WELCOME TO THE SECOND YEAR BLOG!
Hello everyone, I’m Miss Holt, Assistant Head of Second Year and one of 2J’s Form Tutors. As we step into the second half of the year (I can’t quite believe I’m saying that already!), I’m excited to be taking over the blog from Miss Tiller. A huge thank you to her for all of her work this year in keeping us updated; she’s done a fantastic job, and I realise that I’ve got some big shoes to fill!
I’m pleased to report that the Second Year has returned from half term bursting with energy. We kicked off the week with interform football and it’s been wonderful to see pupils diving back into Hampton life with refreshed enthusiasm, ready for the term ahead.
Merit Milestones
Another bumper weeks for merits:
Nirvaan Bal – 20
Akshaj Gupta – 30
Harry Richardson – 30
Yousuf Hussain – 30
Tanish Kondamuri – 40
Shaurya Desai – 40
Max Miller – 40
Magnus Findlay – 40
Magnus Findlay – 50 (he’s off to see Mr Knibbs!)
Liangxu Zhong – 50 (well done!)
George Corbett – 50 (congratulations!)
Ruaan Vamadevan – 50 (super!)
Leo Syverson – 60 (fantastic!)
Matthew Thompson – 60 (great work!)
Harry Cole – 70 (fabulous!)
Ethan Sharma-Wadeson – 80 (wonderful!)
TUTOR QUESTION OF THE WEEK
Each week the pupils decide on a question to ask all the Second Year Form Tutors. This week’s question was sent in by Ethan C (2L):
Would you rather:
- Always have the feeling of sneezing, but never be able to sneeze (2L, 2H, 2W, Miss Winstock, and Mrs Owen – who ‘absolutely hates’ hiccups!)
- Have hiccups for the rest of your life (Miss Tiller and 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 a future Tutor Question Time to e.holt@hamptonschool.org.uk.
Interform Football
- 2W (14 points)
- 2J (12 points)
- 2H (9 points)
- 2P (8 points)
- 2F and 2B (joint on 6 points)
- 2L (4 points)
On Monday, our team 2L took part in an interform football tournament. Unfortunately, we ended up coming in last place, but the experience was still very enjoyable. Even though the weather changed constantly—from bright sunshine to heavy rain and even hail—we learned to adapt and still had fun throughout the day.
We played a total of six matches. In these games, we won one match, drew one, and lost four matches. Our losses happened because of some small defensive mistakes and misplaced passes, which taught us that working together and staying focused is particularly important. Even though the score was not in our favour, every game helped us learn more about teamwork and strategy.
A special mention goes to Neil, who managed to score our only goals. We also want to thank Uzair, who played as our goalkeeper for most of the matches until he unfortunately suffered a bad injury. After Uzair’s hamstring injury, Finn stepped in to take his place and even kept a clean sheet in one match against the incredibly challenging team 2H. This experience showed us that every player can make a significant difference, and that even in difficult circumstances, we must support one another on the field.
By Shaurya D and Rishi K (2L)
HalF Term Fun
Sujay’s Half Term Dream Holiday
In the February half term holiday, I got up to a lot of things, like a sleepover… oh. That was all. Even though it was fun, I wish that I could have gotten up to more things, like:
Going to a different country (It’s been a while since we’ve gone somewhere as a family, we’re planning to go to Italy in the Easter holidays though!)
Going sailing (I’ve never been sailing before, but it looks really fun! Again, we might do this later when the weather is brighter.)
Going to Silverstone (Seeing my favourite racers in their cars in person would be so exciting!)
Going to a music concert/festival (It would be my dream to see Coldplay perform my favourite songs in real life!)
Dreams for the future!
By Sujay N (2L)
Trip to Prague
Recently, I spent my holiday in Prague, the capital city of the Czech Republic, known for its cultural attractions, stunning architecture, and fascinating history. On the night my family was heading for the airport, I couldn’t sleep because I was so excited! Upon arriving in Prague, the first thing I noticed was the crisp, cold air, followed by the vibrant, colourful buildings. Each one had a pastel hue, particularly shades of pale pink and yellow.
