WELCOME TO THE FIRST YEAR BLOG!
This week has been packed full of exciting opportunities and trips for half of our First Years! 1B, 1H, 1P and 1W started off this week with their Geography trip to the South Downs, followed by their turn on the RS trip. The final push on the interform competitions has also begun this week, well done to all of the First Year for a very competitive interform quiz on Wednesday. I can personally admit that I would not have done as well as our competitors. Congratulations to 1B, 1L, and 1P who have made it to the semi-finals next week (joining 1J who had a bye this week). Good luck to all those competing! Finally, the First Years were able to flex their creative muscles with some exciting Art workshops inspired by Keith Haring and Antony Gormley. While the weather may not reflect it, the end of term is closely approaching – let’s all finish this term on a positive note and keep up the high standards!
MEET MRS PEATTIE
For this week’s blog I decided to interview Mrs Peattie. You will all agree that Miss Peattie has played a significant role in all our journey as First Year pupils at Hampton. Hamptonians young and old have all benefited from Mrs Peattie’s care and guidance. I would like to thank Mrs Peattie for her dedication to the academic and personal development of all of us at Hampton!
What do you think was the most significant historical event for the United Kingdom?
The Magna Carta. I think the Magna Carta was the first document that curbed the power of the king and in theory, an absolute monarchy.
What is your main goal as a History teacher?
To hopefully transfer the love and enthusiasm in my lessons to my pupils and also to inform how the past shapes today.
If there was something or someone you could remove from history, who/what would it be?
An obvious one would be to remove Adolf Hitler or the Holocaust, but I think it would not be as simple to remove one figure.
If there was something you could add to history, what would it be?
Earlier vaccination for cancer.
Can you give a lesser known historical event that you find fascinating?
I love the Renaissance because I love History especially Art History. Anything to do with Italy grabs me. I also like studying the troubles in Northern Ireland.
What do you think the world will look like would look like in 2060?
I would be interested to know about environmental conditions in the era, Russia’s power, and democratic change. It would be very interesting to see the state of Israel and Palestine.
Do you think AI will have a negative or positive impact on humanity?
Both! I think there are really positive skills AI could do. But there are many negative things it could also do. Elections would also be a huge concern.
What is the one thing you love about Hampton?
The boys and sense of humour among the staff.
What is your favourite highlight at Hampton up till now?
Some really good trips like history trips and non-history trips. I have been to Washington, Malawi, and Florence.
What is your favourite movie?
My favourite film is Cool Runnings, it is about the Jamaican bobsleigh team! That is probably my favourite fun film.
By Ethan S-W (1L)
GEOGRAPHY TRIP TO THE SOUTH DOWNS
All set and ready to go! As we sat on the bus ready to leave school, eagerness and excitement filled the air. We were going to the South Downs! It was a long excursion, but we made it worthwhile. Many of us grabbed card games from our bags and began to play contentedly with our friends. Then eventually, we had arrived at our destination. We were welcomed by a splendid view of lush countryside and wildlife. We started off with a trek up a quite steep hill. It tired many legs out, but when we reached the top, there was a huge sense of relief. Afterwards, we stopped a had a quick talk about this amazing national park with our teachers. This was followed by continuous walking, stopping, talking until lunch. We were discussing as a class about spring line settlements, what activities or general things that the South Down offers, etc. In my opinion, the most enjoyable part of the trip was visiting the Devil’s Dyke. It was fascinating to learn how this extraordinary curvature was formed and we also received a chance to read a comic strip of a myth/legend on how a ‘’devil’’ created this vast ditch.
A huge thank you to the teachers that managed this trip. What an exuberant day!
By Riyaan G (1B)
Art Day
Clay, sports, sculptures! We started off our Friday morning with two art workshops. First, we were welcomed with an array of black and yellow colours. Our aim was to create sport designs, so that we could stick them on the windows of the North Gym. Some of the designs were the following: a football player, cricket player, table tennis player etc. We made these for people to embrace sport around school. Secondly, we were assigned to make some figures out of clay. Once finished, we then placed these impressive figures on a board to create a First Year field of art. Both workshops were extremely enjoyable!
By Riyaan G (1B)
On Friday, our class (1L) and other classes took part in two interactive, interesting art workshops for Art Day! In the first workshop, we did a recreation of ‘The Field’ by Antony Gormley, a British artist from the 1990s known for his clay sculptures worldwide. Another characteristic of Gormley’s works is the sheer size and quantity of which the sculptures are produced, around 40,000 in larger display created in just a week with 100 volunteers.
