Welcome to the First Year Blog!
Brrr… did anyone else feel like Hampton turned into the North Pole this week? The temperature dropped faster than a Roman legion at Cannae! Luckily, our First Years kept warm with a flurry of activities because it was Homework Holiday and No Limits Week – the perfect excuse to chill on homework and heat things up by trying new clubs. From cracking codes at Cryptic Crossword Club to dismantling computers at Code Ninjas (don’t worry, no laptops were harmed at home… we hope!), there was something for everyone.
Speaking of adventure, the Adventure Society took “No Limits” quite literally with their epic trip to Bentley Copse. Zip wires, cave mazes, and orienteering in the dark – sounds like Hampton’s very own survival show! If that wasn’t enough action, our U12B football team stayed red hot and continued their undefeated streak. Plus, we had a visit from bestselling author Ben Kane, who brought Ancient Rome to life – tunics, sandals, and all. Talk about history in style!
We also meet some of our fantastic Form Tutors in this week’s blog – don’t miss the interview with Mrs Willett-Pecnik and Mr Cates!
So grab a hot chocolate (or maybe a Roman goblet?) and dive into this week’s blog – it’s packed with stories that will warm you up faster than a roaring campfire!
FIRST AND SECOND YEAR JOINT INTERFORM WORDLE!
Calling all First Years! Our first ever combined First and Second Year interform event of the year is here… Interform Wordle! Each form needs to nominate two people, and they will then form a team with pupils from the other year group (1P with 2P for example).
It will be next Tuesday 25 November at lunch from 1.10pm in the Drama Hall. Silent spectators are allowed! Please speak to Mrs Whitwam or Miss Tiller if you have any questions.
BEN KANE’S BATTLE BONANZA
Friends, Romans and Countrymen, lend me your ear – for last Friday there was a talk by the one and only, Roman enthusiast: Ben Kane. The talk was titled ‘Rome’s Greatest Defeats’ however, with Ben’s great knowledge and enthusiasm, I felt I learnt much more. Walking into the impressive Hammond theatre I saw the fascinating setup he had brought with him. An intriguing, historical mix of iron and bronze roman helmets and amour, different types of Roman jewellery encrusted with gemstones, and interesting roman artifacts. The atmosphere was exciting with even some pupils from LEH attending. Ben added to the excitement by being dressed as your everyday Roman citizen by wearing a tunic and sandals. One of my favourite parts was when Ben told the true story of one of his books, called ‘Spartacus’. It was a fascinating story of a boy who rebelled in gladiator school. He brought four of his books that we could buy and get signed by Ben Kane himself. I did buy one and I did get it signed, it said:
“For Ted
Salve!
Ben”
I cannot wait to read it! What a memorable day! Gratias ago tibi Ben Kane!
By Ted D (1L)
Last week on Friday, Hamptonians were lucky enough to have The Sunday Times bestselling author Ben Kane come in to talk about the Roman’s worst defeats. Ben Kane writes books on real life battles. His books include ‘Hannibal’ and ‘Spartacus the Gladiator’.
Ben started by saying that the Romans had a 70% win rate in battle. One of their losses was to Hannibal, a ruler with men that were extremely skilled with bow and arrow. He also talked about Spartacus and how he was a Thracian soldier who fought in war and when he came back from fighting, there was a new ruler who sold him as a gladiator to the Romans. But one day, Spartacus rebelled and escaped with 70 others who he led to many victories.
I had a great time learning about the Romans and I look forward to reading ‘Spartacus the Gladiator’.
By Miguel B (1B)
Ben Kane, author of historical fiction whose novels have sold over 1 million copies worldwide, visited Hampton last Friday. He delivered an enthralling lecture on ‘Rome’s Greatest Defeats and Near Misses’ to well over one hundred Hampton and LEH students. His talk highlighted two of Rome’s most famous military debacles. These two defeats, which are in his novels, Hannibal: Enemy of Rome and Eagles of War, took place in the Southern Italian city of Cannae and the Teutoberg Forest.
In 216 BC, the Battle of Cannae took place in Southern Italy during the Second Punic War. Hannibal’s smaller force faced off against a larger, Roman army. The Carthaginian general maneuverer his troops around and behind his enemy. The Romans, caught unawares by this bold move, were slaughtered and at least 50,000 of them died.
In 9 AD, Roman General Varus and his three legions were marching through the Teutoberg Forest to their military camp on the Rhine when they were ambushed by Germanic tribesmen under the command of Arminius. The Romans were massacred, Varus committed suicide and the handful of legionnaires who survived, fled.
I really enjoyed Mr Kane’s talk and even purchased two of his books, Eagles of War and Stormcrow. I look forward to attending his lecture next year. I urge you to come too!
By John L (1G)
Every now and then, Hampton School hosts various talks from famous individuals who present fascinating facts and provide a thrilling experience. Last Friday at lunch, pupils were lucky enough to meet Ben Kane, a renowned historical novelist and expert on Ancient Rome. He spoke to us about Rome’s greatest military defeats, a subject that brought to light some gruesome aspects of ancient history. We learned about various invasions and rebellions, including the famous slave uprising led by Spartacus. Ben described how Spartacus and his followers defeated Roman legions multiple times, notably on Mount Vesuvius. However, the rebellion was crushed, and the surviving rebels were crucified along the Appian Way.
We also learned a startling fact about Roman military might: a whole army of German tribes, despite having almost no armour and unconventional tactics, managed to decisively defeat a well-trained Roman army. Finally, we filed out of the Hammond Theatre having learned many facts and a valuable lesson: even with a strong army and tactics, victory is never one hundred percent guaranteed—a reality the mighty Roman Empire, which dominated its era, had to learn the hard way.
By Yifan C (1L)
Last Friday, in the Hammond Theatre, author Ben Kane delivered an unforgettable talk that plunged us straight into the blood, sweat, and sand of the ancient world. He really focused on the history behind the fiction, showing us how his books on gladiators and the legendary general Hannibal are built on real-life events and meticulous research. He spoke about his crazy expeditions, like marching in full legionary kit across the Middle East, all to understand what his characters would have actually endured. We learned about the brutal reality of gladiatorial combat, the specifics of how a gladiator was trained and fought, and how he ensures the descriptions of these life-and-death contests are accurate. He also detailed the brilliant, yet risky, military tactics used by Hannibal’s army as they crossed the Alps with elephants, using photos of historical sites and artifacts to illustrate how he brings these epic moments to life on the page.
I am sure everyone who went to the talk is a very inspired Hamptonian. I certainly am!
By Ruben V (1F)
BENTLEY COPSE Adventure
The Adventure Society weekend at Bentley Copse was packed with heart pounding excitement! We kicked off with the zipwire activity, swiftly moving on to a bike ride within the grounds, at the end of which we raced to see who could cycle the slowest without putting their foot to the ground – harder than you would think! We all failed miserably but it was such a good laugh.
The biggest thrill came when we crawled, climbed and squeezed our way through the dimly lit cave maze made from wooden tunnels over three floors. The staff had arranged for us to play ‘stuck in the mud’ and ‘among us’- the aim was to survive without being caught or killed.
After a delicious pizza we then were armed with maps and torches and went orienteering in the dark fields and woods of Bentley Copse. We dashed around shouting out directions desperate to be the fist team to find all the signs. That didn’t happen! We went back in to watch Despicable Me 3 with a treat of popcorn and hot chocolate before going to bed exhausted but happy.
After breakfast the next morning we went mountain biking down twisting trails – there were a few falls, cuts and lots of laughs. My mud sprayed clothes were evidence for my mum of a good time! By the end of the weekend, our whole group felt exhausted from the adventure. For me, it was also a great opportunity to meet some of the other boys who are not in my form groups.
By Ethan V (1F)
On Saturday 15 November, 32 boys from Hampton School’s First Year were picked to go on an Adventure Society trip to Bentley Copse in the Surrey Hills. We piled our bikes and bags into a van and set off in a fleet of three minibuses. Once we arrived, we split into three groups and went straight into activities.
The first one (for my group) were the caves – a network of small tunnels that we had to crawl through and find the way out. This was really fun! The second was the zipline, and the third was cycling, where we cycled around the grounds of Bentley Copse. It was dark by this time and I couldn’t see very well!
We then had dinner, made by our teachers, played board games, and went outside again to do orienteering. Finally, we went indoors and enjoyed Despicable Me 3, accompanied by hot chocolate and popcorn. Afterwards, we went to sleep in our dorm.
The next day, Sunday, we woke up and had a yummy breakfast. We got on our bicycles and cycled through the local villages for a few hours, and ate packed lunches on a hill, appreciating the beautiful view over the Surrey Hills. We cycled back down the hill and all too soon, it was time to go. It was a really great weekend and we all thoroughly enjoyed it – huge thank you to the staff who came along and my fellow First Year Hamptonians who made it really fun!
