Welcome to the Second Year Blog!
I hope you all enjoyed a well‑deserved half term break, whether you spent it travelling, relaxing at home, braving the weather, or discovering something new. In this week’s blog, we’re delighted to share a range of your half term highlights, from adventures further afield to simple moments that made the week special.
Before we dive in, a quick note from me: this is my first time writing the blog this year, as I’ve now taken over from Miss Holt – who did a fantastic job steering it so far. I’m very much looking forward to continuing the tradition, so if you have any updates for the blog, please send them to Miss Tiller (b.tiller@hamptonschool.org.uk)
It’s been a busy first week back, too. We had two PSHE sessions, one diving into the world of banking, and another exploring how to navigate online relationships safely and thoughtfully.
We also held our Year Group School Council meeting, and a huge thank you goes to all our form reps for bringing such considered ideas and questions to the table. We’ll be passing these on to the whole School Council shortly, and we’ll share an update in a few weeks’ time on what happens next.
A packed and purposeful return to school – just the way we like it!
Merits
Big shout out to everyone who collected a merit certificate this week:
Axel Milston-Bonde – 10
Agastya Jain – 30
Harry Turle – 30
George Meckle Haldane – 30
Smyan Mehta – 30
William Janson – 30
William Janson – 40
Moksha Katamaneni – 40
Jerry Du – 40
Yuchen Liu – 40
Ralph Leverett – 40
Rahul Prabhudesai – 50 (he’s off to see Mr Knibbs!)
Ojas Prabhu – 70 (super!)
Kaarthikan Mayouran – 70 (fantastic!)
Ryan Arami – 90 (wow!)
LION merits:
Ashveer Chohan – 30
TUTOR QUESTION OF THE WEEK
Each week the pupils decide on a question to ask all the Second Year Form Tutors.
This week’s Tutor Question was sent by Miss Winstock – can you please listen to the clip linked here and answer: Do you hear ‘laurel’ or ‘yanny’?
A: Laurel – Miss Winstock, 2G, 2L
B: Yanny – 2H, 2P, Miss Tiller, Mrs Richardson, 2B, Miss Holt
Have you ever had a burning question you’ve always wanted to ask your form tutors?! If so, then please send your suggestions for next week’s Tutor Question to b.tiller@hamptonschool.org.uk.
Rowing Competition
On Friday 13 February, last half term, I was lucky enough to be a part of the borough rowing competition for U13 boys. The competition was on ergos or rowing machines and the person who rowed the furthest in 3 minutes would win. The rowing was hard and to have a chance of getting a medal, we had to row at quite high speeds. For example, I averaged 500m in 1 minute 48 seconds. After the three tiring but fun minutes, I got a gold medal for Hampton coming first with a total distance covered of 833m. There were two medals for Hampton U13s that day, Ashveer C (2H), came 3rd in Richmond Borough with a total distance covered of about 790m. The best part of course was afterwards where we were offered a protein bar and a banana. Winning in the Richmond Borough competition was a great way to end the half term and I would like to thank the sports and rowing departments including Mr Hooper, Mr Perry, and Mr Nugent.
By Rohan G (2J)
Back to School
Coming back from half term is always hard, it’s a week break from school which helps us get our energy back and meet with friends. So walking through the school gates again isn’t easy, we all got used to not doing anything for a lot of the time during half term. But seeing you friends, hearing what they did over half term and catching up with them makes it all worth it. Even though I didn’t do much myself, it’s great to hear what others got up to. But after we’ve adjusted to being back to school, it becomes a lot easy to get out of bed in the morning after endless lie-ins and getting through the school day gets a lot easier.
By Henry R (2F)
Half term Highlights!
