Welcome to the Fifth Year Blog!
Welcome to the final Fifth Year Blog! I would like to introduce it by saying what a great pleasure it has been to work with this group of Hamptonians over the past nineteen months. Frequently, I am stopped by colleagues to tell me what a great bunch they think this cohort are. They have been a credit to Hampton School. Clearly, thoughts are firmly on the upcoming exam season. Ultimately, I hope each pupil can look back on this experience and reflect that they tried their best, which is all anyone can ever ask of them. It will be a stressful period and the last thing we want is for anyone to put too much pressure on themselves or to burn out. Whatever happens, we will be very proud of you. It will be wonderful to see happy pupils on Thursday 22 August but, even where there are disappointments, we must remember that these are redeemable, and that life goes on. Exam results are important, but far more important is that these young people are on their way to becoming kind and altruistic members of society and I have seen abundant evidence of this. So, Fifth Years, I hope you have enjoyed your time at Hampton so far, I hope you have made friendships which will last a lifetime, and I hope you will be kind to yourselves and of course work hard, but also maintain some perspective and balance on what is important in life. If we can do anything to help, we will.
Fond Farewells
After two years together, it’s time for our fantastic Fifth Year form tutors to say goodbye, but not before we hear a few words from each of them:
5A Mr Leafe & Mr Cumberbatch
Boys, it has been an absolute pleasure to share the last two years of your Hampton journey. We have found it immensely rewarding to see you develop into such mature, kind and humbly confident young men and we’re excited to see all of the wonderful things you’ll go on to pursue and achieve in the Sixth Form. We have genuinely looked forward to seeing you each morning and just know that everything we asked of you we asked because our only interest is in supporting you to maximise the enjoyment and reward you get out of your Hampton experience. So it’s not goodbye, but ‘see you soon’ as we’ll no doubt cross paths a great deal in the Sixth Form. One final piece of advice: continue to unapologetically be your kind, ambitious and – quite frankly – hilarious selves; as Oscar Wilde once said, “everyone else is already taken!”
5B Mr Schurch & Mr Delamere
As our time together draws to a close, we’d like to express our deepest gratitude to each of you. Your infectious humour and unwavering effort have illuminated our classroom every single morning. Watching you grow, learn, and laugh from small Fourth Years to now mature Fifth Years together has been an absolute joy. Highlights have been the great interform victories in the Fourth Year, and the unexpected winning of basketball this year. As you venture forth into Sixth Form, remember to carry your good humour and relentless effort with you. They will serve as guiding stars in your journey for the rest of your time at Hampton. Keep shining brightly, embracing challenges with determination, and never lose sight of the incredible individuals you are. Best of luck with your GCSEs – and enjoy your time in the Sixth Form!
5C Mr Hall & Miss Jones
Gents – it had been a pleasure! It has been a great couple of years (year for Mr Hall) and it has been fantastic to meet such a diverse, interesting, opinionated bunch of characters. Whilst we may not have had much success in Interform across the years, (apart from most Saturday Detentions..) for every competition, we have had competitors in every event trying their best, and wearing the 5C badge with pride, which essentially is the main thing. When we think of the progress you have made from relatively inauspicious beginnings in Fourth Year, to the group of mature and conscientious individuals that you are now – it fills us with pride. Best of luck in the summer, and we hope that you get the grades that you deserve. All we ask of you is that you keep being unashamedly yourselves, say hello to us when you see us in the corridors in the Sixth Form, and promise us that this is not a goodbye – but see you later!
5D Mr Bradley & Mr Fryer
Gentlemen of 5D: I want to let you know how much I have enjoyed being your co-tutor this year alongside Ms Michelson and now Mr Fryer. I knew from our first meeting that I was in the company of a very positive, capable and good-humoured bunch and have enjoyed our time together a great deal. Whether discussing issues with you during PSHE, the relative merits of someone’s reason for being late to registration, or the Dad-jokes and silly quiz questions in form time, it has been great to engage with you all each and every day. And let’s not forget of course the crushing victory attained in the interform rowing: quite a moment! It has been a genuine pleasure to see you all develop in the myriad different ways you have, and I wish you all the very best for whatever you do with your years beyond Fifth Year.
5E Mrs Noble & Mr Fakatou
What a couple of years we have had 5E! There is so much for you to be proud of from your time in the Fourth and Fifth Year and we hope you know what bright futures you all have ahead of you. We never quite managed that Interform win but we’ve put in some solid performances over the various competitions and the Music quiz was a particular highlight. We have very much enjoyed being your Form Tutors and we hope that you will come and say hello to us in Languages and Psychology when you return in September as Sixth Formers!
