Welcome to the First Year Blog!
It is hard to believe that eleven months ago many of you were nervously finding your form rooms, learning your way around the School, and wondering whether Hampton was really as big as it looked on during open morning. Fast forward to today, and you have completed a spectacular first year. Whether on the sports field, on the stage, in the classroom, in clubs, on trips, or here in the blog, you have thrown yourselves into Hampton life with enthusiasm, curiosity and respect. We hope you are all proud of what you have achieved, because you certainly should be.
The final blog of the year is full of reflection and celebration. There are prizegiving reflections, trophies, championships, memories from Avon Tyrrell, performances, friendships and enough ‘thank yous’ to keep Hallmark in business. Congratulations to all prize winners, who are listed here. It is impossible for us to recognise every achievement or worthy act with a prize, and we are well aware how many pupils deserve recognition across a wide range of academic and co-curricular achievements throughout the year. Please rest assured that these achievements are recognised and valued by teachers at each and every performance, sports fixture, grade card or event – even if a prize was not forthcoming on this occasion.
Our cricketers have been collecting silverware faster than England are collecting World Cup points, our prize winners have been stepping onto the Hammond Theatre stage, and several boys have been looking back on a year that seems to have passed faster than a First Year running to the front of the lunch queue.
To all of our First Years, thank you. You have been a wonderful year group to work with. You arrived as new boys and will return in September as role models for the next generation of Hamptonians. If the maturity, kindness and enthusiasm shown by our regular blog writers is anything to go by, the School will be in very safe hands.
Now it is finally summer. Time to relax, spend time with family and friends, pursue your hobbies, enjoy the sunshine, watch some World Cup football, and recharge before Second Year begins. You have earned it.
On behalf of the entire First Year team, your Form Tutors, Mr Hill, Mr Fuldner, Mr Harrison, and of course me, thank you for a fantastic year.
I have genuinely loved putting this blog together each week and reading about all your adventures, achievements and reflections. Next year, the blog baton passes to Mr Harrison, who I’m sure will do a brilliant job.
For one final time this year…
Have a wonderful summer and see you in September.
Mr Jimenez
Hot off the Press
After a year of exciting Interform events, 1L have been crowned the 2026 First Year Interform Champions! Congratulations to all our First Years for embracing the interform competitions with so much energy and enthusiasm.
A RAVING REVIEW OF HAMPTON
It has been a brilliant First Year. There has been so much to enjoy and do, and opportunities and possibilities are endless moving on into Second Year. Everything in First Year has been amazing and having just had the fantastic news from the Headmaster that we did very well in the recent ISI inspection, I have written this blog in the style of an ISI inspector.
Hampton School, London
The Hammond Theatre 5/5
An awesome atmosphere, speakers, seats, and it even has a circle. This could easily be a theatre in the West End. From drama to assemblies, the Hammond Theatre is a multi-purpose gem. Five stars.
The Dining Hall 5/5
This massive space is capable of hosting many pupils for lunch. The lunches are extraordinarily good, and the facilities are spectacular, with two service bars and two entrance queues. Five stars.
The Sports Hall 5/5
Even for a completely sport-focused school, the Sports Hall would be top-notch. With brilliant facilities and equipment for a wide range of sports, there is little that the Sports Hall cannot host. Five stars.
The Pavilion 5/5
Some amazing changing facilities can be found here, along with the Sports Office and the Sixth Form Common Room. Additionally, it boasts brilliant views onto the fields, for watching all of the sport going on there. Five stars.
The Playing Fields 5/5
The home of Hampton’s outstanding sport. 28 acres of luscious grass with incredible drainage. Sport sessions are hosted here all year round, from rugby and football in the winter to athletics and cricket in the summer. Five stars.
The 3G 5/5
A privilege that every school wants but only the finest have. The 3G pitch is the crown jewel that all Hamptonians appreciate. The quality could easily be mistaken for one of the most famous astro or 3G pitches worldwide. Five stars.
The Garrick Building 5/5
Hampton Music is truly extraordinary. And this is where all the lessons academic and private alike happen every week. There are so many different instruments to play and technology for creating any type of music that the possibilities are endless. Talent is made and enhanced within these corridors, which is why it deserves five stars.
The Lecture Theatre 5/5
With acoustics that are among the best I have seen in my inspecting career, the lecture theatre is used for smaller performances and, rather obviously, lectures. This is what many schools would dream of having to use as their main theatre – the fact that Hampton also have the Hammond is incredible. Five stars.
The Atrium 5/5
This conspicuous example of stunning modern architecture is used for many lessons every day. Standing on the ground floor, the view of the glass-walled floors above and through the glass ceiling into the sky is one of the most spectacular you can find at a secondary school. This is an architectural masterpiece and deserves five stars.
In conclusion, Hampton School is one of the best you can go to, and I am fittingly putting it in the Significant Strength category. Overall rating: Five stars.
I am going to continue this blog by recognising and remembering some of the major highlights of my First Year at Hampton and try and put them into chronological order as best I can.
New Boys’ Day – This was a chance to get to know our form and our tutors on our first day of First Year. It was the day before all the other year groups came back from their summer holidays – a day exclusively for First Years. The day included a brilliant lunch, using our new maps to aid us in finding our way around the School and an afternoon of touch rugby and football.
Avon Tyrrell – Around two weeks in and already we were packing our suitcases for a jam-packed residential trip to the New Forest. By this point, we hardly knew each other and by the time we came back, I felt I had known everyone for years! There were many awesome activities, and our Sixth Form mentors managed our groups and joined in!
South Downs Trip – It felt like we had just unpacked our bags from Avon Tyrrell and we were already heading off on our second trip of the year – this time to South Downs National Park. We learnt with Mr Hill all about the geology and relief of the area, and it was a really interesting visit.
Windsor Castle Trip – The following week, our third school trip of the autumn term was underway. We were guided around the stunning Windsor Castle by Mr Roberts, Head of History. We learnt about the strategic design of the castle, and how it helped William the Conqueror protect himself and his people from invasion.
New Boys’ Concert – I had the amazing opportunity to play one of my favourite viola pieces on the Hammond stage. All of the pieces played that night were amazing – the level of talent here is unreal – and even though my music had disappeared underneath my seat when I went to prepare, I managed to play my piece from memory when the moment came!
Christmas Concert – The entire year got together on the Hammond Theatre stage to sing two Christmas carols – ‘The Most Wonderful Time of the Year’ and ‘Mary’s Boy Child’. It was in front of many parents that had come to watch, and it was great to see the entire year singing altogether.
Interform Sport – We played football and rugby for our forms, with our form unexpectedly beating 1F in the final of the football and coming third in the rugby. My favourite moment from the day was when I scored a crucial try in our match against 1J, who played really well. They were running at us with power, scoring some good tries, but we managed to come back by using our team’s fastest players to counter their power.
Exam week – A week in which the year was off timetable, revising and doing exams. Some highlights of the week were when we played cricket, softball, and tennis altogether as a break from exams – no pressure, just for fun, and our form topping interform athletics, with a quadruple title for 100m. Daniel won the Cs race, Seb won the Bs race, Owen won the As race and they won the 100m relay as a combined effort!
Gurdwara and temple trip – This was a Religious Studies trip, where we learnt about two different religions and their practices. A highlight of the trip was enjoying langar, a free, vegetarian meal served at Sikh gurdwaras – it was so good!
Family and Friends day – I was lucky enough to be one of a panel of five First Year pupils, answering a Q&A about life as a Hamptonian. I then got to lead my cousin on a tour around the School – and there was not a corridor we missed!
Lower School Prizegiving – This was the most recent highlight of my year. This was a time to congratulate and acknowledge what First and Second Years had done this year, by awarding prizes. I had won a prize for ‘Academic Excellence’, and I was very proud of myself.
I have no more exact key dates for highlights, but I have gradual ones that I simply must mention.
Clubs – The co-curricular clubs are a terrific way to develop new skills and make friends. This year, I have learnt all about bees and their hives, how to solve a Cryptic Crossword, climbing techniques, checkmates and much more, all whilst making many friends.
Playing rugby – I came to Hampton having never played much rugby, and I had great fun playing for the School and, against all my expectations, I managed to keep my place as scrum-half in a well-performing U12B team all year! I have really improved as a rugby player and my target for next season is to get a cap for the U13A team (although it will be very difficult with so many talented players).
Learning – All of my subjects have been so much fun this year, from No Limits Day to giving presentations, I have learnt so much. All of my teachers have been so kind and encouraging and have helped me every step of the way to the close of First Year.
To conclude, First Year has been a major success and I have enjoyed every moment of it. I have made so many friends that I cannot count them on my family’s fingers and toes. I love everything about Hampton and all of the opportunities it has on offer for Hamptonians of all ages. I cannot wait to start Second Year – the introduction of a drama period to our timetables is very promising – I think I will enjoy it a lot. I would also like to thank the Headmaster, Mr Hill, Mr Fuldner, Mr Ferrier, Mrs Halford, and all of my subject teachers for shaping my year into such an enjoyable one. I look forward to seeing everyone in September, for a brand new school year.
By Alex B (1L)
FIRST YEAR ROUND UP
Looking back, First Year at Hampton has felt like it simply whizzed past. As the saying goes, time flies when you are having fun.
Our first day seems a long while ago now, and we have got to know each other far better than we did at first. Highlights include our first trip, to Avon Tyrrell, various interform competitions, and the recent Lower School Evening, just to name a few. Indeed, this year has been jam-packed with activities and trips galore.
Aside from large events, the day-to-day life has been absolutely bustling, even without any special activities. Lunchtime clubs always allow us to meet new friends and develop new interests and skills, while every lesson helps us to learn together in a fun way.
Finally, I would like to thank all our teachers for dedicating their time and effort to teaching us in a fun and engaging way. I have enjoyed their lessons throughout the year and I am looking forward to the new challenges that lie ahead in Second Year!
By Hiu Yeung K (1P)
Lower School Prizegiving was a special event. On Tuesday night, I went back to the Hammond Theatre to go to it. I won the Tutors’ Prize for All-round Achievement and Contribution to School Life. Now as the prize is next to me, I am now going to reflect on my First Year at this tremendous school: Hampton.
I can still remember my first trip: Avon Tyrrell. Its memories I shall carry for a long time. From the rock climbing to the archery, it was an amazing experience.
Now let’s look at the autumn term. I can remember lots of things I won’t name but here is the biggest highlight. I met new friends. It doesn’t sound like much but that has changed my time at Hampton massively.
In the Spring term I started to become a referee in football, including refereeing at the Interform Football event. However, this was also the time that I had the Senior Play 2026, Treasure Island; directed by Miss Tiller – who is sadly leaving this year. I was very lucky to have the role of SFX, in the control room so I could watch it too.
Finally in the summer term it was the Junior Play 2026: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. My heartiest congratulations to all the cast and crew in it. It was brilliant (and I’m not just saying that because I was on Props).
Now it is time to begin the adventure into Second Year. However, I want tosay thank you to the Heads of Year – Mr Hill and Mr Fuldner – the Assistants Heads of Year – Mr Jimenez (who does the blog), Mrs Whitwam and Mr Harrison – and all the form tutors. Special thanks to Mr Barber and Ms Czumaj – My Form Tutors
Thank you once again.
By Ruben V (1F)
As my final blog of the year, I want to reflect on my time during First Year. The year has flown by and that is probably because at Hampton there is no time for getting bored.
I guess I should start with my first day. A rollercoaster of emotions. Sad because some of my best friends left to go to other schools, excited to meet friends from my pre-prep and nervous about leaving behind the comfort and familiarity of prep. Hampton just seemed so big – it is! I was afraid I might get lost. But I soon realised I was not alone in my feelings and very quickly the teachers and entire Hamptonian family made us feel welcome and relaxed.
When I met my form tutors, I at once knew that Ms Czumaj and Mr Barber, were the best. The best of the best.
Anyway, my first day was nothing to have been worried about except I might of got lost trying to find the toilets (I definitely did not).
Clubs are in abundance at Hampton. Hampton has something for anyone. Whether it’s building Lego or Beekeeping, Hampton will have it.
Concerts and performances… now that is something I could go on for ages about. We started off with the New Boys’ Concert, where I played Imagine by John Lennon. We then moved on to the senior play – Treasure Island. The Rock Concert was next – my band’s debut with a song every First Year will remember. ‘beep-beep beep-beep yeah!). Since then, The Senaxes have performed three times, and we have every intention of following the path of some of the senior boys who made emotional last performance in the summer rock concert. The finale was the performance of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – where I was helping backstage.
School trips helped foster new friendships, we kicked off with Avon Tyrell, and I look forward to many more school trips in the year ahead.
In sport, there are some excellent players and what I’ve learnt is that at Hampton even as a spectator -there is huge pride of what the teams have achieved – a great example is ESFA – the U12Bs and the Second XI won the cup. I hope England in the World Cup can match our boys’ triumph. On a personal level, I enjoyed my first golf match for Hampton – I hope we can have many more golf games as we move up to the senior years.
Finally, a big thank you to all the staff but especially Mr Barber, Ms Czumaj, Mr Hill, Mr Fuldner and of course Mr Jimenez who co-ordinates the blog to keep the school community communication thriving.
Wishing everyone a great summer holiday and I look forward to more Hamptonian adventures in September.
By Ethan V (1F)
What a year it has been. Right from start to finish, from New Boys’ Day to Prizegiving, it feels like everything that has happened this year has happened in a day. From tremendous highs to a few lows, the year has overall, gone well Let me give you a summary of this year, and how I am feeling about Second Year.
The First Year of Hampton School, 2025-26, kicked off with New Boys’ Day. It was a great day for both the teachers and the pupils to get to know each other. We also got to know our form mentors; each form had two helping hands to ensure the pupils got to know more about interests and life at Hampton. Then, around about two weeks into the official term, the teambuilding overnight stay at Avon Tyrrell, in the New Forest National Park near places like Dorset. It was an enjoyable trip, where different forms got to know each other better, so more friendship groups grew. Arriving after a 9am start from School, we quickly made the best use of the activities at Avon Tyrrell, as after a reenergising lunch, we headed off into a blend of fun activities. As night fell, I have vague memories of a guide walking us through the safe parts of the New Forest, telling us about the wildlife, and even a few tricks in the dark. The next morning, I remember the egg drop test, to see whose egg survived through methodical uses of material that the teachers gave us. After a swift raft building activity with breakfast and lunch, we headed back to Hampton School, after a good, and fun use of two days. There were many more trips in First Year that I really adored. The recent RS trip, along with an inquisitive, History trip to Windsor Castle were a few to mention. On the other hand, sadly, our Biology trip to Marwell Zoo was cancelled because of the extreme heat! This was one of the trips I was really looking forward to! My favourite day trip, however, was arguably the ESFA finals day. This was my first ever experience at a football stadium whilst seeing football live in front of a roaring and encouraging crowd. It was an extremely tough loss for the First XI, after a well fought battle, with the scoreline of 3-1 not showing how well Hampton really did play. However, on the other hand, the Second XI had a very successful match, from 1-0 down in the first half. As the header from because, it was not just a football match that we were watching, it was how First Years and other years can build friendships and stay as one in unity. This was one of the major reasons I loved this event.
The 2025-26 year was a year I am most likely never going to forget. My First Year at Hampton was for me personally a milestone as it was my first year in senior school; a big step up from primary school. I am looking forward to Second Year, looking for all the new opportunities, possibilities, and most importantly, keeping the bar high. I am most looking forward to the rowing taster sessions, as I am planning to try rowing in the Third Year.
Thanks to all the teachers and staff for making first year a brilliant year, and I hope to see all the First Year teachers around the School sometime soon!
SEE YOU IN SECOND YEAR!
By Avirat P (1H)
COUNTY CUP CHAMPIONS
On Wednesday I vividly remember leaving period 2 to meet at pitch C2. After we all met, we did our annual warm-up and fielding. We approached this final in a very calm and content way. This is something which will hopefully prove to be significant in the next few years of our cricketing careers.
Our captain (Jack B) won the toss and elected to bat. There were many stellar performances and after the final over, Hampton found themselves on 233/6. Then after wonderfully accurate and tight bowling our bowlers got them all out for 69 in the 17th over! Our top order batters: Ronak B, Jack B, Rishaan G, Tom J, Ryan A, Divam J scored well in many games. The openers often anchored the innings while our strong middle order added to the score. We also have brilliant all-rounders who batted very well. In every single game all the batters chipped in, and we always made a good score.
Bowling wise we had Felix P, Cullan D, Mahad H, Krishna T, Thomas D, Jack M, Gilby R and Barney D. This meant that we often got the unfortunate opposition team for an exceptionally low total. Our record this season was when we bowled Teddington School out for 22! However, these bowlers have sometimes batted higher in the order, likewise the batters sometimes had a chance to showcase their talent at bowling.
All 14 of us contributed to wining the Middlesex County Cup. Now, the U12s HAVE won the cup three times in a row! Our team is now qualified to play in the ESCA National Cup next year. Overall, our coach, Mr Roberts and Mr Green have worked extremely hard to coach us and keep our great winning streak. Both have truly been amazing coaches for us.
By Ronak B (1F)
PRIZEGIVING PRIDE
I am proud to say that this year I was invited to Hampton’s Lower School Prizegiving, which is an annual event to celebrate First and Second Years. The event took place this Tuesday after School, and I got two prizes: Headmasters merits and academic excellence.
The event started with Mr Fuldner giving a speech about what prizegiving meant. Next Mr Hill called out names, and Mr Knibbs congratulated us and gave us envelopes. The first prizes were for academic excellence, followed by prizes for all-round achievement, then merits, and then endeavour. To end there were specific subject prizes and sports awards. Going up the stage was a bit scary, but really fun!
Everyone then went to the cloisters, where an array of refreshments and food left us spoiled for choice: if you were adventurous, you could try goats cheese pizza; if you were thirsty, you could have some watermelon summer juice; but if you needed to cool down, you could have some Jude’s ice cream. Everyone was mingling about, and I met some of my teachers and both my form tutors, Mrs Willett-Pecnik and Mr Cates.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed getting my prizes and being called up to the Hammond stage twice.
Well done for making it through an academic year everyone and have a lovely summer holiday!
By Aahil U (1G)
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 Jay P (1H) on being named this week’s Tutee of the Week.
Jay is always being polite, helpful, and cheerful! Well done Jay!
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 LION 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: Ice cream is a combination of air, fat globules, liquid syrup, and what else? The answer is ice crystals! Big shout out to Ronak B, Zac N, Ruben V, Alex B, Alex W, Armaan A, Simon B, Aryun R and Hiu Yeung K.
This week’s challenge won’t award you any merits, but for the love of the game…
Whose office is this?
HINT: it’s someone you will get to know VERY well next year!
And all that’s left to say is…
Have a great summer and see you in September!
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