. Epsom is a school we had already played this year and we dominated that game at home and won 2-0, so we were feeling very confident and excited for this County Cup semi-final. However, Epsom would be looking to get revenge on us and go through to the final of the County Cup.
We started the game with our kick off and the referee blew his whistle for a long, exciting match. However, Epsom were up for this and from the first pass, you could see their intent of winning while putting their body on the line. Their striker chased the first pass from our kick off and nicked the ball, one touch to get it out of his feet; boom! Hampton were stunned; we conceded inside 10 seconds of the game from our kick off. From that moment onwards for the majority of the first half we played the game in our half and let them play. Occasionally, we would have a nice passage of play, or we would have an Oliver K outbreak or a through pass out wide. We were still in the game thanks to a Sam H masterclass in goal and a long first half came to an end. We got words of encouragement from our coaches, Mr Hooper and Mr Boyes.
We got out into the second half with changed faces and leaders on the pitch. 5-10 minutes into the second half it was more of a stalemate situation. We put the gear up and we started winning every challenge and Epsom were not able to even make three passes. One passage of beautiful play ended with a Leo N equaliser to put us at 1-1 with all the momentum we needed to win the game. Epsom’s supporters were silenced, and you could see the pendulum swinging our way to finish this game off. We started gaining more and more confidence, with it showing on the pitch. However, Epsom’s fans were rooting for their team to get back into the game and, slowly but surely, they made chances and were getting close to the goal.
It was the dying ends of the game and our concentration slipped: one foul and one mistake and a well rehearsed free kick by Epsom was the winner. Epsom celebrated in joy and relief, since they knew we were dominating the game and were the deserving side to win. The crowd went wild and there was only three minutes to get the equaliser back. However, Epsom started bringing the ball to the corner and we were not able to bring the ball up the field. The referee blew his whistle and you could see the pain on our faces, but also a face showing the intent we would have next year of winning the treble. We would have the desire from this heartbreak that would carry over to next year. However, this is not to take away from our season with our progression in both cups and with Mr Hooper encouraging us in tough football games such as this one, but also giving us the opportunity to show passion and enjoyment of the game.
LEH Charity Quiz report
Last Thursday, members of the Third Year went to LEH to participate in a charity quiz. We got in, sat down and let the guessing begin. The first round consisted of identifying places and locations on the screen, including Cambodia and the Taj Mahal! The next round was identifying celebrities, and luckily for us, our extensive knowledge on Taylor Swift gave us a couple more points.
The next round was questions on all types of pop culture, including TV shows and songs. However, the final round was film anagrams, and we just couldn’t get what they could be. Luckily for us Krishang T, a fellow teammate, was able to get on a roll and get the James Bond film No Time To Die, which gave us vital points in order to get us the win! We celebrated with some chocolate eggs and the eternal glory of winning the quiz. The whole experience was immensely enjoyable, and I would recommend it to anyone who has the opportunity.
By Jake O’R (3C)
Pickleball
On Thursday last week at badminton and table tennis club, myself and Aarav became the first people to play pickleball at Hampton alongside Mr Simms and Mr Hooper. Pickleball is a racquet sport, similar to padel, but the rules are not the same. Firstly, to serve, you must let the ball bounce before then hitting it cross court but not into the kitchen (the equivalent space on the court of a service box on a tennis court). Additionally, you aren’t allowed to volley the ball in the kitchen. At first I found the game quite hard to adapt to as I was far more used to tennis and how the ball will, because of the strings, always bounce off of the racquet. However, Aarav, a cricket player, was more accustomed to how a hard ball bounces off of a hard solid bat.
I’d recommend anyone new to pickle ball and used to tennis or badminton to hit the ball, initially, a little harder than they think they would in a sport with a stringed racquet. Overall, Aarav and I really enjoyed learning Pickleball and would highly recommend the game to anyone else interested in playing.
By Rufus L (3A) and Aarav D (3A)
Battlefields Trip
The Battlefields Trip was an unforgettable experience: everyone learnt something about WW1. We started our journey at Hampton School at 3.30am on a Sunday, where we were all tired, cold and desperate to get on our warm coach. We then drove straight to where we would catch our ferry. There, we relaxed, had lunch and enjoyed the view of England and France’s coast. We then got back on our coach, this time in France, and left for our first stop. This was in Alma, where the infamous Battle of Broodseinde ridge began on the 4 October 1917. We retraced the steps of the soldiers all the way down to Dash Crossing. We then visited a German war memorial, which looked surprisingly different to the one we are all used to.
After that, it was time to finally make our way to where we were going to spend the night. After being told our dorms and setting up in our rooms, we went to a place where the Last Post is played every day and attended one of their ceremonies. Then, it was time for some free time at the fair. Here, there were arcades, hotdog stands, chocolate shops and more arcades. When we had finished that, we went to bed.