Portugal
Over the half term, I swapped England’s rainy weather for the sunny streets of Lisbon. The city was magical, it was filled with buildings of many colours. High above the city stood the ancient Sao Jorge Castle. It gave breath taking views of the red rooftops and glistening water. Another highlight of the trip was Sintra. I ventured on a challenging hike up lush green hills littered with small streams. Finally, I reached the fairy tale Pene Palace. This palace was built by King Ferdinand (II), the palace is a mix of culture from Muslim inspired towers to European spires. Portugal was mesmerising and I highly recommend it to everyone.
By Ishaan J (2W)
Lake District
Last week, I had an amazing half term holiday in the Lake District. My visit to the Lake District was lovely, and it was even better because I was there with my cousins. We walked by Lake Windermere (the largest natural lake in England and it is located in the Lake District) and enjoyed the calm water and fresh air, then spent some time in Keswick (a market town in Cumbria), which felt friendly and welcoming. The views around Derwentwater (a lake in the Lake District) were beautiful, and visiting Grasmere (a tranquil village in the Lake District) felt peaceful and cosy. We laughed, took photos, and enjoyed being together in such a pretty place, and the whole trip made me feel happy and relaxed. We spent time skipping stones by the water and watching the ducks glide past, while the green hills and cool, fresh air made everything feel calm, we bought ice cream (although it was cold) by persuading our parents and sat together enjoying the quiet views and exchanging jokes, and in the evenings we shared stories of our lives which made us laugh a lot. I will always remember how peaceful and happy I felt during those days with my cousins. Even when we were just sitting quietly, the scenery made every bit feel special. It was an excellent and enjoyable full of joy, and I wish I could do it all again.
I also did an escape room with my cousins in Birmingham. It was exciting and fun start to finish. As soon as we entered, we had to work together to solve clues, unlock boxes, and figure tricky puzzles before time ran out. We laughed when we got stuck and cheered whenever we solved something, which made the experience even better. Everyone shared ideas and helped each other, so it felt like a true team effort. The room was filled with hidden clues, secret codes, and objects we had to examine carefully. At first, some of the puzzles seemed confusing, but we stayed calm and kept trying. When one lock finally clicked open, we all shouted with excitement. We rushed to the next challenge, eager to beat the clock. The countdown timer mad everything feel more thrilling and intense. Even when time was running low, we didn’t give up and encouraged each other to keep going. Walking out at the end, we couldn’t stop smiling and talking about our favourite moments.
By Moksha K (2B)
Tenerife: The Sun, Sky and Sea
Over the half term, my family and I set off for Tenerife, with an astonishing wake-up time of 3:30am! We got on our flight on time and set off. Once we arrived, after a quick airport transfer, we were there! The sun was high in the sky; the air was warm (unlike London’s repetitive 10 degree coldness…) and we were free. We spent a lot of time playing padel at the local courts, a tennis-like game with a bouncier ball, and walls on all sides – of course made of something that won’t smash after I absolutely send a ball at 500 miles per hour direct into the right-hand wall. We also spent a while at the pool, where we finally had something to cool us down! (Sometimes the heat is, while unbelievable, a little too much).
You cannot go to somewhere without food. So, the food. Every day, we were greeted by an awesome buffet breakfast – shout-out to whoever allowed chocolate sauce to be open for use by anybody at any time. Anyway, I also grew an addiction to a certain form of olives, where they get pitted and stuffed with jalapeno – I was distraught when I found they were nowhere as easy to find back home – however I can declare that the ones from Spar are the best without a chance, just in case you ever find yourself wanting a snack in Tenerife.
Overall, it was an awesome trip, and I look forward to possibly returning in the future!
By Rory H (2B)
Somerset
During the half term break, I generally spent the time making things and enjoying having some free time, but while staying at my grandparents, we decided to go to Wookey Hole Caves, in Somerset. These caves were created when over time rainwater filtered through the Mendip hills, which is made of sedimentary rock, carving and eroding the caves. Around 50,000 years ago animals and even Neanderthal humans sheltered in the caves: we know this as there were flint tools discovered there. Then later there where cave hyenas (now extinct), Celtic farmers, Romans believed to have lived there. But maybe most interestingly in1912 Herbert Balch found the skeleton of an Iron Age woman alongside a goat, a dagger and other artifacts. These all seeming point to the legend of the Wookey Hole Witch, which is another part of the long history of the Caves, which are probably better left for another time otherwise this article may become quite long! But overall, it was a great time learning a new thing or two, but it is also great to be back at school.