By Zach B (1G)
MEET THE FORM TUTORS: MRS WILLET-PECNIK AND MR CATES
This week, Aahil U (1G) was fortunate enough to interview the wonderful Form Tutor team for 1G, Mrs Willet-Pecnik and Mr Cates:
Aahil: Hello Mr Cates and Mrs Willett-Pecnik. I am going to be interviewing you for Blog Club. So let me start with the first question. How are you?
Mr Cates: I’m good, thank you.
Mrs Willett-Pecnik: I am good. How are you?
Aahil: Okay. So, I am going to ask you some questions, starting with an easy one. So, a question everyone loves – Cats or Dogs and why?
Mr Cates: Cats, because they are more friendly to a busy schedule.
Mrs Willett-Pecnik: I really cannot decide as I have had both and they are both really great pets to have.
Aahil: Now, for more school related questions. How long have you been teaching at Hampton?
Mr Cates: This is my first year teaching at Hampton.
Mrs Willett-Pecnik: This is my tenth year, and they have been ten very happy years.
Aahil: Why did you choose to teach at Hampton?
Mr Cates: As an Old Hamptonian, I liked the environment and the School ethos.
Mrs Willett-Pecnik: As a German specialist, I wanted to teach at a school that I could teach up to A Level in German and where the pupils were genuinely enthused by learning languages.
Aahil: What is your favourite year to teach and why?
Mr Cates: First Years, because of their enthusiasm.
Mrs Willett-Pecnik: First and Third Year beginners, as it is exciting to see how they step up and what they learn. But really I love teaching every year group. As German is such a small department, I tend to teach all the Germanists at one stage or another, which is a fantastic privilege and it’s wonderful to see them all progress over their years of study.
Aahil: What are your highlights of teaching at Hampton?
Mr Cates: Going on the Avon Tyrrell trip, I really enjoyed that. And when my U15 Football team win.
Mrs Willett-Pecnik: I would say the Lower Sixth national German debating competition as we were 2019 semi-finalists and 2018 finalists.
Aahil: Okay, final question – what do you think makes a good pupil?
Mr Cates: curiosity in what you are learning.
Mrs Willett-Pecnik: A willingness to try hard in every subject, whether it is your strongest or not.
Aahil: Thank you so much for your time.
BRILLIANT BOOTS AND BANGERS
The U12B Football team have gone undefeated on a streak of eight games, scoring 69 goals. In the first five matches we had scored 50 goals. Our biggest win was when we won 13-1 at Alleyn’s School. We have scored some amazing goals, lots of different ones, some team goals starting from the back, some top corner bangers, but the best was when Jay flicked it over the keeper’s head from a corner. We have made it through to the third round of the ESFA Cup and are about to play soon.
Our top scorer is Miguel, and we have kept three clean sheets, proving our defence and attack is really good. It has been an amazing season so far and our spirit has been super, especially when we conceded three goals in five minutes against Grey Court School. We took that really well and stayed positive, in the end getting a win to put us through to the third round. Also, a massive thank you to Mr Worrall and all his work for the team, he has been a great manager.
By Al M (1W)
Flying High
Form 1H had a blast designing and flying paper aeroplanes. From sleek darts to creative gliders, the Art Gallery was full of laughter and friendly competition as First Year Hamptonians tested whose design could soar the furthest.
Clubs Galore
DRAGONS, DICE, AND DAREDEVILS AT D&D
Dungeons and Dragons, or D&D, is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game where one “player” is the Dungeon Master (DM) and the others are “players” who are controlling individual characters in the game. The DM describes the world and its events, while players narrate their characters’ actions. Gameplay involves collaboratively telling a story, exploring worlds, fighting monsters, and completing quests, with dice rolls determining the success of uncertain actions. On Friday lunchtime at 1.00pm in room S18, is where we are currently delving into the fantasy world of Grayhawk and its unnatural infestation of werewolves. Come along to receive a free character sheet and a quick introduction into the world of D&D!
By Jake C (1P)
CODE NINJAS CHAOS
This week, I have been going around trying new clubs for No Limits Week. So far, I have tried a few clubs, but one that particularly stood out was Code Ninjas. Usually, we learn to code in this club, but this week we did something different: Sixth Formers brought in old computers for us to dismantle!
Some of the sacrifices included a massive, no longer functioning computer, a laptop and even a Roomba! We got to take apart these devices to look at and learn about their parts. For example, the huge computer contained a CPU, the main processor in a computer, and some RAM, which acts as the short-term memory of the machine. We were able to see how complicated every part was, especially the motherboard, which had a mass of intricate lines all over it.
After the epic fun of deconstructing these gadgets, there was of course an epic clean-up afterwards. It turns out that it is pretty hard to put together all the parts again. So, definitely think twice before you try this at home: after all, you might need your laptop in the future!
