Welcome to the Third Year Blog!
Lordy BEANS it is hot.
Of course, the relentless heat afforded the pupils the exceptional privilege of not wearing a tie or a blazer today. This then affords the teachers the exceptional privilege of not having to tell pupils to put their blazers on or to tie their ties properly. This doesn’t let anyone on either side off from the the constant, never-ending ‘tuck your shirt in’ battle.
The specific trouble for this crop of Third Years is that there is nowhere for an untucked shirt to hide as the current Third Year ‘style’ of wearing your blazer with the buttons done up in order to obscure the fact that your shirt is untucked is not possible when wearing a blazer would probably result in you actually combusting.
In fairness to the pupils, almost any movement beyond breathing heavily seems to be enough to dislodge the errant polyester and the concept of ‘belts’ doesn’t seem to have reached the depths of the Third Year. In fairness to the teachers, there are very few things more likely to whisper ‘School code, School code’ in your ear than a squad of Third Years swaggering down the corridor with their shirts untucked. ‘Twas ever thus.
Even without ties and blazers, Hampton is still abuzz with activity, with the Third Year in particular throwing themselves into the summer term with the sort of gusto usually reserved for southern fried chicken on a Friday.
Let’s find out what they’ve been doing!
Heads of Year Message
Creative Careers Afternoon
Thank you in advance to the many superb external speakers who are coming into School on Wednesday afternoon to speak with Third Year pupils about their amazing careers in creative industries. We are sure that this will be an interesting and inspiring event. As always, we expect the highest standards of courtesy and behaviour from our pupils towards our guest speakers (which was evident during the RS talk earlier this week – well done boys!). Thanks also to Mrs Astrup and the UCAS & Careers department for arranging this afternoon.
Prizegiving
Congratulations to all the Third Year pupils who have been nominated to receive an award at our Prizegiving event next week. Their achievements are rightly recognised at this time of year and we look forward to applauding them on Wednesday evening. However, we are always very aware that prize winners (although worthy) are only a small representation of the achievements of the Year Group as a whole. We cannot award prizes for every effort grade 1, note played in tune, line rehearsed, goal scored, tackle made, ergo test completed, wicket taken, mountain climbed, or homework handed in on time, but this should not detract from the recognition of each of those achievements. Well done to everyone for what you have achieved this year.
Absences
If your child will be absent from School for any reason, please complete the absence reporting form, which can be found on My School Portal, on every morning of your child’s absence. For absences other than illness e.g. if a pupil has a dental or medical appointment during School hours, notice of this should be given in advance. For planned absences, please contact Heads of Year requesting the absence with as much notice as possible.
We hope that everyone makes the most of the remaining weeks of term. Please throw yourselves into the activities on offer and keep supporting one another with kindness. As always, do reach out to us or your Form Tutors if you are having any difficulties.
We hope you all have a lovely weekend!
Best wishes
Mr T Rigby & Mr H Moore
Cricket Galore
Hampton School U14s Reach Middlesex Cup Final with Convincing Semi-Final Victory.
Hampton U14s booked their place in the Middlesex Cup Final with a hard-fought 33-run victory over Merchant Taylors’ School at Northwood on Monday. After winning the toss, Hampton elected to bat first and posted 140 all out from their 30 overs. The innings was built around useful contributions throughout the order rather than one dominant partnership. Captain Rey J led from the front with 29, while Kailan S added an aggressive 27 and Dushyant P contributed 24. Hampton were also aided by 23 extras as they steadily accumulated runs despite regular wickets.
The opposition fought back well with the ball. Captain Arnav T was the standout performer, claiming 3 for 22 from his six overs and reducing Hampton from a solid 37 without loss to 51 for 3. Devashish T (2 for 24) and Edward B (2 for 30) also struck important blows, but Hampton’s lower order ensured the visitors reached a competitive total.
Chasing 141 for victory, MTS endured a difficult start against some disciplined Hampton bowling. Kailan S made the breakthrough and finished with excellent figures of 3 for 16, while Dushyant P matched him with 3 for 21. The home side slipped to 25 for 4 inside seven overs and were always under pressure thereafter.