5F Mr Gray
Dear 5F
I don’t always say this, but I have really enjoyed being your Form Tutor for the last two years! I like the range of characters we have: the extroverts, the introverts, the sporty, the intellectuals, the general good guys. Although our successes in Interform have been mixed, I remember the team spirit of volleyball and ultimate frisbee in the Fourth Year! In the time you have left this year please continue to work hard and I am sure it will pay off. All you can do is your best and I look forward to seeing the rewards of your efforts in August! Enjoy the summer when it comes!! Best of Luck
5G Ms Morse
Being 5G’s form tutor has been a pleasure from start to finish. You have been great company (I genuinely look forward to our registration each morning) and I have enjoyed getting to know each of you as individuals whilst also watching your identity as a Form develop. From favourite breakfast cereals, childhood television shows and whether you’d prefer to be a lemon or a lime (for the record, most of you said lime), we have covered an array of high-brow topics in our conversations. You also found time to win the interform trophy and participate admirably in all the interform quizzes and sports. Most importantly, whether winning or losing, you did it with grace; this is the essence of 5G and how I will remember you all: as driven yet humble. I know you will all work hard – probably too hard – so be kind to yourselves, continue to take care of one another and, once it comes, have a brilliant time this summer.
5H Mrs Nicholson & Mr Trivedi
What a pleasure it has been to be your Form Tutors over the last two (and for Mr Trivedi – three!) years. You are such a nice bunch. You have lots of interesting opinions and humorous discussions during registrations and PSHE. It was the highlight of Mrs Nicholson’s Form Tutoring career to finally have a form who are victorious in the Interform competition (after 12 years of tutoring Fourth and Fifth Year)! This has been very much a team effort and huge credit to the volleyball players, quizzers, solo-ergo puller (!), footballers and everyone else who has played their part in representing 5H and supporting their classmates. We have been so impressed to see members of the Form popping up in so many varied areas of school life – orchestras, rock concerts, drama productions, rugby, cricket, football, rowing, volleyball, badminton, croquet, backgammon, Duke of Edinburgh, Genocide Awareness, CCF, cross country, swimming (have we missed anything?!) – what a talented bunch you are! We wish you all the best for the future and hope you have a fabulous summer after your exams. Please do continue to say hello to us in the corridors next year!
5J Mr Rudajev & Mr Bracken
Both Mr Rudajev and I can honestly say that you have been the best tutor group we have had during our time at Hampton! From the first day of awkward introductions to the bittersweet farewell, we’ve grown together in more ways than one. It has been a roller coaster of laughs, mishaps, and heartwarming moments. Our mornings started with sleepy-eyed pupils shuffling in, resembling zombies more than teenagers, but through our shared experiences, we transformed into a tight-knit family. Amidst the hum drum of everyday school life, we watched as you matured, navigating teenage dramas and triumphs. With each milestone of growth and maturity we looked on with pride at each and every one of those moments. Every one of you has something to be proud of. Although we entered on this journey as strangers, we go our separate ways bound together through laughter, friendship, and maturity. Good luck with your exams and we look forward to telling you to tuck your shirts in next year as Lower Sixth pupils. All the best!
Looking Back
Fifth Year Hamptonians were tasked to look back on their time as a Lower and Middle School pupil at Hampton. Here’s what we discovered.
In First and Second Year, the following words best describe their time in the Lower School:
And in Third and Fourth Year, they look back and remember:
And onto the present day, they describe their time as a Fifth Year Hamptonian as:
What will they miss the most from their time as a First to Fifth Year Hamptonian?
Looking Forward
And moving onto Sixth Form, let’s find out what they’re most excited about:
Model United Nations
Over a year and a half ago, I decided to join Model United Nations, aiming to improve my public speaking and find a co-curricular club I truly enjoyed. At first, the process seemed quite daunting having to create resolutions, sometimes speaking in front of hundreds of people at the biggest conferences or engaging in heated debates about antibiotic resistance amongst other interesting issues. However, it was not as daunting as it seemed and got easier as time went on, although occasional mind blank and nerves do sometimes occur. I would suggest all those considering getting into a form of debate to come along on a Tuesday to speak for and represent a nation at our club and even come along to a conference every now and then if you’re interested. This weekend, the biggest conference of the year, a three day overnight conference in Haileybury, is coming up and all Hampton delegates are aspiring to bring back some more silverware for our trophy cabinet, whether that be individual awards or delegation awards.