By Rishi K (1L) and Leo S (1L)
WEEKEND CRICKET – INDIA VS PAKISTAN
Across the school, there seems to be a certain topic that caught the attention of many Hamptonians including myself. These were mostly the cricket lovers. I think you have guessed it. The India vs Pakistan MATCH! A heated rivalry which started off with rain but cleared up eventually. Soon after, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma fell quickly with scores of 4 off 3 balls and 13 off 12 balls. There was still hope as Rishabh Pant entered the mix as well as Axar Patel. Axar fell a few overs later with a score of 20 for 18 balls. Pant was still in, but wickets kept tumbling with Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube out for 7 off 8 balls and 3 off 9 balls until Pant finally got out with a solid score of 42 in 31 balls just missing out on his 50. There were first ball ducks for Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah and the Indians got out for a measly total of 119 all out. This might seem a bad score but on the New York pitch, there was still a chance.
It was Pakistan’s turn to bat, and they got a decent start with both openers Babar Azam and Rizwan playing cautiously. Soon in the 5th over, Babar got out for 13 off 10 balls and Pakistan were 26 for 1 in 4.4 overs. Up next was Usman Khan getting out for 13 as well as Fakhar Zaman. The Indians had a chance, but Mohammad Rizwan was still at the crease. He put up a good partnership with Imad Wasim and The Indians thought they had lost it. All of them except one man. JASPRIT BUMRAH! With his first ball of his 3rd over, he bowled out Rizwan for 31 of 44 balls and the tide shifted. Shadab Khan and Ifthakar Ahmed got out as well. Needing 18 of the last over, it seemed all over. Naseem Shah did his best, but the Indians prevail with the final total being 113 for 7 and they lost by 6 runs. Unfortunately, Pakistan could repeat what happened in 2021. India on top of Group A and Pakistan on the brink of elimination. Could Pakistan not make it to the Super 8? We will find out soon enough.
By Uzair V (1L)
MATSUO BASHŌ – JAPANESE HAIKU POET
As I was writing some haikus, I came across the peot, Matsuo Bashō. So I decided to write about him. Matsuo Bashō is a famous Japanese haiku poet. He is famous for his haiku of a frog. It goes like this:
An old silent pond
A frog jumps into the pond
Splash! Silence again
Bashō was from a ninja family and his dad was a musokunin, a class of landowning people granted certain privileges of samurai. Bashō was also famous for his wander across Japan. He would walk across Japan and write about the scenes that he saw. Bashō traveled alone, off the beaten path, that is, on the Five Edo Routes, which in medieval Japan were regarded as immensely dangerous as it was full of bandits. In September 1684, he begins a long journey to the west that led to his first travel journal, Journal of Bleached Bones in a Field (Nozarashi kiko). During a visit in Nagoya, he led five linked-verse sequences (kasen) that would be published as The Winter Sun (Fuyu no hi). In 1687, he left Edo in May for a very long journey to the north country and the west coast of Japan, which became the basis for The Narrow Road to the Deep North (Oku no hosomichi). The journal ends with Basho heading to Ise in October. After, he returned to Edo (modern Tokyo) where he took in his nephew Toin and a female friend Jutei, who were both recovering from illness. Bashō left Edo for the last time in the summer of 1694, spending time in Ueno and Kyoto before arriving in Osaka. There, he came down with a stomach illness and surrounded by his disciples, died peacefully.
By Ian L (1F)
Calling all runners!
35 years and still going! Calling all runners, beginners or seasoned athletes – be part of Hampton School running history by taking part in the 1.8 mile time trial loop. Meet outside the Sports Hall on Friday 12.40pm, ready to run. A range of certificates for completion.
TUTEE OF THE WEEK
Every week, the First Year Tutor team nominate a boy who they have been particularly impressed with, and Mr Fuldner and Mr Hill provide him with a football to use on the fields for the week!
This week’s tutee of the week is Harry D (1W) for always being cheerful and enthusiastic and working so hard; well done Harry!
SPECIAL SHOUT OUTS!
We love to hear about what you have been getting up to outside of school and to celebrate your successes in the First Year Blog! Please do send any information about any of your achievements through to Mr Jimenez (v.jimenez@hamptonschool.org.uk).
THE HAMPTON HUNT
Each week I will set you a challenge where you need to find out a random fact, number or indeed anything else around the School – you won’t be able to do this from home! Points for the interform competition will be awarded to the Form with the most correct entries over the course of the term! You have until the end of Wednesday to complete the challenge; you will find out in next week’s blog if you’re correct, and you will be given a merit by your Form Tutor the following Monday. And who knows – you might get to know the School better in the process!
Last week’s challenge: How many medals have Hampton Chemists won in the past six years of the Chemistry Olympiad and the Cambridge Chemistry Challenge?
199
Well done to Daniel S, Shaurya , Uzair V, Rey J and Naivedya A.
How many flags are hung up outside the Geography office?
Enter your answers here:
