Welcome to the Third Year Blog!
Hello and welcome back! A special greeting goes to all the new Hamptonians joining the Third Year; we’re thrilled to have you with us. The Third Year Blog will be your weekly stop for all the latest goings-on; think of this as the sibling of the Second Year Blog – only taller, wiser, and with a new tie! Each week we’ll round up the most important updates from the Third Year. Whilst you may be thinking that, as we’ve only just embarked on a new term, there won’t be much for the Third Year Blog to deliver… How wrong you are! Seven full days of the new school year means there’s already plenty of news to share.
Without further ado, we’re pleased to present the first Third Year Blog of the year.
Head of Year Message
We were delighted to welcome back all Third Year pupils last week and to see so many smiling faces, full of energy and enthusiasm after a well-deserved summer break. Whether returning from the Second Year or joining us from a Prep School, all have made an excellent start to the new school year. They are already settling into their new Form Groups, as reflected in the many positive comments shared by Form Tutors and subject teachers who have been impressed by their early interactions in lessons – well done to all! The boys have also risen admirably to the challenge of adapting to new timetables, classrooms, Form Tutors and subject teachers, and we hope they enjoy a well-earned rest over the weekend.
At this early stage of the school year, there are a few key messages we would like to share with the boys. First and foremost, they should always feel comfortable speaking to us, their Form Tutors, or their Sixth Form Mentors about any matter—particularly if they have a question or concern about School life. We are available in the Third Year office every Thursday at morning break for an “open door” session, and on Friday mornings for the signing of Academic and Lion Merits.
We also encourage all pupils to be themselves and to show kindness to themselves in these opening weeks. Beginning a new term in a new environment can be demanding, so it is important to rest, sleep well, eat properly and stay hydrated. It may take a little time to feel fully settled—and this is perfectly natural—but we ask everyone to approach their teachers and peers with calmness and authenticity.
Finally, we are setting some aims for the year ahead, which we will revisit at our first Year Group Assembly in a couple of weeks. We hope these principles will provide helpful guidance for all pupils throughout their time in the Third Year.
- Aim for personal best in everything you do at School – academic endeavour; co-curricular engagement; interactions with teachers and peers.
- Be kind to everyone in the School community.
- Get involved in as many aspects of School life as you can.
- Speak up if you or someone else needs assistance, or if you get things wrong – be an “upstander” not a bystander.
Given the aim to “get involved”, we were very pleased to see a full turnout at the Co-Curricular Fair on Friday 5 September. Third Year pupils should resolve to try out three new clubs this half term.
Team Building Day was a great success on Thursday. We were delighted to see all Third Year pupils taking part in the activities so energetically and enthusiastically throughout the day. We know that this is just one step in the integration process, but it was great to see the boys having fun whilst learning about effective communication, problem solving, and working as a team. Congratulations to Form 3B for taking the early lead in the Interform Competition by winning the event!
Parents will have received separate communication about Open Morning (Saturday 20 September) and will receive a letter from us in advance of Parents’ Pastoral Forum (Monday 29th September). All Third Year pupils are expected to attend Open Morning to assist (unless they are involved in an away sports fixture on that day). Please email Dr Hendry (s.hendry@hamptonschool.org.uk) and us if this presents an issue. Pastoral Forum presents parents with an opportunity to meet with their child’s Form Tutors along with the parents of other pupils in the Form Group. We will facilitate discussions about pastoral matters pertinent to this Year Group and present a range of information to parents. We hope that many parents will be able to attend this event – sign up details will be included in the letter.
We have high hopes for the new Third Year pupils, and we are really looking forward to supporting each of them and helping them to achieve their potential this year.
Best wishes
Mr Rigby & Mr Moore
Co-Curricular Fair
Alongside the buzz of a new school year, last Friday’s Co-curricular Fair showcased an incredible range of clubs, more than you could possibly count. Whether you’re ready to unleash your inner rockstar in Mr Barber’s brand-new Mosh Pit Club (earplugs optional), or hit the high notes in ROAR with Mr Mattinson, the Co-curricular Fair had you covered. Those with a need for speed could join Mr Zannetou’s Scalextric Club, where building tiny cars and racing them at breakneck speeds is taken very, very seriously. And for the theatrically inclined, Ms Jones offers the chance to transform into anyone, from Shakespearean hero to melodramatic villain. The Third Year Blog is eager to hear about all the new interests you’ve discovered, whether it’s stories from racing champions, sporting victors, chess wizards, or even the next Pulitzer Prize winner emerging this term!
