Welcome to the Third Year Blog!
Hello hello! It’s blog time!
This week, the blog received a fascinating article from Riyaan G (3E) about the richest man who ever lived. It is below…
The Richest Man who ever lived
Despite the efforts of billionaires such as Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos, it’s still a 14th Century Emperor of Mali (Mansa Musa), who holds the record of having the most wealth. Historians have discovered that Mansa Musa owned an incredible fortune of approximately £325 billion in today’s currency. Whilst modern, affluent people gain their prosperity through properties and estates, Musa – a major figure in the trading system – made money from gold, spices, etc.
He was a devoted Muslim and one day, undertook a pilgrimage to Mecca. As he embarked on this arduous trek, he travelled a long way with 60,000 people, 21,000kg of gold, and a total of 180 camels and elephants. During his journey, Musa became even more influential, giving away an abundance of gold, which positively impacted the economy of Cairo for years after. Already holding an immense amount of power and intelligence, he then developed Timbuktu into a prominent city, building hundreds of schools, archives, and mosques. This is the story of the emperor who turned out to become the wealthiest man who ever lived. Now we know that it isn’t easy to become rich after all!
Firstly, thank you to Riyaan for this. The Third Year Blog had never heard this story before and it is wonderful to learn about new things and people. Beyond anything else, the idea that Mansa Musa travelled with 21 tonnes of gold is, frankly, mind boggling.
But it is also interesting that we are so interested in wealth. Upon receiving the article, the Third Year Blog was only too keen to read about just how much this man had and, of course, it is very difficult not to imagine what it would be like to have enough money that you needed elephants to carry it around for you.
All this reminded the Third Year Blog of the School motto which, as you all know, is Praestat Opes Sapientia which translates as ‘wisdom over wealth’. Mansa Musa seems to have been a man who, though wildly wealthy, also greatly valued wisdom as the idea that he built hundreds of schools, archives and mosques would suggest.
The Third Year Blog was further reminded of an episode of Freddie Flintoff’s Field of Dreams. This is an excellent programme where Andrew Flintoff, former England cricketer, looks to give disadvantaged children in the North West of England an opportunity through the power of cricket. In one recent episode, one of the boys involved was looking Flintoff up on social media and got a sense of who he was and his lifestyle. He asked Flintoff if his wealth had made him happy. Flintoff’s response was to say that rather than wealth, ‘people make you happy’. Simple though this thought is, it feels particularly true.
It’s also something worth remembering as we all embark on this still dewy new School year. The reality is that we all hold the happiness of those around us in our hands. If we are kind to those around us then we are greatly improving their chance of happiness. And our own.
So, let’s all agree to give that a go. You will never look back on life and wish you’d been a little less kind to someone or that you’d worked a touch harder to make them unhappy.
Right, enough of this third rate philosophising. On to the real meat!
Heads of Year Message
Thank you to Third Year pupils for doing a fantastic job representing the school by giving tours and helping in departments on Open Morning on Saturday. We have received some wonderful feedback from prospective parents who really appreciated your courtesy, honesty and enthusiasm. Can you spot yourself in the Open Morning video linked here?
Thanks also to the many parents who have signed up to attend the Third Year Parents’ Pastoral Forum. We are looking forward to welcoming you on Monday evening.
Stay in touch
We remind Third Year pupils on a weekly basis of the opportunities they have to come and meet with us. They are always welcome to pop along to our office for a chat, with a question or for some advice, but in particular we guarantee that one of us will be in the Third Year office at the following morning break times (10.55am):
Thursday – “Open door” drop-in session.
Friday – Merit signing for both Academic and LION merits – edible prizes are available!
Parents, please feel free to contact your child’s Form Tutor(s) by email or arrange a phone conversation if there is anything you need to relay or discuss. Similarly, if there are any comments or concerns you have at this stage of the term that you would like to raise with us, please do contact us both by email and we can arrange to speak as required.
MidYIS testing
A reminder that all pupils must bring their fully charged laptop with them to School on Monday to complete the MidYIS test during Form Period. Third Year pupils should not worry about this test. They cannot and should not attempt to revise for it. There is no pass or fail and the test will not affect their grade cards or School report. All we will ask is that they attempt all questions to the best of their ability.
Uniform
As we are starting to experience more autumnal weather, a reminder that pupils 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), dark 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 dark 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.
Absences
If your child will be absent from School for any reason, please complete the absence reporting form, which can be found on My School Portal, on every morning of absence. For absences other than illness (e.g. if a pupil has a medical appointment during School hours) notice of this should be given in advance wherever possible. For planned absences, please contact the Heads of Year requesting the absence with as much notice as possible.
Third Year pupils – please let us, your Form Tutors or the relevant subject teachers know if you have any difficulties. Have a lovely weekend.
Best wishes
Mr T Rigby & Mr H Moore
Screentime Awareness Week
Next week is Screentime Awareness Week – a chance to swap scrolling for exploring! Try something new, spend time with your family, read a book, tidy your room or just enjoy some fresh air. There are more details in the poster and Bingo Checklist if you’re stuck for ideas for your off-screen adventures. Click on the images below to find out more:
Open Morning
Last weekend saw the School Open Morning. The Third Year played a huge role and played it incredibly well, showing hundreds of parents around the School. Below are a couple of reflections from pupils on their experiences.
