Welcome to the First Year Blog!
What a whirlwind week for our fabulous First Years! From storming Windsor Castle with the History Department to conquering the South Downs with Geography, they’ve been on a roll – or should we say, a royal ramble and a chalky challenge! Spirits are high, friendships are blooming, and with just one week to go until a well-earned half term break, the energy is electric. Autumn may be settling in, but our First Years are still full of spring in their step!
NO LIMITS, NO BOUNDARIES TO LEARNING!
Last Friday I had a wonderful time on No Limits Lessons Day. In History class, our teacher Miss Smith, asked us to bring Lego, Play-Doh, horses and toy soldiers. With those resources, we were split into groups in which we had to recreate scenes from what we have been learning about in History, the Battle of Hastings. These scenes included William the Conqueror arriving in Southern England and the Vikings fleeing after defeat in Stamford Bridge.
Those who portrayed the scene in the best and most imaginative way received points, and to make it even better, the top three teams with most points got academic merits. It was a fun and interactive experience that not only helped us to better understand the Battle of Hastings and what led up to it, but it also gave us a different perspective. Everyone had a blast, and it was just the beginning of another exciting day at Hampton.
By Miguel B (1B)
Take a look at some of the highlights from No Limits Lessons Day:
SOUTH DOWNS: SCARP, SHEEP, AND SPRINGTIME SURPRISES
The relentless wind blasted at us as we hiked up the rugged terrain of the South Downs. Hills stretched in every direction, dotted with animals owned by the local farmers. There were many sites of interest along the path we were taking, such as the famous Devil’s Dyke. According to legend, it was formed when the Devil wanted to dig a trench, allowing the sea to flow in and destroy the Kingdom of Sussex.
Every so often we would stop to learn about the complex geography of the South Downs. A lot of it involved looking for peculiarities in the surrounding landscape and then making links between them. For example, a lot of settlements are clustered by the foot of a steep hill. Also, chalk, the main type of rock making up the South Downs, allows water to pass through it. If it rains, then the water will go through the chalk until it hits impermeable rock. The water will flow sideways, which forms a spring by the settlement – an easy source of water.
After walking over seven kilometres on the South Downs Way, we arrived at the car park from which we were picked up by a coach. The trip has been beneficial to my understanding of geography, and I would love to go again, though preferably without too much more walking!
By Hiu Yeung K (1P)
This week, on Monday, was our trip to the South Downs. After morning registration, we (1G) headed to get our lunches from just outside the Dining Hall. They consisted of a sausage roll, sandwich, crisps, an apple and a freddo. Our year was split into two coaches. 1G were in coach two with 1H and our teacher for the trip was Mr. Harrison. The coach journey lasted about 1h 30mins and it was not long until we were treated to a beautiful view of the countryside. We started at Tottington Manor Farm, and the ascent of a hill marked the start of the journey. We made our first stop at the top of the hill where we were given a booklet that we would fill out at various points along our hike. One of the highlights was when we were met by cows at one of our stops! After a while, they moved out of the path, and we were able to carry on with our journey.
We learnt about the different types of slopes a scarp (a steep hill) and a dip (a gentler slope). After a few tries at making up a rhyme, one of our class members came up with: scarp is sharp, dip gives you grip. We even reached a triangulation pillar (the tallest point in the area!). The next key point on our journey was Devil’s Dyke where some people were chosen to perform a short play based on its legend. A special mention to the sheep whose occasional baas were the best bit! After that, we made our way back to the coaches. Unfortunately, it was time to go home, and our form returned to Hampton later that day with an overwhelming total of more than 50 merits earnt that day!
By Edin H (1G)
Catch up with some of the best bits from the South Downs Trip:
WINDSOR WONDERS: A CASTLE FIT FOR CONQUERORS
Week five of Hampton and it was time for our THIRD school trip! This time, a visit to the biggest castle in Great Britain – Windsor Castle. It was an incredibly fun day in which we got to investigate the fascinating history of this huge and beautiful castle which dates back to the 11th century. We learnt eagerly about the amazing defences that Windsor Castle provided William the Conqueror, who built the castle as an indestructible fortress, strategically located on the Thames.
We also learnt about the different parts of the castle – the motte and baileys. The motte, the main castle part, is the highest place in the castle. Back then, height was thought to be better and more powerful. This is where the Monarch lived, and it was the best protected place in the castle. The motte’s surrounding walls and towers are called the baileys. This is mainly for extra living space and to show off to other rulers. Windsor Castle has a total of three baileys, giving it an astounding total area of 52,609 m²!
