Welcome to the Third Year Blog!
In the words of the world’s most popular soft drink: ‘Holidays are coming, holidays are coming, holidays are coming’. The arrival of the advert that song comes from on our screens has become one of the more commercial Christmas traditions in the UK. This year it was put on their YouTube channel on the 3 November (yes, the 3 November!!!!). Like it or not, it certainly tells you that that Christmas is on its way, though the Third Year Blog will not be proactively listening to Christmas songs until the end of term. If we must listen to Cliff Richard singing about mistletoe and wine, let’s not get overexcited and commit to it too early.
Linked to this, the Third Year Blog is a firm believer in the value of the game ‘Whamageddon’. This originated on an online forum dedicated to Car Racing (many more things than we realise probably do originate on forums dedicated to Car Racing) and is a competition that anyone can take part in.
You ‘win’ if you manage to get from 1 December to 24 December without hearing any part of the song ‘Last Christmas’ by Wham. As soon as you hear it (even the tiniest part of it), you lose.
Hearing a cover version is OK.
Seeing the video for the song, but without sound, is OK.
But if you hear even one second of George Michael crooning about who he did or didn’t give his heart to and what that individual did with it, then you are OUT.
Of course, this has become a fiendishly difficult thing to manage in a world where we are all essentially swamped in ‘Christmas’ from midway through November onwards, but it is well worth your time.
While the Third Year Blog may be a grinch at heart, the rest of the School embraces Christmas more thoroughly, metaphorically sinking into its tinselly, cinnamon-scented embrace. The massive Christmas tree in reception is a giveaway. Christmas themed earrings and ties will start to appear. Soon, Mr Leafe will be wearing his Hull City Christmas jumper which, the Third Year Blog believes, is the only one in existence.
Either way, there are now only two weeks until the Christmas break. Does that mean that the high-octane Hampton lifeTM is slowing down? Noooooooooooo. Do you want to hear about? Yes!
Let’s gooooooooooooo!!
Heads of year Message
We are very grateful to the Third Year pupils who gave up their Saturday morning last weekend to help with the hosting of the 13+ entrance exam and we are equally grateful to those pupils who will be helping us as we welcome the 12+ entrance exam candidates tomorrow morning. All involved will, no doubt, remember their own entrance exam experiences and appreciate the value of a friendly greeting and considerate hosting around the school site. Thank you all and remember to sign off your well-deserved LION Merits!
Interform Competition
We have entered a busy period of term for interform events. This lunchtime, interform rivalries were resumed at the Penalty Shootout competition. Then on Wednesday 10 December “general knowledge” will be put to the test as we host the Interform Quiz in the Lecture Theatre. We’re always pleased when pupils get involved and enjoy these events either as players or as supporters.
Festive Events
There is plenty to look forward to between now and the end of term, including the Christmas Concerts on Thursday and Friday evenings next week, the School Carol Service on Tuesday 9 December at 7.45pm in St Mary’s Church in Hampton, and the Christmas lunch on Thursday 11 December. Whilst we are looking forward to many opportunities for festive merriment over the coming weeks, we hope that the boys will recognise the need to maintain good behaviour and mutual respect for teachers and peers throughout.
Third Years – Please remember to let us, your Form Tutors or the relevant subject teachers know if you are having any difficulties.
Enjoy the weekend.
Best wishes
Mr T Rigby & Mr H Moore
Scrum Power
There’s been plenty of action out on the rugby pitches this week, let’s hear more about it:
Middlesex Festival
On Tuesday 18 November, the U14A rugby team went to play in the Middlesex Tournament. We had three other teams in our group stage, and out of the three matches we won the first two relatively comfortably.
In our first game we played Turing House in which we won by 5 points to 0, with Ben H scoring our points. In our second game we played Gunnersbury Catholic School in which we played very well, winning 12-0. However, in the third game we played against UCS and at the 12-minute mark, when the game was meant to end, it was 5-0 (scored by Jaibir G after a well-timed pass from Finn M) for Hampton, but it was last play. This play continued to last another six minutes and eventually led to UCS scoring a try in the far corner, which they missed the conversion of. This meant that it was 5-5 at the end of the game, so it went down to points difference which meant that, sadly, Gunnersbury went through to the Cup, and we went through to the Shield.
In the Shield, we won our first game 7-0. Then, for our last game of the whole tournament, the sun had come out, and we were ready to leave everything on the field. We started of the game with a very nice try from Ben H which put us five points ahead. However, the other team came back well and returned the try. They then continued with that momentum and put another five points on the board. William B then joined us after a piano exam and that gave us a big morale boost, so we pushed up the field into their twenty-two.
It was the last play, and we were up in their twenty-two, we went blind side and sucked them in before going for a cross field kick out wide, but due to the conditions, as it was still windy, it was a very hard catch and unfortunately, we knocked the ball on and lost the game. However, we still played well and finished third in the shield. This was a great day for us as we played very well and progressed further in how we play as team.
