Welcome to the Fourth Year Blog!
Welcome to the first edition of the Fourth Year Blog 2026-27! It has been a busy first half term and Fourth Year Hamptonians have thrown themselves into School life with energy and vigour. A quick Interform update before we here from some of our pupil writers. The current standings are:
- 4G
- 4F
- 4J
- 4B
- 4E
- 4A
- 4D
- 4H
- 4C
From a Where’s Wally game to a perplexing memory competition, there’s been lots of competitions for Fourth Year Hamptonians to get stuck into and there’s still plenty to play for with many more interform competitions to come.
Clever checkmates
In a long evening of chess Hampton set out for victory in the Russell Jamboree Trophy.
In the Championship the A’s – highlighted by an unbeaten Luoke W – fell short in their chase for glory coming third against very tough opponents – one point away from first.
In the Majors the B’s saw some good chess and definitive results but it wasn’t enough to secure first coming joint second by 1/2 a point.
In the C’s we saw dominance all around – scoring 10 and 1/2 points to win the minors by 6 points.
By Aneesh A (4F) and Luoke W (4F)
Cubing Corner
Back in March of this year, I learned how to solve a Rubik’s Cube for the first time. Afterwards, all I wanted to do was get faster. Over the coming months, I learnt faster methods, other cubes, and even how to solve a 2X2 blindfolded! Then it hit me: there is no cubing club at Hampton. So, with only a few cubes and the hope of making a community at School, I set one up with the help of my Third Year form tutor. Since then, every week on a Wednesday, a couple of Lower School pupils and I huddled in F67 to learn how to solve and get faster. But my goal, since I learned how to solve a cube, was to solve in a competition. And it just so happened that the most suitable competition I could go to was the UK Championship! So, I began training; both in the club and at home. Over the course of the first half of the summer break, I tried to shave down my times, and ended up getting my PB in the 3×3 event just 10 minutes before leaving for the competition! (at 31.88 seconds)
Eventually, the competition came. It was a huge arena, being the University of Birmingham’s Sports Hall, but what struck me was the amount of people! Not only were there competitors, but spectators, officials and parents too! My first event of the day was 3X3, and when I arrived, I didn’t have long before my group was called. For those who don’t know, in speed solving, you are allowed five solves, with the worst and best times being discounted, and the other three are meaned to create your average. The top X competitors with the best average advance. It went OK, with a 35.88 second single and a 37 second average, but it wasn’t enough to make me advance. The rest of the events followed suit, most notably a 6.33 single for Pyraminx, which is really good for me, especially with competition nerves!
The next day, it was time for the finals, and I decided to watch. But I was also lucky enough to judge in the final, making sure the competitor doesn’t break any rules during the solve. Overall, it was very exciting to watch, especially the Skewb (A type of Rubik’s cube without the edges) finals, where a new National Record of 1.05 seconds was set!
Speedcubing (or just cubing) has been my most favourite hobby I have ever picked up, and I am really glad I can share it with some pupils every week in club.
And for those of you wondering, my 3X3 PB now is 16.83 seconds!
By Charlie F (4A)
Life Lessons
In our last PSHE lesson, we talked to a Sixth Form class about how the upcoming social media ban is going to affect us all. During the session, we looked at how our day-to-day routines might change, with the pupils pointing out that less time on our phones could actually be a good thing for reducing stress and getting better sleep. On the other hand, we talked about how it will impact the way we keep in touch, especially when it comes to group chats for school projects and staying connected with friends outside of class.
We also talked about the timing of the ban, since they are already taking on major responsibilities like learning to drive and preparing for university. It was interesting to discuss how we will all handle our independence online versus offline. Ultimately, the lesson was a great opportunity to think about how we can keep our community connected and supportive of one another if these digital changes go through.
By Uzair V (4C)
Football is back!
The U15Bs kicked their season off with a standout performance versus Winchester School. It was the first time the team had ever had the honour of playing on the prestigious First XI pitch, where the best of Hampton matches are played. From the opening whistle, Hampton built their game on a rock-solid defensive foundation. Centre-backs Wilf W and Thomas C put on a masterclass at the back, dealing comfortably with every Winchester attack. As the half progressed, Hampton grew in confidence, establishing complete control over possession. Promising chances soon came in abundance, largely driven by the electric wingers Stephane A and Thomas P, whose explosive runs caused constant headaches for the Winchester defence. The deadlock was finally broken with ten minutes left in the half. Powerful midfielder Toby W struck a cracking finish into the bottom-left corner to give Hampton a deserved lead. Hungry for more, the team continued to attack with all their might, though they were rather unlucky not to extend their advantage before the half-time whistle.
Hampton carried that high standard and sharp tempo into the second half, moving the ball superbly. However, Winchester emerged with a revamped, hyper-attacking formation. The robust Hampton backline initially coped brilliantly with Winchester’s sudden counterattacks. It was clear the visitors had woken up, and they soon began to bombard the Hampton box, setting up a thrilling second-half. As the clock ticked down, the game opened up dramatically. With both sides desperate for a goal, massive pockets of space appeared, turning the match into a series of fierce individual battles. Sensing the incoming victory, Hampton shifted into a defensive block, aiming to shut out their opponents. Winchester threw everyone forward, unleashing shots from almost every angle. Tragically for the hosts, in the dying minutes of the game, Winchester’s relentless pressure paid off as they finally converted a chance from a corner – heartbreak for Hampton after such a fierce defensive effort. The match ended in a hard-fought 1–1 draw. For their first game of the season, it was a highly commendable and promising performance from the U15Bs.
By Thomas P (4J)