After exploring the streets for a while, we headed to Prague Castle (Pražský hrad), one of the most iconic landmarks in the Czech Republic. It’s also the largest ancient castle complex in the world! I was astounded by its majestical atmosphere and the sheer size of it. However, the climb up the Staré zámecké schody (Old Castle Stairs) was exhausting – not to mention the 121 steps.
Next, we visited Old Town Square (Staroměstské náměstí), which is dominated by the gigantic Prague Astronomical Clock (Orloj). Installed in 1410, it’s one of the oldest working astronomical clocks in the world, and every hour, a mechanical show even takes place! We also admired the Dancing House (Tančící dům), a striking piece of modern architecture that resembles a dancing couple and is often nicknamed ‘Fred and Ginger.’ I was amazed by how the building curves in such a unique and quirky fashion!
Later, I was surprised by how many trams there were – it seemed like they replaced buses! The city’s streets were even covered in tram tracks, which made it feel like trams were the heart of Prague’s transportation system.
By Ocean Y (2B)
Cambridge Quest
Over the half term, I went to the city of Cambridge. It is an extremely cool city with a clash between the old and the new. I was extremely fortunate to be able to stay in a hotel in the centre of Cambridge near the marketplace. The sights of the city were truly vibrant and unforgettable. So far, it is one of the most beautiful that I have been to. The day after we arrived, we explored the city and walked into a few free colleges. We thought of going to Trinity, one of the best colleges of Cambridge University. Unfortunately, the tickets had sold out, but we did manage to take a picture with the statue of Henry VIII in the background holding the wooden chair leg! After, we went to a souvenir shop. Then we went to get some lunch. For lunch, we went to the marketplace, and I bought a wok fried noodle and also a bag of sweets and a bag of Honeycomb toffee. After a day of exploring where we also saw the Mathematical Bridge, we went back to our hotel. On the last day, we kept on exploring and in the afternoon, we embarked on a long walk to see Homerton College and on the way back, we bought a cup of bubble tea! After we had dinner and drove all the way back to London. We arrived back at our house at about 9.30 pm. It was a truly memorable experience. I will certainly visit it again!
By Ian L (2F)
PUPPY MOUNTAIN
In recent days, China’s ‘puppy mountain’ has gone viral. This mountain resembling the head of a puppy has now become a popular tourist destination along an ancient Chinese river. Shanghai-based designer, Guo Qingshan lately posted an image of the mountain and described it as ‘magical’ and that it was the protector of the Yangtze River. In order to witness this breathtaking sight themselves, many have since been travelling with their dogs to show off a resemblance to them and the mountain! This wonder shows that are many more phenomena out there yet to discover and how many natural beauties fill this world. Take a look at the ‘puppy mountain’ for yourself; you’ll be amazed at the intricate details it possesses!
By Riyaan G (2B)
Cryptic Crossword
Introducing Michael C (2J)’s weekly cryptic clue section. As a renowned devotee of the club, Michael’s passion for cryptic crosswords has extended into creating his own for us to try and solve. Can you guess this week’s?
School phantom slaughtered (7 Letters)
(clue: ‘slaughtered’ indicates an anagram)
Come back next week to find out if you guessed correctly!
Whiteboard Cartoon of the Week
Let’s see what Ethan C (2L) has been doodling this week:
Talk!
There are two more Talk! events to to look forward to this term, the first one takes place next Thursday 6 March when we welcome our very own Mr Cross, History teacher extraordinaire and Gold medal Olympian! Find out more here.
No need to book, just come along to the Hammond Theatre on Thursday 6 March at 1pm.
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 questions are written by Sharuya D (2L). Why don’t you have a go at this week’s questions and enter your answers here.
Here are the answers to last week’s quiz:
- How many time zones are there in Russia? 11
- Which country has the most islands? Sweden over 220000 mountains
- Name the largest (not highest) mountain range in the world? The Andes 7000m
- What is the slang name for New York City used by locals? The Big Apple
What was the clothing company Nike used to be called? Blue Ribbon Sports
Well done to Ollie S, Toby B, Josh DC, Ruaan V, Ethan W, Shaurya D and Ilakian D. Don’t forget to collect a Merit.
If you’re keen to write some general knowledge questions for the Blog, please email e.holt@hamptonschool.org.uk