Clubs and societies are a great way to meet like-minded Hamptonians, make new friends and discover a new activity. Take a look at the booklet below and decide which club you’ll try next. The timetable for 2025-26 can be found here.
Third Year Team Building
Thursday played host to the annual Third Year Team Building Day, which was an obvious success, despite the typically temperamental British weather deciding to make an appearance. A reminder that, even though it is only September, summer seems rather too eager to pack its bags and leave us shivering in its wake.
The Third Year Blog is pleased to report that the entire year group came together for their first Interform competition of the year, and despite the heavens opening all teams completed all the activities with gusto. Working in their forms, pupils were challenged to problem-solve, listen to one another, and collaborate effectively. They showed impressive resilience and determination throughout, and the day was enjoyed by all. A particular acknowledgement must be given to the Sixth Form mentors, who were on hand to provide advice, encouragement and, from the more mischievous among them, their own recollections of the quickest ways to triumph in the challenges. They performed their role admirably.
Naturally, Team Building Day carries an extra edge—it marks the very first contest in the pursuit of the Williams Cup, the coveted prize awarded in the Third Year inter-form rivalry.
So, it is time to announce who is out in front at the start of this year. Drumroll please ….
- 3B
- 3G
- 3D
- 3E
- 3C
- 3F
- 3J
- 3H
- 3A
Well done to Form 3B on winning the first Interform event of the year! The rest of the year will see plenty more events offering Interform points – the Williams Cup is still very much up for grabs!
The video below captures the spirit of the day and is well worth a watch:
Cricket Champions
Ridhaan G (3H) relives a fantastic day from the summer holidays, when our cricketers were crowned national champions:
It was early in the morning, during the summer break, when the Hampton team gathered, knowing that in just a few hours they would be playing the biggest game of their lives. After preparing everything, they made their way to school, ready for the two-hour coach journey to Oakham School, where the final was being held.
On arrival, the team had a sharp warm-up, and soon everyone was set for the match. Hampton won the toss and chose to bat. In their 30 overs, they posted a solid total of 170, with Ruaan and Rey both scoring fine half-centuries. After a delicious match tea, the players took the field, determined to bowl Worksop College out to claim victory.
They went on the attack with their battery of fast bowlers, before switching to spin. Magnus, Bertie, and Ruaan stepped up brilliantly, together claiming seven wickets. The game hung in the balance – it could have gone either way. Then, in the closing overs, Ridhaan was called on to bowl. With two wickets in quick succession, he sealed the win, dismissing Worksop College for 148. Those final moments were extraordinary, and one we would love to relive again.
Fast forward to this week: we had the honour of meeting the Headmaster, sharing our experiences and reliving those unforgettable passages of play. Looking back, Hampton can feel immensely proud to have been the first team from the school to win a national cricket cup. Now, with our sights set even higher, we cannot wait to win more!
Archives and History Club!
This week was the first session of the NEW Archives Club. Pupils met in the Library on Wednesday lunchtime to explore some of the treasures in the School’s Archives. This week we looked at some of the Headmaster’s scrapbooks from the 1930s and learnt all about the opening of the current School site which was at the outbreak of the Second World War. Pupils also got the chance to have a look inside one of the School’s Archives and were intrigued by some of the items on the shelves – for example, the winning trophy of the 1975 Chess Champions and a piece of the Berlin Wall.
The Archives Club meets every other Wednesday and welcomes everyone from the First to Fourth year who is curious to uncover some of the School’s histories!
Two Truths And A Lie
Each week, the Third Year Blog will ask a member of the Common Room to offer two truths about themselves, along with a lie. Your task will be to work out which ‘fact’ is a fiction. The first teacher brave enough to bend the rules of their own reputation is Dr Gallagher, from the Physics Department, who joins the Third Year Tutor Team this year as Form Tutor for 3G.
Can you calculate which fact doesn’t add up?
- I have performed the jazz classic “On Green Dolphin Street” in the key of Eb live at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club
- I am blind in my right eye, due to an unfortunate incident in Ibiza which left me at the wrong end of an arrow
- I am the proud owner of a first edition copy of “The Large Scale Structure of Spacetime” by Stephen Hawking and George Ellis, gifted to me in person by Ellis
Connection Corner
Introducing you to the very first Connection Corner of the year, our fiendish weekly Third Year Quiz! Have a go at answering the following quiz questions! Once you’ve got your answers, see if you can spot a connection that links them…