The next morning, we continued our journey through France and Belgium. We visited an extremely large war memorial and a literal bombsite where a bomb was detonated and the mark is still prominent. We visited a park in Canadian territory where trenches were still in the ground, which was our last stop. From there, we made our way back home.
The trip was informative, fun and moving, despite the 10+ hours spent simply travelling on a bus/ferry!
Byy Dominic N (3C)
TALK! Nicholas Hopton
Last Thursday 7 March esteemed diplomat Nicholas Hopton came to Hampton to present us with his view on ‘What is a Diplomat?’
He started off by talking about what his view on diplomacy was and how it had been used for hundreds of years. He referenced humorous remarks by diplomats throughout the ages and how it has evolved over time. Mr Hopton then began referring to his own experiences as a diplomat, the situations he had been in and the people he had met.
A veteran diplomat, his insight and understanding of the topics he was talking about shone through – especially in his responses to all of the subsequent Q&A. It was a fascinating Talk! that educated and entertained even those who are not considering a career in diplomacy, and judging from the applause it was warmly appreciated by all attendees.
By Rory M (3A)
Arts Award Inspiration
I went to see Max Richter, a contemporary and film composer, perform his latest work ‘Voices’ at the Coliseum venue in London. I’m writing my own music for my arts award project, and I thought that this event would be perfect for inspiration. The concert was a large orchestral set-piece, also featuring synthesisers and recordings that created an ambient, emotional atmosphere. The concert felt quite long but the music was consistently atmospheric and satisfying, with both repetition of recurring melodies and, surprising changes that explored new ideas as the music progressed and developed.
Richter’s music was performed by the ‘Baltic Sea Philharmonic’, who I thought were really amazing musicians. The theme of the concert, and the album its music came from, was a celebration of human rights and freedom, a message that the concert’s heartfelt music often really seemed to resonate with. The concert itself was also a charity event, with the money raised going to Médecins Sans Frontières – (Doctors Without Borders), an international organisation who have been providing medical care in Gaza.
Overall, I really recommend this event I’ve been to, and personally I found the music really inspiring for my own arts award project. My overall rating for the concert would be a 9/10: at times the ambience of the music could feel somewhat uninteresting, however this did little to affect the overall amazing experience that this concert was.
By Alex L (3G)
Talk!
Join us next Monday 18 March 1:00 – 1:45pm for the final Talk! of the spring term to hear from two directors of one of the most iconic shows of all time Doctor Who. Doctor Who is one of the most successful television shows of all time. Daleks, Cybermen, the Tardis, sonic screw drivers and intelligent gloves are part of the lexicon, and the series has millions of fans worldwide. We’re privileged to be joined by two of the show’s Directors: Emmy award-winning Director, Tim Combe, was at the helm in the early years of the famous science fiction series, working in the 1960’s and 70’s with the first three Doctors William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton and Jon Pertwee. Bafta-nominated director Jamie Magnus Stone was lead director for the twelfth and thirteenth series, directing the first ever female Doctor Who, played by Jodie Whittaker. Find out more here.
Creative Writing Competition
Calling all budding authors! The English department have launched their annual Creative Writing competition. The following themes are suggested, however alternatives are acceptable:
- Rebuilding
- Memories
- Hiding
And the genres you can submit are as follows:
- Micro-stories (approx.50 words)
- Prose (max. 1000 words)
- Poetry
- Dramatic monologue
- Scene from a play
To enter, email your entry to Miss Alexander by 4pm on Tuesday 16 April 2024. Get your thinking caps!
TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE
Last week, we had the great honour and privilege of welcoming Mrs Owen to the Third Year Blog and two truths and a lie. It was befitting of International Women’s Day to have such a prestigious guest. Of course, it was less fitting that what we did was force her to tell a grimy lie. But which one was the lie?
- Mrs Owen went to school with Paddy McGuiness
- Mrs Owen is a lifelong Oldham Athletic supporter
- Mrs Owen used to play darts for her university darts team
Upon learning that Mrs Owen is, in fact, a lifelong Oldham supporter, the Third Year blog was left marvelling at how positive her outlook on life is, in general. Perhaps what helps her feel more positive about things is her excellence at darts – she did represent her university. What this means is that she didn’t go to School with Paddy McGuinness. We will leave you to decide whether this would be positive for Mrs Owen or not.
This week, we have Mr Green offering more lies.
- Mr Green has six toes on his left foot
- Mr Green has two cats: one is named after a Brazilian footballer and the other is named after a chocolate bar
- Mr Green’s head was once attacked by a swarm of amazonian hornets when he unwisely disturbed them by using a toilet
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 Charlie E, Huw P, Myles B-N, Rory M, Kiran G, Darshan S and Rahul K.
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 the answers from the last week’s conundrum:
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)