By Magnus O’L (3G)
National Cup Success
A report from Jaibir G and Aaron J (both 3G) taking us through the final moments of the U14A National Cup fixture against St Benedict’s School:
The opposition was deep in our half, and Patrick and Ahaan had held up two attacks from the opposition. On their next attack, Christian O was unlucky in being unable to make a tackle on their centre, and they scored – fortunately, they didn’t convert the kick.
The score was now tight, but we were still in the lead and suddenly had a great chance to score. There was a gap in the defensive line and just as Ben H was about to score, we heard a shout from behind us. Their number eight looked like he had an injury, so the referee paused the time to check on him. After a brief check, and a quick recovery from the opposition player, our opportunity to score seemed to have gone. We still had the ball, as it was our scrum in their half. However, after we won the scrum, we unfortunately lost the ball and St Benedict’s were awarded a penalty. They kicked it through the posts, evening the score.
The end of the match involved both teams going back and forth with the ball and eventually the match ended with a draw! It was quite tense at the end of the game because we thought that St Benedict’s were going to win on points difference; however, luckily, we were awarded the win on away advantage and are now advancing into the fourth round of the National Cup!
Remembering the Holocaust – the KinderTransport
Earlier this week we all had the honour of listening to a man speak about his experiences of the Kindertransport and his memories of the Holocaust. Kurt was his name, and his entrance into the Main Hall was inspiring and emotional at the same time. We all gave him a large round of applause before he sat down and told us what he remembered.
Kurt talked about how he moved schools when he was eight when the Nazi Party were elected; he mentioned how he was oblivious and did not realise what was happening until the night of crystal or Kristallnacht (also referred to as the November Pogrom). He explained that they called that night the night of crystal because of the way broken glass lay shattered on the streets, and they looked like crystals to those who walked past. He described one of his most poignant memories after that, saying that his school was set alight as a small synagogue was burned during Kristallnacht. He then proceeded to ride his bike to his uncle’s butcher’s shop where he would usually expect a sausage and cucumber sandwich, but upon arrival, he saw that the shop was destroyed. However, he still did not fully understand what was happening.
When antisemitism became unbearable across Germany, the United Kingdom set up the Kindertransport (Child Transport) to rescue Jewish children from Germany. Luckily, Kurt was selected and made his way to England where a nice family met him and were willing to take him in. He said that he remembers the way the house did not have a toilet inside but had one at the end of the garden. For him, he said it was annoying especially at night and during the winter, however he knew that he will still get used to it.
Throughout his talk Kurt said that ‘he will get used to it’, showing that he had to forcefully adapt into social customs and norms that were not necessarily the same in Germany. It also signifies a complex mixture of hope, necessity, and the difficulty of assimilating into something new. It was widely believed at the time of the Kindertransport that the change would be temporary, and children believed this; however, this temporary expectation became a permanent reality, and the crisis was not over for many.
The saddest part of Kurt’s talk was when he mentioned his father’s last letter. He remembered the exact date of the letter and told us its contents; he said that his father had written to tell him that he and his mother were both moving to East Europe. Kurt believed that his parents were moving to a place with more opportunities. In actual fact, they were sent to Maly Trostenets where tens of thousands of Jews were murdered.
Kurt’s story is inspiring, poignant, and something we should all look up to and be motivated by. Kurt ended his talk with two messages: never discriminate against anyone and remember to make sure that we always know that we are lucky to have the education that we have. Kurt said that we would not believe that he was a good athlete in his younger years and that he was quite strong, so he fitted in well. Congratulations to him on behalf of his athletic achievements, but I think that his real strength is the way he persisted and adapted to a new environment when he knew that he did not have a choice, something I would not think of doing and something I hope I would not have to do.
I will forever remember what Kurt had to tell us about his memories of the Kindertransport.
By Ethan S-W (3H)
Third Years on the Water
This year I have started my Rowing career for the J14 squad. So far it has been a great experience and very rewarding to see my speed and fitness improve. It has also been a great chance to improve my teamwork as well because we all have to pull our weight to make the boat move quickly.
During, the training course there are also a lot of opportunities, including the joint rowing event with LEH last Sunday. Usually, our sessions are run separately, but this week we had the opportunity to do some races in mixed boats with people we had never rowed with before, sharing boats and equipment. It was a really enjoyable experience to work with people we’d never rowed with before and at the end we did some races and there was a medal presentation for the fastest boats. Although my boat didn’t get a medal, it was a fantastic rowing experience, and we had hot drinks and brioches afterwards, which made it even better.
Towards the end of term, we have our first race against St Georges on our home stretch of water in Hampton; I am racing along with seven other boys and our cox who steers the boat. As well as that we have many Head races in which crews set off about ten seconds apart from each other and the fastest time recorded across the day wins: these will be on several different parts of the Thames. We are also helping with our very own Head race this Saturday, which starts at Sunbury Lock and finishes near St Mary’s Church in Hampton. Although we are not racing, it will be a great experience to begin to understand the event for when we compete in the other Hampton Head race in January. I have really enjoyed my first few months in the boat club and it has been an amazing experience which I hope to continue up the school.