By Noah K (5J)
Football Roundup
U16A Football
During the spring term, the U16A team played ten matches, of which an impressive nine were won. A staggering 41 goals were scored in the process, however this could not prevent our national ESFA cup run coming to an end in the sixth round. The team managed to win three successive county cup games however, and find themselves deservedly in the semi-final that will be played on Friday 22 March. Winning the County Cup for a third time is the aim, and would be a superb way to end our time playing together as a team.
By Ollie S (5F)
U16B Football
The U16B footballer’s spring term started off slowly, with only two matches being played in the first half of term, however these consisted of a nail-biting draw against KCS Wimbledon and a convincing win against St James’ Boys U18 side. The second half of term saw us lose to Epsom A’s, despite a solid performance. However our most recent match against Tiffin A’s was another classic, with Felix scoring the equaliser from a perfectly taken free kick. With two games left on the calendar, we are looking to end our season on a high.
By Alfred B (5B)
U16C Football
This season has been an interesting and very varied one, starting with a massive 8-0 win away to Thomas’s Battersea, with great individual performances, topping off a resounding team performance. We had many great performances along these lines, namely the 6-1 win against Ibstock and the 4-1 away victory over Ardingly, however there were certainly some that went the other way, with the 9-1 loss to Eton College not being much of a highlight for us. Overall, we won five, lost three with 26 goals both for and against in the C team alone with many of these goals being spread across the pitch. Overall, it has been a promising season and we look forward to going again next year
By Owen W (5J)
CCF Flying Trip
I was fortunate enough to have a flying opportunity with the LEH and Hampton CCF. Waking up at 6am, seven other cadets and I headed off to RAF Benson in Oxford, despite the early start we were all very eager and excited! Once we arrived at RAF Benson our day started with a safety briefing and some emergency evacuation drills: we all took turns in the simulator to go through the plane evacuation procedure to make sure we were quick enough in event of disaster; this certainly made me a little nervous for the flight, but we were reassured that it has never been a problem. At around midday we received our flying suits, helmets, gloves and sunglasses, and were given a final brief before our flight; this was when the excitement really kicked in for me and we saw our planes (Grob Tutor T.Mk 1) for the first time. I was led out onto the concourse and given a final safety quiz before I climbed into the cockpit as the ground crew strapped me in. I was introduced to my pilot Trevor who had flown helicopters and planes in the RAF for 20 years – I was reassured to know I was in safe hands.
The clear, 360 degrees canopy was closed, and I spoke through the headset with my very welcoming instructor as he talked me through the flight procedures, occasionally interrupted by ATC (air traffic control) chatter; I was amazed by his ability to talk with me, go through pre-flight checks, and listen out for our identification on the radio. Looking down the runway, I was very excited, and the speed was immense as we took off. After a couple minutes in the sky, I was introduced to the controls and flew the plane above Oxford, I even did an orbit of Oxford City Stadium as my instructor videoed it for his son. Then the real fun began, my co-pilot retook control as we performed some spectacular aerobatics, pulling all the way from 0Gs to 4.5Gs: loop-the-loop, aileron roll, barrel roll, and stall-turn. Next was my turn, I took control and manoeuvred our very aerobatic plane through a roll and loop-the-loop; the experience was extraordinary. After 30 minutes and a couple of photos, we landed safely. It was a life experience, and I am still feeling the adrenaline!
By James E (5A)
UKLO 2024
The UK Linguistics Olympiad is a voluntary challenge which brings together the fun of detective puzzle solving with the theme of languages. The mysterious puzzles are all created using exotic languages that pupils should not be able to read, write or understand beforehand, and the task is to work out what things mean using hints and clues given. Just like with other academic challenge organisations, such as Maths and Physics, pupils are awarded certificates depending on how well they do – bronze, silver and gold. In order to have optimal preparation, Hamptonians were offered numerous training sessions during lunchtimes in the lead-up to the challenge, where they were able to complete many sheets of past paper and practice questions. The languages in this year’s paper included N’Ko, Kannada and Georgian, which, with different types of problems, made up multiple sections of a 2½ hour paper. Overall, although there was a high level of difficulty, I think it was a great experience to gain, and I thoroughly look forward to having some more fun with the UKLO challenge next year!
By Arun D (5D)
Congratulations to Kenny A (5F) and Arun D (5D) on achieving a Silver and Bronze award, respectively!