By Alec H (2B)
Photography Club
Photography Club is one of my favourite co-curricular activities, and this half term it’s back with a twist! After focusing on the key concepts surrounding photography in the autumn term, this term we have been planning and shooting a documentary! No hints yet, but it’s going to be great (I hope). With the great help from Miss Munday (who manages the School Archives), we dive into Hampton’s rich history. We have just begun the filming stage, with club members from Second Year all the way to Sixth Form fulfilling the roles required for a great documentary. Filming takes place this half term, so come along and take part in something new! Photography Club takes place in F61 on Monday, 2nd lunch (1.15pm).
By Max O (2H)
T20 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2026
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup has already been packed with drama, shocks and high-quality cricket. One of the standout surprises came when the West Indies stunned England in a thrilling upset, while Zimbabwe shocked the cricket world by defeating the mighty Australia team, shaking up the group standings. Meanwhile, South Africa have been involved in intense clashes, including a fiery contest against Afghanistan and a high-pressure showdown with the Indian cricket team. Both matches highlighting the competitive edge of this year’s tournament with unexpected results and nail-biting finishes, the competition has already proven why T20 cricket is so unpredictable and exiting.
By Rayaan A (2P)
Lower School Art Exhibition
You are cordially invited to the Lower School Art Exhibition Open Event on Tuesday 3 March from 4.00pm-5.30pm in the Art Department Gallery.
First, Second and Third Years have been working hard in Art to produce some stunning work which is now on display in the Hampton School Art Gallery. They have explored a diverse range of subjects including the Natural World, Still Life, Public Art, Identity, World Art and Narrative Art.
We would be delighted if you could join us to see their creative work, and please do bring family and friends.
Pet of the Week
This week’s Pet/s of the Week are none other than my own dogs – Eddie and Reggie. As well as being the world’s good-est boys, they also insisted on making a grand appearance in the blog so they could show off their extremely stylish bandanas.
If you think your pet could give Eddie and Reggie a run for their money, please send in your own photos – we’d love to feature your adorable animals in future editions of Pet of the Week!
Guess the Film – Emoji Challenge!
Each week I will ask a different member of the Second Year Tutor team to tell me their favourite film – in emoji form! Your job is to guess the film and the teacher…!
Examples:
🎈🤡⛔ (IT)
🐯🚣♂️🏝️ (Life of Pi)
This week:
🧙♂️⚡🔥🏆🐉🌊🌳😱
Come back next week for the answer!!!!
Quiz of the Week
Welcome to the Quiz of the Week! Every week, we’ll post five general knowledge questions. Take a look at this week’s questions, have a go yourself or challenge people at home and see if they know the answer.
Points for the Interform Competition will be awarded to the form with the most entries over the term.
This week’s quiz questions come to us from Noam C (2L). Why don’t you have a go and enter your answers here:
Here are the answers to last week’s quiz:
- Which country was the first to grant women the right to vote? New Zealand
- What is the smallest bone in the human body? The stapes (in the ear)
- Which scientist proposed the three laws of motion? Sir Isaac Newton
- What is the capital of Bolivia? Sucre (constitutional capital) or La Paz (administrative capital)
- Which gas makes up the majority of Earth’s atmosphere? Nitrogen
Well done to the following Second Year Hamptonians who answered everything correctly – Rahim K, Harri C, Joshin F, Reyansh K, Ansh R and Fred GvP.
If you’re keen to write some general knowledge questions for the Blog, please email b.tiller@hamptonschool.org.uk.