We saw a Changing of the Guards Ceremony, where a new group of soldiers took over responsibility for guarding the castle. It was so colourful and dramatic. We were also lucky enough to visit St George’s Chapel where we saw the tomb of the late Queen Elizabeth II and Her husband, Prince Philip.
I really enjoyed the trip and felt like I was stepping back in time and experiencing history first hand. I even got to role play being a Knight in a fun activity about hierarchy! Thank you for a super trip!
By Alex B (1L)
On Monday we went to Windsor Castle, and it was an incredible experience. I really didn’t realise how much history was packed into the place until we got there. The castle is almost 1,000 years old and was first built by William the Conqueror in the 11th century, but over time, many kings like Edward III have transformed and renovated. Windsor is also a motte and bailey castle and was placed there to protect and guard the bordering bridge which is one of the only choke points to the route onto London. Many famous Kings and Queens have been buried there like Charles I and Henry VIII. All in all, the trip was extremely fun and a great way to learn all about the history of Windsor.
By Ranvi P (1P)
As I gazed out of the coach window, the iconic towers of Windsor Castle, first built over a thousand years ago by William the Conqueror, rose from the horizon. Getting off the bus, we started to make our way up the path. The historic fortress was surrounded by a smooth area of grass, sloping upwards in a steep curve. We entered the Learning Centre and dropped off our bags before beginning our tour of the castle.
During the day, we explored various places within Windsor Castle, such as St George’s Chapel and the State Apartments. Many artefacts and priceless art pieces were on display, each with its own minute details. Having a teacher to guide us around and explain the history of these artefacts really helped me to understand the rich past of this famous landmark. Overall, it was a fascinating experience with tons of interesting facts waiting to be discovered!
By Hiu Yeung K (1P)
Windsor Castle was an exhilarating experience! Upon arrival, we went through a series of checks and security, and then we plunged straight into education. Promptly after learning about star guest teacher Mr Cross and his adventures at Hampton, we began to think about or current topic, William the Conqueror. Why did he build Windsor Castle in 1070? What were the advantages and disadvantages? Why were the buildings immensely large? These were the questions to debate and ponder about. Soon after we began our stroll through the famous Windsor Castle. Peculiarly, there was a large chapel inside the castle. The class began to think it was because of the fact he was a strongly religious Catholic Christian. After having a bit of a walk, we sat down for lunch. After we went to the Learning Centre and began to learn about that the castle was a ‘motte and bailey’ castle and the weapons which were used to attack and defend the castle with all sorts of interactive activities too! Overall Windsor Castle was an enjoyable trip for everyone and a learning experience as well.
By Mahad H (1B)
As we set off a forty-minute journey to Windsor Castle, we had all settled down. We were all buzzing about this trip. Upon arrival, we were greeted by one of the workers at Windsor. We were lucky enough to be given a talk about the history of Windsor Castle. We learned about how William the Conqueror had settled down in England and built multiple castles which included Windsor! With a lovely demonstration of how strong Windsor Castle was, time had flown by, and it was already lunch! After finishing lunch, we set foot to explore the inside of the castle. There were lots of portraits of the various kings and queens of England and its neighbouring British Isles. The day had ended so quick it was like we time travelled! Looking back on the trip during the coach journey back, we saw what an amazing trip we had been on. What a day!
By Pesandu W (1W)
Avon Tyrrell Highlights
It may feel like a long time since your Avon Tyrrell adventure, especially with all the new experiences you’ve had since then! So, we thought it was the perfect time to remind you of what an amazing time you all had. Check out the highlights below:
TENNIS TRIUMPHS AND TOUGH MATCHES
Over the weekend I played a tennis tournament where I represented my county in the national finals. It was a thrilling experience where we played incredible matches and had so much fun off the court. On Thursday we got to the hotel where we got our rooms, and I shared a room with my buddy Osuke, He and I had played doubles together a lot. By the time everyone got there we all gathered and talked until it was time to eat our delicious dinner. After dinner we headed upstairs and slept until morning came and we headed to breakfast ahead of my first match against Kent.
After a tasty breakfast we headed to Nottingham Tennis Centre to warm up and they announced who would be playing. In the end I was excited but also nervous because I would start playing my first match against Kent. As I walked on court, I found it amazing, and the electric atmosphere was echoing through the tennis centre. After a good start, I recognised that it was fine to feel a bit nervous, but I handled it well after winning the first set 4-2. As the second set started, I had another good start and ended the match with a super shot to win it 4-2. I secured the win and put Middlesex in the lead two to one in the rubber. Then it came to doubles where we lost the first set 4-1 and managed to turn it around to win the second set 4-2 and sadly lost the final set 10-6. As we shook hands, I congratulated them on the win since we both played our hearts out. We sadly ended up losing to Kent 4-2 overall.
The next day we played Sussex, and we ended up losing my doubles 4-1 4-1 with not a great match with me and Osuke. In the end we lost to Sussex 4-2 overall. Then the next day we played Yorkshire which is a strong county and lost our doubles 4-2 4-2 and it was a good match where I played well. In the end we lost 5-1 to Yorkshire overall. On the last day we had to play Warwickshire where I played the singles against their number two and won 4-2 4-2 where we both showed outstanding tennis, and it was an entertaining match. Then I played the doubles with my good friend Philip, and we won from 4-2 3-1 down to win 2-4 4-3 12-10 in the tiebreak where I hit an outstanding winner to win the last match of the day. So overall it was an amazing experience and where I had fun and represented my County.
By Orlando G (1G)
RUGBY RUMBLES: TACKLES, TOUCH, AND TEAMWORK
On the Tuesday lunchtime there is one club out of many clubs, the Tuesday Rugby Club. This club is for the U12 age group who play Rugby, this is basically another training session to iron out some of the weak points of the team. For example, if in the previous game we struggled with passing and everyone was dropping the ball, then we would most likely warm up and then do passing drills. Then we may have a short game of touch or contact. It tends to be touch as the coaches don’t want us to get injured before a game, but sometimes when we are swapping drills some of the drills might be something to do with contact like rucking, or the coaches might say that we can lightly tackle the opposing team.
By Finley S (1W)
MOONCAKE MAGIC AT THE MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL
Over the weekend, my family had a big celebration for Mid-Autumn Day. It is one of the most important festivals in the Chinese tradition. In the past, families came together to celebrate the good harvest and share the happiness. It is also a time to wish your family good luck and fortune. Now, most people aren’t farmers, but we still come together to celebrate this special occasion.
It is a bit like Chinese New Year with eating dumplings but only with extraordinarily delicious mooncakes. Mooncakes are little pastries with many different fillings to choose from. My favourite is date and nut fillings. With the typical cloudy and rainy English weather, it was very fortunate for the day to be very clear, and the moon was shining as bright as a light bulb and as round as a circle. All of us came out and gazed at this spectacular sight as well as taking lots of photos. Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!
By Kevin W (1H)
BUZZING WITH EXCITEMENT AT BEEKEEPING CLUB
On Friday lunchtime, I visited probably one of the most unique clubs that Hampton has to offer. Beekeeping club. After buying a jar of their natural honey, six of us set off to go to the beehive. Ready and kitted up, we set off to the beehive shed located at the end of the sports fields. Upon entering the shed, there were nerves, but obviously excitement to learn something new. Honestly, I was scared at first to see hundreds of bees flying around all at once, but it shortly came to me that they meant no harm and they were just protecting the hive.
I enjoyed learning about the queen bee, and how the bees work together (they reminded me of Hampton’s expectations: the part where we work with each other, while aiming personal best). One of my favourite things about the activity was holding these small, but heavy panels of wood, where we could see many bees creating honeycomb on it.
A huge thanks to the Hampton School Community and staff who hosted it. I would strongly recommend beekeeping as a lunchtime club. It is fun, unique and a chance to learn something that you haven’t done before.
By Owen S-W (1L)
Biology Week
The final week of the half term is going to be a good one…it’s Biology Week, and there’s a whole host of activities for you to get involved in. Take a look at the poster below to find out more:
Food Bank Collection
Please support our Feltham Food Bank Collection on Friday 17 October. They are particularly in need of tinned meat, tinned tuna, coffee, washing pods and dried pulses. Please bring your donations to the front of School from 8.15am. Thank you!
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 Thomas F (1W) on being named this week’s Tutee of the Week!
Thomas is always unfailingly polite in all interactions with pupils and staff. He has shown fantastic enthusiasm for all elements of School life and has been great at helping other pupils settle in too – well done Thomas!
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 Mr Jimenez (v.jimenez@hamptonschool.org.uk).
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 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: Where might you find a Dr Who Tardis? In the Physics/History Quad with the Chess board!
A big well done to Edin H, Ruben V, Dominic B, Mikaeel K and Owen S-W.
This week’s challenge is:
Find the heaviest chemical element printed on the stone benches in the quad?