By Hiu Yeung K (1P)
CRYPTIC CROSSWORD CONUNDRUMS
On Wednesday, many First Years immersed themselves in an enigmatic crossword at the Cryptic Crossword Club. First, the teachers explained the key steps into cracking the code. We had to find the indicator word and the definition of the code. The new boys started with some easy taster anagrams where the bold words tell you the meaning of the code and the word in italics indicates what the code is about. The code is one simple word that you rack your brains just to find. I got a kick out of Cryptic Crossword Club and I am sure the others who went would agree.
By Edward G (1J)
HAPPINESS WITH HARRIS
For No Limits week I went to Dog Club on Wednesday with Dr Hendry and with Harris of course. We walked Harris around the School from Dr Hendry’s office to the reception and out of the main entrance. Lots of boys were delighted to see the School dog as we walked out the main entrance with Harris leading the way, partially pulling the boy with his lead because of how eager he was to go and play with us. Once we got to the pitches, we started throwing tennis balls for Harris to chase and fetch, we played tug of war with him, and we tried to get to do some tricks with Harris, but I think the treats are more important than anything else! We had tons of fun with Harris and it was a great experience, and I will definitely go again.
By Finley S (1W)
FLYING HIGH AT PHYSICS CLUB
This week, I would like to talk about my thrilling experience at one of the clubs that I participated during No Limits Week, Physics Club. Before I continue, I would like to say that Hampton School has a wide variety of opportunities and co-curricular activities. This week, Hampton has encouraged the pupils to try something new
This week at Physics Club, we created and sealed paper hot-air balloons. The club was packed with pupils and was hosted by two Sixth Form pupils and Mr Worrall. I’d love to share, as my own research, that the experiment we did is proved by the process of buoyancy which is described by the Archimedes’ principle.
Anyway, once our hot-air balloons were ready to fly, we went outside to put them over the hot-air pipe. The science behind this is that hot air goes up in colder air, and once the balloon is full of hot air, the hot air carries the balloon to the sky. Eventually, the hot air would leave the balloon, and the balloon would stop going up, and slowly descend. I was impressed with our teams’ balloon, as it did levitate, and quite high as well.
Probably, Physics Club will be my go-to club on a Wednesday, and I am glad that No Limits Week has made that one of the things I will do weekly!
By Owen S-W (1L)
MASTERING MATHS WITH A MENTOR
As I walked to the Atrium, I wondered which maths topics were going to be covered today. After I registered, I looked around for my mentor (Arun) the only thing I know about him is his name. Slightly apprehensive, I wait for my maths mentor – each moment was like a millennium. Finally, the moment arrived! The funny thing is that when I saw him, I thought he was some other boy’s mentor and didn’t really pay attention until I thought I heard my name. At this point, he had already gone off to try and find me in the atrium. I asked one of the other mentors if he was Arun and they said yes. I realised how foolish I was, then went after him.
He introduced himself as Arun and told me if I have any questions about maths I could ask him. Turns out I had no reason to worry! He was kind and patient, telling me many better ways to solve the exercises. Overall, I think everyone ought to give Maths Mentoring a try because of how much it helps your learning. It also might give you a new perspective to this subject.
By Julian H (1H)
A POSITIVELY PERFECT PARISIAN PARTY
My mum and I sat on the congested Victoria Line train with my large viridian green suitcase, my head spinning with exciting thoughts as I began my journey to Paris. Soon, we arrived at Kings Cross St. Pancras, where we were about to embark on the Eurostar across the English Channel to France! Soon, we got on the Eurostar and after a few moments, we were moving. We travelled out of the bustling city and into the countryside. As we moved through the tunnel underwater, my craving for croissants increased as we inched ever closer to Paris. Soon, we would arrive in Gare du Nord.
When we arrived in Paris, we made a pact to not get in any cars and only take the metro. We then took the metro to our hotel next to the beautiful Opera House, dropped off our bags and wasted no time exploring this amazing city! On the first evening, we went to see the Montparnasse Tower, the tower in which you can see most of Paris from the top, although being quite unsightly from the outside. Unfortunately, we couldn’t go up because we forgot to buy tickets! Instead, we passed Westfield Shopping Centre and got back on the train. To make up for the mistake, we took a trip to the LEGO store! In the station, there were armed soldiers all around like statues, watching all the passengers. My first day in Paris was amazing and I wished it didn’t have to end.
