Welcome to the Third Year Blog!
We’re back! It’s summer!
What a time to be alive.
The start of the summer term brings with it many things in Hampton life. All the lessons you missed having during the Easter holidays start up again! You can go on the fields during lunch and breaktime! There is the impending arrival of the Hampton ducks! The excitement (yes, the excitement!) of end of year exams is getting closer and closer! You can tell which classrooms get the full sun in the afternoon because they feel like greenhouses!
So much to look forward to.
In terms of the Third Year Blog, the start of term can often feel like a briefly fallow period. No one has been in School and, therefore, fewer achievements have been achieved. The sports teams have been preparing rather than playing. School trips have been enjoyed, but not necessarily written about. There is a sense of the Third Year gathering themselves, ready for a burst of activity; preparing for a blossoming of the blog, if you will.
It is worth saying that so far this year, there have been 90 Third Year pupils who have got involved with the Blog, whether it is by writing an article or by successfully solving Connection Corner (the regular feature at the bottom of the blog). Next week, there is going to be a flood of Lion merits (and, therefore, a flood of Freddos) awarded for these contributions – nearly 150 merits! Do have a think about what you could potentially offer a report on, get involved and help make the Third Year Blog the best version of itself!
This week we still have a report from the Rowing Training Camp where the very, very promising Third Year rowing squads were being put through their paces. We have a couple of previews of the first cricket matches of the season and we have an acknowledgement of a brilliant musician’s progress. We also have a special guest on Two Truths and a lie – Mrs Griffiths, one of our exceptional receptionists.
So, dig in. It may be a little short, but it is still sweet.
Heads of Year Message
We hope everyone is enjoying the start of the summer term having had a lovely Easter break.
Reports
We trust that parents have been able to access their son’s report via the Parent Portal and we would encourage you to review and discuss the report together in order to set some goals for the term ahead (if you have not already done so). Form Tutors and the Head of Year team have been conducting report review meetings with Third Year pupils this week and will get in touch with parents if appropriate.
Third Year Exams
Third Year Exams will take place from May 20-24 (the week before half term). All Third Year pupils will benefit from two Study Skills sessions during PSHE this term. The sessions will help them to plan their revision schedule, consider different revision techniques and review some top tips for maintaining their own wellbeing whilst revising. Many parents have signed up to attend Third Year Study Skills Evening in person on Monday, but we will also share the resources from that event with all Third Year parents next week. We have asked all Third Year subject teachers to stop setting homework (or to set targeted revision homework tasks only) from Monday 6 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 April 29.
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. The start of term is a good time to review the options available on the co-curricular timetable, which 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 – Please remember to 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 & Mrs M Bedford
Rowing Camp
Recently the J14, A B C and D crews went to Belgium for training camp.
After an early start we drove to Hazewinkel Lake, where we settled down and prepared our first session. During the week we learnt skills and techniques for the upcoming regatta season. Each day was divided into three sessions; the morning session was a paddle, normally 2-3 laps around the lake. The afternoon session was a work session where we raced each other, and the evening was a skill session. At various points in the week, we did seat racing where we did time trials to create a ranking for all the rowers based on speed.
Later in the week, we went to the local city, where we had opportunities to buy food and supplies. On the final day, we did races across the crews off a standing start and employed the skills we had learnt in the prior week.
By Zach A, Yichen J and Christopher K (3B)
Cricket Season Preview
U14A
Our first fixture of the new season is an afternoon game against a strong Merchant Taylors’ side. A home game in the afternoon sun (and not in the morning chill!) is always a great way to get the season underway.
Our last two encounters with Merchant Taylors’ have ended successfully with two wins away from home with the bowlers exploiting the bowler-friendly April pitches and continuously putting pressure on the opposition batters. This, in turn, took the pressure off our batters knowing that the bowlers could back them up in tricky conditions.
However, Merchant Taylors’ have numerous, high-quality fast bowlers who will not make it easy for us. On the other hand, our batting line up has become very strong with nearly all of them improving from last season. This larger batting depth will undoubtedly play a huge role if we win. A fast start to the season always gives the moral a boost and gives us confidence going in the next games so a win on Saturday would help us immensely.
By Sanjit B (3E)
U14B
The U14 team have their first game tomorrow against Merchant Taylors’ School. We have a very strong B team this season; we all have high hopes this year based on our performance in the nets over the winter and at the start of this year (on Tuesday and Thursday training). And with having only lost three games over the last two years, our run of form is looking very good. With our improvements over the winter off season, it is looking very promising for a great season ahead.
By Ethan G (3E)
Musical distinction
There are a great many exceptional musicians in the Third Year and it is lovely to hear of their successes and progression, as well as having the opportunity to hear them play at the various concerts and events that the music department put on.
We were delighted to hear that Theo T (3H) achieved a Distinction in his ABRSM Organ Grade 6 exam during the holidays. He is now preparing for his Grade 8 Music Theory and his Grade 5 Violin exams in the summer. Great work, Theo!
Two truths and a lie
Or last fibber before Easter was Mr Highton, trying to trick you with his web of deceit. Below were his ridiculous claims.
Which was the lie?
- Mr Highton once climbed Table Mountain in South African barefoot.
- Mr Highton owns a painting by Bruegel the Elder that has been valued as being worth £500,000.
- Mr Highton once dislocated his shoulder by trying to stop a moving car.
Mr Highton is a man with a very athletic background, so on one level we shouldn’t be surprised that he has climbed Table Mountain barefoot. Equally, it shouldn’t prevent us from questioning why he didn’t wear shoes while doing it. One can also imagine a man who has rowed to an extremely high level feeling that stopping a moving car would be the sort of thing they would be physically capable of doing, only to discover that, in fact, they weren’t. What this means is that Mr Highton does not own a painting by Bruegel the Elder that is worth half a million pounds. Although, if he did, I imagine he wouldn’t actually tell the Third Year Blog about it anyway. Maybe it is all an elaborate double bluff??
This week, we have an extra special guest on the Third Year Blog – Mrs Griffiths, one of the School’s receptionists. Essentially, without her, the School would not operate. But, this does not prevent her from being willing to tell fibs for the benefit of the Third Year Blog. Here are her claims – which is the lie?
- Everyday, while working at the School, Mrs Griffiths does chair yoga exercises for at least 4 hours.
- Mrs Griffiths studied Japanese for two years.
- Mrs Griffiths became profoundly deaf on one side after being involved in an emergency landing in an aircraft while working as a member of the cabin crew.
Find out what is true next week…
CONNECTION CORNER
Connection Corner is back for the summer term! A tricky conundrum to have a go at over the weekend, see if you can spot the connection:
