Welcome to the Second Year Blog!
As we reach the end of a busy and successful half-term, it is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on everything that has taken place across the year group. From sporting fixtures and co-curricular activities to No Limits Day, poetry competitions, and academic successes, our pupils have continued to embrace every opportunity with enthusiasm and creativity.
With Halloween celebrations just around the corner and a well-earned half-term break approaching, there has been a real sense of excitement around the school. It has been wonderful to see so many pupils getting involved in activities both inside and outside the classroom, challenging themselves, supporting one another, and making the most of the opportunities on offer.
In this edition, you’ll find highlights from pupils on topics ranging from No Limits Day and the BFI London Film Festival to History Society presentations, languages competitions, and sporting achievements. We also look ahead to upcoming events, including the CCF Gliding Experience, which promises to be an exciting way to begin the break.
Now, let’s hear directly from our pupils as they share some of their recent experiences and highlights from what has been a memorable final week before half term!
Merit Milestones
What a lot of merits to finsih off the half term with a bang! Well done to the following Second Year Hamptonians:
Will D 2P – 10
Aiden G – 10
Raphael C – 10
George S – 10
Divam J – 10
Noah P – 10
Thomas F – 10
Jack B – 10
Sam P 2B – 10
Jack M – 10
Lewie G – 10
Max X – 10
Henry N – 10
Avirat P – 10
Aiden K – 10
Arjun A – 10
Will D 2F – 10
Nat J – 10
Alex W – 20
Ren F – 20
Yuvi U – 20
Seung-Hoo K – 20
Edin H – 30
Ronak B – 30
Ronak B – 40
Aahil U – 40
LION merits
Alex Bamber – 10
Learning Without Limits
Last week, pupils enjoyed our annual No Limits Day, during which normal lessons were transformed into creative and engaging experiences. From escape rooms and poetry recitals to mathematical puzzles and language challenges, the day provided pupils with the opportunity to develop their skills in new and exciting ways. Below, Jacob reflects on some of the highlights from his No Limits Day experience.
Last week was No Limits Day! If you didn’t know already, No Limits Day is where all the lessons for the day are presented in a creative, and original way. Two of my favourite lessons on Thursday were Maths and Spanish. In Maths, our teacher, Mr Lee, tasked us with several mathematical riddles, including one where four members of a band had to cross a bridge, but only two could cross at a time, and they had to cross it in under 18 minutes! The next lesson was Spanish, where Mr Malston placed us in lines and then tasked us with a few sentences to pass on down the line without repeating and only whispering them. My team (James G, Lucas DC, Daniel K and me) couldn’t get the sentence across on the first round, but on the second round we were the closest and won! Thank you to all of my teachers for an amazing no limits day!
By Jacob B (2L)
Last week I had No Limits Day, so our usual lessons were replaced with fun activities.
In Latin, we did an escape room. The lesson started with a small warm-up activity and then our teacher put us in an online escape room! I really enjoyed it and it was a fun way of using our knowledge and vocabulary to help us escape.
In Spanish, we were given some Spanish poems to learn that evening for a recital the next day. Then as a form we decided who we were going to send to the year group recitals that are taking place this Thursday. I really enjoyed performing my poem and listening to the creative ways other people recited their poems.
By Daniel C (2W)
Lyrical Languages
Learning a language involves much more than vocabulary and grammar. This week, pupils put their speaking skills to the test through a series of poetry recitals in the Languages Poetry Competition. Aahil U reflects on his journey from classroom performance to the final and shares what it was like performing in front of an audience.
This week a more creative German homework was set, as usually it would be revising for a vocab or grammar test; our homework was to memorise one of two poems. The first was ‘Die Stadt’ (The Town) by Theodor Storm, and the second was ’Abendlied’ (Evening Song) by Matthias Claudius.
I chose Die Stadt, and on Tuesday we had to perform it to our entire class. Our German teacher, Frau White, had to select two or three people to go to the final. She announced the finalists of 2G on Wednesday, and she chose me, Edin H, and Yuri K.
On Thursday the final took place, where there would be German, Spanish, and French poetry, each having a first and second place in their respective language. It took place in the Hammond Theatre at lunchtime, and the order was random. I went fifth.
I think I performed well overall, as I memorised everything and pronounced everything correctly. Everyone also did well, and some interesting poems included a French rap about baguettes and a Spanish poem about love. At the end, we got a big round of applause from our audience, including lots of my friends.
Everyone who participated got some sweets (Sour Patch Kids), which I thought was a nice touch. The winners haven’t been decided yet, I hope I’ve come first!
Guten Abend!
By Aahil U (2G)
Marvellous Mongols: A History Society Presentation
Our co-curricular clubs continue to provide fantastic opportunities for pupils to explore their interests beyond the classroom. Ronak B recently delivered a presentation to History Society on the fascinating story of the Mongol Empire. In the article below, he shares his experience of researching, preparing, and presenting to an audience of fellow history enthusiasts.
Hello, wonderful readers! I hope you are doing well. For this edition of the blog, I will be writing about a speech I did last week. It was in History Society and is run by Mr Roberts and is a wonderful club to attend. Some friends and I had lunch and headed for the Lecture Theatre at 1.10pm. To my surprise there was an advanced Chemistry talk, I nearly walked in and ended up sheepishly looking around to exit quickly…. It was not until 1.15pm when the club was ready to begin! Before, I was with another pupil doing a speech, Ollie in Fourth Year, who did a brilliant speech about Montenegro. We learnt about the rich history and culture of the country; it was fascinating and fired me up for my speech directly after.
As nervous as I was, my fabulous friends and teachers were there to support me, and I knew I had to be confident. I introduced myself and started. In the first three slides, I talked about the history before the Mongolian empire and how it has evolved until the rise of Genghis Khan. I talked about Genghis’s life and his achievements and the expansion of the Mongols. I then talked about the aftermath and rise of other Khagans and Khans. A fun fact is that the Chaigate Khanate (khanate meaning section of empire) dissolved in 1804! This was the era of King George IV! I talked about the dissolution of the empire. I ended with a quiz, which everyone did well in! The Mongols were a truly fascinating topic to research and to talk to an audience about it, meant a lot. Their influence on our everyday lives truly changes our lifestyle, for example protecting the silk road or defending religious buildings.
Everyone enthusiastically applauded as I walked back to my seat, I was content thinking about the information I had shared with everyone there. Plaudits go to Mr Roberts for running an amazing club, he is a kind, caring and supportive teacher to the pupils. When pupils are not running the club, he creates a great atmosphere. It is as if History knowledge is seeping through the very doors of the Lecture Theatre. Mrs Willcox also came along to see my speech, my History teacher, and she commented on how much she liked it and all my friends too! Please do come along if you are free at 1.10pm in the Lecture Theatre every Friday! Prepare to be astonished!
By Ronak B (2F)
Sporting Highlights
ESAA Cross Country Cup
On Thursday, pupils represented the school in the ESAA Cross Country Cup, taking on a challenging course against competitors from other schools. The event required determination and perseverance, all participants should be extremely proud of the effort and commitment demonstrated throughout their races.
ESAA Swimming Super League
We also had pupils competing in the ESAA Swimming Super League, showcasing their talent and dedication in the pool. Competing as part of a team, our swimmers displayed excellent sportsmanship and represented the school with pride whilst taking part in a variety of races and events.
U12C Team Sign Off with a Victory!
There was plenty to celebrate on the sports field this week as the U13C footballers produced an excellent performance against Thomas College. Luca S reports on an entertaining match that showcased teamwork, determination, and some clinical finishing in front of goal.
On Monday, the U3C team played a tight match against Thomas College. We started playing well, yet they had a strong defence, and we couldn’t quite get a good shot on goal. However, that all changed when a lovely through ball was played to Karter E, our left winger, who buried it in the top of the net.
In the second half, they started on the front foot, passing the ball down the wings, yet not seeing a clear opportunity on goal. However, with around 10 minutes remaining of the game, a high press and fumbling from their centre-back led to our striker having a one-on-one with the goalkeeper which he finished by taking it around the keeper and passing it into the net. That secured the game, giving the C team a lovely 2-0 victory just before the half term break. A huge well done to the team for our effort and teamwork. Thank you to our coaches, Ms Day and Ms Cookson, and to Mr Ritchie for his excellent refereeing and support!
By Luca S (2J)
A Spotlight on the BFI London Film Festival
The world of film offers a fascinating insight into different cultures and perspectives. Sam P takes us through some of the highlights of this year’s BFI London Film Festival, sharing information about one of the UK’s most celebrated cinematic events and why it continues to attract audiences from around the world.
This is the UK’s largest film festival, attracting visitors from across London and beyond. The festival showcases a variety of films from around the world, including documentaries. This year marks the festival’s 70th anniversary, and it runs from 7 to 18 October. The festival also has an official website with information about screenings and event times. In addition, talks are hosted by famous directors and members of film casts in live theatre settings. Tickets are available for a small fee of around £6. I am not attending myself, but if you do go, there are plenty of great food options and activities to enjoy.
By Sam P (2B)
Question of the Week
This week’s Question of the Week comes to us from 2B:
Which fictional world would you most like to live in?
As always, there were plenty of imaginative answers, ranging from magical kingdoms to futuristic cities. However, one suggestion that generated lots of discussion came from Joshua A, who chose the world of Minecraft!
Joshua explained that he would enjoy living in Minecraft because of the freedom it offers. Whether building impressive structures, exploring new landscapes, mining for resources, or embarking on adventures with friends, Joshua felt there would always be something exciting to do. Many pupils agreed that having the ability to create almost anything you can imagine would make Minecraft a fantastic place to live.
The question led to some excellent conversations across the form, with pupils sharing their ideas thoughtfully and explaining the reasons behind their choices. It was great to see everyone engaging so positively and listening respectfully to one another’s views.
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 Miss Cookson (m.cookson@
A big well done to Evaan P (2B) who scored not one, not two but THREE hole-in-one shots on Stawberry Hill golf course.
Quiz of the week
Welcome to our Halloween Quiz of the Week! As we head into the half-term break and Halloween celebrations, why not put your spooky knowledge to the test? Merits are awarded to all those who get five correct answers.
There are five Halloween-themed questions, have a go yourself or challenge your family and friends to see who can score the highest. Merits will be awarded to all pupils who achieve a full score of 5/5. Good luck… if you dare!
Here are the answers to last week’s quiz:
- Which planet is known as the Red Planet? Mars
- In The Great British Bake Off, what is the name of the final challenge in each episode? The Showstopper
- In The Traitors, what are the two groups of players called? Faithfuls and Traitors
- What is the capital city of Australia? Canberra
- What is the only mammal capable of true flight? A bat
Well done to the following Second Year Hamptonians who answered everything correctly – Arthur S, Guy H, Thomas N, Rowan F, Yifan C, Luca A F, Barney D, Arman H, Noah P, Jacob B, Rayan S, Owen SW, Tom W, Hiu Yeung K, Aryun E, Ted D, Rayan S, Arav B, Jack B, Johnny M, Alex B, Al M and Mahir O.
As this is our final blog before the break, we would like to wish all Second Year pupils a restful and enjoyable half term break. We hope everyone has the chance to recharge and spend time with family and friends. For those celebrating, we also wish you a very Happy Halloween and look forward to welcoming everyone back after the break for another exciting start.