Open Morning last weekend was a great opportunity to show the past me what I would have liked to see when I joined. The School was looking at its best, as the future Hamptonians flooded through the gates. All the departments had done a great job, especially Chemistry which my tour really seemed to enjoy. The lunch food was smelling impeccable, and a huge queue was building behind the smoothie machine, which is something I personally remember from my first time at Hampton. The sport teams were all playing their fixtures and a huge tent was put up on the fields with many activities and, as always, the ice cream van was getting raided.
By Kailan S (3H)
Although I was a little apprehensive about coming into School on a Saturday, the moment I met my group all doubts vanished from my mind! I found great joy in showing around the prospective pupils and parents to our lovely school.
I was happy to find that the pupil I showed round loved Maths and Sciences just like me, he particularly enjoyed the Physics in G29 with Mrs Reilly. He also enjoyed the flame tests in the Chemistry labs and the food in the dining hall. I found it fun to see what future years could be like, even if they may be first coming to Hampton during my GCSEs, and I enjoyed chatting to the parents about the library and the amazing work of Learning Support.
They seemed very keen on the School and the mum was enthralled by the music department. Overall, the whole tour was a great two and a half hours that I hope will make them choose the right school!
By Xander L (3H)
Brilliant Baseball
Wyatt M (3B) reports on his performance for his team in the UK National Baseball tournament.
My team, LYBL Red, which stands for London Youth Baseball League, played four games over the course of Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday we played against Birmingham/Bournemouth with me starting as the pitcher. We put up 5 runs (6 in one) in each inning and kept the opposition to nil, leading to a final score of 16-0. We kept up with the winning in our next game against Herts. This team was stronger however it presented no problem for us, as we didn’t let them score, while we were able to put up a few runs each inning. We gave it our all, winning quite comfortably.
The next day, Sunday, the intensity stayed high playing the other LYBL team in the semi finals. Again, my team won with ease at 6-0. Then came the final where we played against Herts again for the trophy. There was a dominant pitcher on both teams, but our side was able to scrape a couple of runs every now and then. Our pitcher had a great game only allowing 1 person to get on base. We finished the tournament well winning 6-0!!
My team was most proud of not letting a run the whole tournament and always putting up good numbers! That was my weekend of baseball and it was hugely fun!!!
Fiction Fix
Recently, I read an amazing book full of adventure: Megamonster by David Walliams. It’s a hilarious adventure perfect for readers who love comedy.
The story follows a mischievous girl named Larker, who is sent to the dreaded “Cruel School,” a bizarre institution for naughty children located on a volcanic island in the middle of shark-infested waters.
Run by the terrifying Doctor Doktur, The Cruel School is even worse than it sounds, with appalling lessons and disgusting dinners. Larker soon discovers that the school’s mysterious Science teacher is using a ‘Monsterfication Machine’ to turn her pupils into monsters. With the help of a new friend, Larker must unravel the wicked plot, face down a real-life Megamonster, and find a way to escape the island.
Megamonster is a classic Walliams tale, full of his signature humour, heart, and imaginative chaos. It’s a funny, action-packed, and wonderfully strange story about courage and friendship in the most unlikely of places
By Shaurya D (3H)
Williams Cup
Following last week’s tug of war, we are in a position to give a further update on the overall standings in the Williams Cup.
The MIGHTY 3G are leading the way, but there is a whole year of activities and competitions to come…
1st – 3G – 15pts
2nd – 3B – 13pts
Joint 3rd – 3D and 3J – 12 pts
5th – 3C – 11pts
6th – 3A – 9pts
Joint 7th – 3E and 3F – 8 pts
9th – 3H – 4pts
Two truths and a lie
Last week, we welcomed the esteemed Head of English, Mrs Rigby, into the two truths and a lie booth. She made these outlandish claims. They all sound slightly ridiculous, but which one actually was an untruth?:
- Mrs Rigby’s best friend’s husband used to babysit Mr Rigby
- As a Sixth Form pupil, Mrs Rigby was voted the person most likely to marry Prince William
- Mrs Rigby spent a week in Uganda teaching English at a boys’ secondary school
Whether these are lies or truths, they are outstanding. As it turns out, Mrs Rigby’s best friend’s husband DID used to babysit Mr Rigby. She was also voted the person most likely to marry Prince William. Which means that she didn’t spend a week in Uganda teaching English. But, the truth is that she DID spend a week in Uganda teaching street dance. Excellent work.
This week, we have Mrs Pickford-Scienti as the teacher who is willing to sacrifice their credibility for the Third Year Blog. This is what she wants you all to believe:
- Mrs Pickford Scienti LOVES a marmalade sandwich
- Mrs Pickford Scienti has five dresses with books on them
- Mrs Pickford Scienti is looking forward to playing Forza Horizon 6 (which is set in Tokyo) so much that she is learning Japanese
Which is the lie?
Connection Corner
A big shout out to all the Third Year Hamptonians who had a go at last week’s Connection Corner and well done those of you who answered all the questions correctly and guessed the connection as Ice Creams! Merits go to Toby B, Joe F, Henry S, Ilakian D, Sujay N, Will M, Liangxu Z, Naivedya A, Asher C, Milan S, Ethan W, Charlie F, Callan B, Mehrad M and Physics teacher Mrs White!
Another tricky one this week, see if you can spot the connection:
What was the name of the famous 80s TV detective played by Tom Selleck? Magnum PI
The Beatles were collectively known by what famous phrase? The Fab Four
What word do Americans commonly use to describe tornados? Twisters
What is the word for a large meal that is typically a celebratory one? Feast
Connection: Ice Creams (Magnum, Fab, Twister, Feast)