On the second day, we woke up and travelled to the Palace of Versailles. After about an hour’s long train journey, we got out and exited the station, eager to witness the marvel of the vast, luxurious palace. We soon arrived at the colossal regal gates, the stunning castle standing before us. When we stepped onto the gleaming marble floor inside, we were greeted by an elegant hallway, the walls embellished with golden-framed tapestries and paintings. The rooms were decorated with precious objects and in some, the whole room was like a painted canvass. As we came out, we got to see the incredible view of the gardens, the verdant hedges twisting in many different directions and the pastel flowers blanketing the foliage. Armed with delectable macarons, we got back on the train and went to our next stop, one of the most famous landmarks in the world – The Eiffel Tower.
After we got out of the station for the Eiffel Tower, we looked around and were confused. We could not see it. But suddenly, out of nowhere as we turned around a corner, we both gasped. The statuesque Eiffel Tower was standing right in front of us, its magnificent prowess radiating over the city. Its intricate metal designs were like vines, intertwining to create this historic masterpiece. Now, we were going to go up it. Soon, we were waiting for our turn and eventually started climbing the endless number of stairs. But after about 20 steps, my mum’s fear of heights took over, and she had to give in. Luckily, she allowed me to continue the journey alone. I was sorry that she couldn’t come up with me, but nevertheless I was still full of excitement. After the 674 stairs, I arrived at the second floor, the city of Paris all around me. The streets and the buildings were like ants, busily bustling around. It was an incredible sight, a moment that I will never forget. After a few minutes I began my descent and found my mum. And in the evening, we went back to view the Eiffel Tower, and we watched (with a crepe!) the Eiffel Tower illuminated with flashing blinking lights. It was incredible as we stood in the pouring rain, the miniscule, vibrant sparks of light in the background and the raging sea of dark umbrellas below it. Back in our hotel room, we settled in for a good night’s sleep, thinking about our incredible day.
The next day, our final day in Paris, we squeezed in a quick visit to see the outside of Notre Dame Cathedral before going back to Gare du Nord to catch our train back home. As we slowly pulled out of the station on the Eurostar, I wished we weren’t leaving the wonderful experience of this city. The metro and the landmarks and the atmosphere of Paris was unlike anything else I’ve ever experienced. It was an unforgettable trip.
By Aiden G (1J)
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).
Johnny (1P) plays golf at Strawberry Hill Golf Club and at the start of the summer, he entered the Junior Singles Knockout competition there. He progressed through the rounds by winning four matches over the summer and played in the final during half term. He was very pleased to win this match (on the 13th hole) and he got his prize at the junior presentation evening last week. Let’s hear from Johnny below:
Last Thursday I collected my trophy for winning the Junior Singles Summer Knockout competition at my local golf club (Strawberry Hill).
After progressing through many matches throughout the course of the summer, I made it to the final. There I would play my opponent, a much older boy with a considerably lower handicap than mine and someone who had far more experience than me. I knew it would be a tough match and was prepared to embrace the fact that I was the obvious underdog. However, after already beating far older boys than me, I went into the match with hope – hope which would help me battle it out to overcome my opponent and ultimately win the match.
I won on the 13th hole (out of 18) and as I walked off the course, a sense of realisation kicked in; I was the champion of the Junior Singles Summer Knockout competition! It was the happiest I’d been all summer. As I got home and walked through the door, my family instantly asked me whether I’d won. With a huge grin on my face, I told them the brilliant news. They were all so proud. It was one of the best moments of my entire sporting career.
TUTEE OF THE WEEK
Every week, the First Year Tutor team nominate a Hamptonian who they have been particularly impressed with and Mr Hill and Mr Fuldner present him with a certificate and a tasty treat to eat!
Congratulations to Edin H (1G) on being named this week’s Tutee of the Week!
Edin is always a lovely presence in the form and has made some brilliant contributions to School life – well done Edin!
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! 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: Where can you these poppies that have been planted? The poppies in the photo last week have been planted in the cloisters!
A big shout out to the First Years who correctly found the answer to last week’s Hampton Hunt. Well done to Yifen C, Miguel B, Aiden G, Jacob B, Danny T, Kayan A, Dominic B, Andreas C, Mikaeel K, Divam J, Owen S-W, Ted D, Hui Yeung K, Sam W, Orlando G, Guy H, Aahil U, Isaac R, Thomas N, Yuvi U, Nicholas M, Avirat P, Alex B, Ahrin K, Alex W, Armaan A, Sebastian F, Ruben V, Zac N, Pesandu W, Edin H, Aiden K, Rishaan G, Aditya S, Thomas D, Koye O, Sam P and Armaan A.
Make sure you collect a merit from your Form Tutor next week!
This week’s challenge:
where can you find this mosaic?