Umrah to Mecca
During December, I had an opportunity to visit Mecca and perform a pilgrimage which Muslims refer to as Umrah, or lesser pilgrimage. We are commanded by God to perform either the Umrah or the Hajj at least one in our lifetime if we have the means to. I, personally, wanted to share my own experiences and thoughts as well as what I gained as a Muslim and more broadly as a person from this amazing opportunity. The pilgrimage is composed of two actions that must be carried out: the Tawaf and the Sa’y. However, before you actually embark on the pilgrimage, it is important to declare your intention and don the appropriate clothing. It is necessary for a Muslim man to wear two unstitched garments (usually white). This is called the Ihram, and it symbolises the unity and harmony that should be present between the pilgrims who are visiting the Holy Kaaba. Muslims believe that all are created equal in the eyes of God and by wearing the same clothing as everyone else, it creates a sense of humility. As well as the Ihram, a Muslim must declare their intention and commitment to the pilgrimage by reciting in Arabic, Oh God, I have answered your call for Umrah. Muslims believe that it is impossible to complete an action if God has not ordained for it to happen and once the Ihram and intention are made, they are in a state of purity and can complete the pilgrimage. The Ihram and intentions must be done a certain distance from the Sacred Mosque, and this is called a Miqat. The Ihram and intention are invalid if not made before a miqat. The first step of the Umrah is the Tawaf which consists of seven anticlockwise circumambulations around the Kaaba, beginning from the sacred Black Stone, otherwise known as Hijar Aswad. Islam teaches that Abraham constructed the Kaaba with his son Ishmael after God commanded him to construct a ‘house’ which would provide sanctuary to the believing people. The Hijar Aswad is believed to be from the heavens and God ordered it to be the finishing piece of the Kaaba. The Kaaba also has a semicircle part which is considered part of the Kaaba and Tawaf would be incomplete if the pilgrims do not go round it. This semicircular area is referred to as the Hateem, and the original Kaaba included the semicircular bit. It is also believed that the mother of Ishmael, Hajar’s house stood where the Hateem is located, and she is also buried near the walls of the Kaaba. Inside the sacred mosque is also a stone which is believed to be the place where Abraham stood as he placed the stones of the Kaaba. This stone itself is preserved in a crystal glass-like pillar, it is referred to as Maqam Ibrahim, or the place of Abraham.
After the pilgrims complete the seven anticlockwise rounds of the Kaaba, they must complete the Sa’y. the Sa’y consists of seven laps between the mountains Safa and Marwa, and Muslims undertake this action in honour and remembrance of Hajar, mother of Ismael. To test the belief of Abraham in Him, God ordered him to leave his second wife (Hajar, who was a black, Ethiopian slave of Sarah, Abraham’s first wife) and her newborn infant Ishmael in the barren lands of Mecca, then known as Bekkha. The Quran details that, she ran seven times between the mountains of Safa and Marwa in search for water for the infant Ishmael who was thirsty. He then struck his heel on the ground, and a spring of water erupted from the ground. This water is known today as Zamzam, and its well still pumps over 150,000 gallons of water every day.it is believed that when Ishmael struck his heel, the angle Gabrial (Jibreel) caused the water to come out of the ground with the will of God, and if Hajar did not make a well using the stones, it would have covered the whole world with water. This caring action of Hajar of running between mountains for her infant child pleased God so much that he made it mandatory on the Muslims to follow in her footsteps, and no Umrah is complete without the Sa’y. The actions of Tawaf can be viewed as those done in search of God and in the hope of escaping sin and being forgiven while the mandatory running between the mountains of Safa and Marwa is that which is chasing worldly desires. This combination of worldly desire and fulfilment and the hope to escape the evil in the world beautifully summarises the internal battle a person faces in hope to lead a good life. And this is perhaps a conclusion of the lessons that I personally have learnt from my own experiences in the Scared Mosque while I was doing the pilgrimage. Of course, I will try to be a better Muslim, although, it wouldn’t be false of me to say that the symbolism of the Umrah is applicable to all people: a person can only be regarded as ‘good’ when they understand that they must balance their worldly desires with their want to stay away from the many evils of the world.
By Falak K (5C)
Special Shoutouts
There have been too many achievements to list from our Fifth Year Hamptonians this year. Here’s just a flavour of some the amazing things you’ve been up to:
- Congratulations to Fedor A (5A) who has been highly commended in the David Grossell History Essay Competition
- Well done to our rowers on a superb performance at this year’s Hampton Head – a Gold for the J16 1st VIII and Bronze for the J16 2nd VIII
- Big shout out to footballers Joe T (5C) and Ollie S (5F) on being selected for the U16 ISFA team
- Many congratulations to Yuchen Y (5G) on being awarded a ‘Top in the World’ mark for his GCSE in Mandarin Chinese in last summer’s GCSE results
- Fantastic to hear that Avi B (5E), Matthew G (5H) and Jayden O (5E) were awarded prizes for outstanding Level 3 HELP projects