By Reuben N (3A)
Super Science
On the 13 November, I had the pleasure of being invited for the ISSP Science Day; a day where pupils from different schools visit Hampton, and the day is filled with scientific activities.
We were firstly sent to the Main Hall, and given our groups, before starting the day. Firstly, we went to Physics, where we constructed hot air balloons, learnt about buoyancy, and flew the balloons outside. Afterwards, we had a short break before going to Chemistry, where we investigated neutralisation and did a practical to find out what the required quantities of an acid and alkali were for neutralisation.
Then, we had an hour break for lunch, and then we went for Biology. In Biology, we learnt about enzymes and substrates through a practical. We put certain levels of pH liquid, dish soap, celery suspension, and hydrogen peroxide, and measured how the height of the foam, plotting it onto a table and discussing results.
After that, we arrived back at the main hall, sorted into groups of three, and had a tower building competition to see which group could build the tallest tower out of spaghetti and marshmallows. We then went back to normal period 7 and 8 lessons. It was a lot of fun, and a great, enlightening way to miss lessons on a Tuesday!
By Uzair SP (3G)
Horse Racing
On Sunday 23 November, I went to the Winter Ladies Day at the Royal Windsor racecourse. It was a very windy and cold day but it was very fun. There were seven horse jump races in total on that day. This means there are obstacles that the horses have to jump over. During the day, Santa also went around the racecourse, taking pictures and giving out presents like books to children. There was also a Christmas market.
It was a very exciting day with many people urging on the horses that they betted on. There was even a version of the Seven Nation Army being sung, changing the lyrics to ‘Low Expectation’ (the name of the horse who won one of the races). I presume that they had just won a bet on that horse!
Even though it was a fun day, it was very cold and the coffee lines were huge. I had to wait 30 minutes to get my dad a cup of Americano. Unlike Sandown Park, there are little indoor spaces and seating, so I think I prefer Sandown Park as a place to watch the racing, but it was still a cool experience and I would love to go again.
By Ian L (3J)
Thought experiment – what if Dinosaurs returned??
If dinosaurs returned to the modern world, daily life would change in dramatic ways. People would need to take great care when travelling, because huge animals like Triceratops or Diplodocus might wander across roads or through open fields. Large cities would need to build tall barriers and safe zones to keep both humans and dinosaurs protected. Scientists would rush to understand how these ancient creatures react to our climate, our food sources, and our technology. Many areas would become special reserves where dinosaurs could live without disturbing towns or farms.
Life at home would change as well. People who live near forests or countryside areas might hear the footsteps of giant plant eating dinosaurs at night, while meat eating species like Tyrannosaurus Rex would require strict security to keep everyone safe. Tourism would explode, with travellers coming from around the world to see living dinosaurs in special viewing parks. Jobs in biology, animal care, construction, and safety would grow fast as society learned to live alongside these creatures. It would be a mix of danger and excitement, creating a world unlike anything humans have ever experienced.
Ideas by Uzair A
Talk!
Hot on the heels of this week’s Talk! all about the world of AI avatars, on Tuesday 2 December we welcome award-winning author and broadcaster, Helen Castor, who will give us an illuminating insight into the life of Elizabeth I. Find out more here and join is in the Hammond at 1pm next Tuesday.
Three Truths and a lie
Last week our willing liar was Mr Berezhnoi. Can we possibly believe any of this? At least there are only two truths and a lie this time…
- Mr Berezhnoi previously worked on a farm
- Mr Berezhnoi is utterly, UTTERLY terrified of volcanoes
- Mr Berezhnoi is a blue belt in Jiu-Jitsu
So, a thing this exercise has taught us about Mr Berezhnoi is that he has previously worked on a farm. It also teaches us never to anger Mr Berezhnoi as he IS a blue belt in Jiu-Jitsu. What this means is that he isn’t terrified of volcanoes – we know this because he has previously climbed Mount Etna in Sicily.
This week, Mrs White, Third Year Tutor and Head of Russian, is our selected moral disgrace. Which of these offerings is the lie?
- Mrs White spent her childhood in Germany
- Mrs White’s favourite sport is figure skating
- While Mrs White LOVES ‘borshch’ (the traditional Russian beetroot soup), she has no idea how to cook it
Connection Corner
A big shout out to everyone who had a go at the last Connection Corner and well done those of you who answered all the questions correctly. Lots of you guessed that the correct connection was that they’re all Pies! Merits go to Alex B, Aaron J, Richard C, Liangxu Z, Caesar C, Milan S, Mehrad M, Charlie F, Jack T, Toby B, Henry B, Kolawole A, Callan B, George T, George M and George W.
Another tricky one this week, have a go and see if you can spot the connection:
In case you’re still perplexed, here are last week’s answers:
Which major tech company was founded by Steve Jobs in 1976? Apple
What is the name of the stadium where Fulham FC play their home games? Craven Cottage
What is a Jack-o’-lantern made from? Pumpkin
Hanger, porterhouse and strip are types of what? Steak
Connection answer: All types of pie (apple pie, cottage pie, pumpkin pie, steak pie)
Have a great weekend!
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