Yusuf A briefly revived the chase with a positive 18, and wicketkeeper Muhammad D produced the innings of the match for MTS, striking 23 from 22 balls, including five boundaries. However, Hampton continued to chip away with wickets at regular intervals and never allowed a substantial partnership to develop. William P wrapped up the innings with two late wickets to finish with 2 for 20, while Wilf W and Oscar C also contributed a wicket each. MTS were eventually dismissed for 107 in the 24th over, handing Hampton a deserved 33-run victory.
The result sent Hampton School into the Middlesex Cup Final to face Latymer Upper, after a disciplined all-round team performance. The bowlers shared the wickets effectively and backed up a competitive batting display to secure a memorable semi-final win.
This took the boys to the Middlesex Cup Final the very next day…
Latymer School U14s produced a superb all-round performance to defeat Hampton School by 10 wickets in the County Final. After winning the toss, Hampton elected to bat first and posted a competitive 193-9 from their 35 overs. Captain Rey J led the way with an impressive 59, while William P contributed 39 in a crucial third-wicket partnership worth 84 runs.
Latymer’s bowlers maintained excellent discipline throughout the innings. Captain Max W and Arann G were the standout performers, each claiming three wickets. Max W finished with outstanding figures of 3-24 from seven overs, while Arann G’s 3-25 helped halt Hampton’s progress at key moments. Qasim D and Rhiyan S chipped in with a wicket apiece as Hampton were restricted to 193-9.
In reply, Latymer delivered a batting masterclass. Openers Max W and Arann G completely dominated the chase, putting together a remarkable opening partnership of 168 runs. Max W was in sensational form, finishing unbeaten on 117 from just 93 balls, striking 20 boundaries in a commanding century. At the other end, Arann G provided excellent support with 62 from 62 deliveries before becoming the only wicket to fall.
With the target well within reach, Qasim D joined Max W to see the side home, ending unbeaten on 7 as Latymer reached 195-1 in just 26.5 overs, winning with more than eight overs to spare. The victory completed a comprehensive team performance, with Latymer excelling in all departments. Captain Max W was the standout performer, contributing an unbeaten century and taking three wickets with the ball in a true player-of-the-match display.
RS talk on Forgiveness
On Wednesday, the Third Year received a talk about forgiveness from a man called Charles, who stepped in for his good friend Mike Haines who unfortunately couldn’t make it that day. To sum his story up, Mike’s brother was taken by ISIS in Syria where he was put into a cage and tortured along with other victims. Mike and his family would get frequent calls with updates on his brother’s worsening condition and could do nothing about it.
However, this would not affect Mike’s brother. He would constantly crack jokes, play games and do anything he could to keep morale high. One day, Mike and his family became aware of the death of a famous American journalist by ISIS. This was led to a fateful call back to Mike: his brother was next. There were pictures surfacing online about him and the horrified look on his face. The day after is where the worst came. Mike got one final call back and what it said was bone chilling: his brother was dead.
Now instead of holding this hatred in his heart and having to live with this his whole life, he forgave the terrorist group and said something that will stay with me forever, ‘If you hate them forever, then they have won’. Now Mike and his team fight for his brother’s cause and to make sure horrible things like this never happen again.
By Pablo RB (3G)
During periods 4 and 5 on Wednesday earlier this week, the Third Years all went to the Hammond Theatre to listen to an RS talk about forgiveness.
The talk was inspirational, in which Mike Haines’ friend shared Mike’s emotional story about his brother, David’s death. David worked to help refugees, regardless of race and culture, and travelled to Turkey and Syria to assist with the maintenance of a refugee camp. When testing how hard or easy it was to break into the refugee camp, David and a number of his colleagues were kidnapped by a terrorist group called ISIS.
Upon hearing the bad news, Mike instantly contacted the British government to help track down his brother. ISIS demanded a ransom for his brother and his colleagues to be released, but the British government were strictly against paying ransoms, as they thought it would directly contribute to and encourage more kidnappings.
As a result, David was tortured and murdered by the terrorist group. Two of the people who contributed to David’s death were captured and put on trial and although Mike was very sad, he travelled to America, put his hatred aside and told the ISIS members that he forgave them.
Mike said that he couldn’t let the burden of hatred weigh on his shoulders and let ISIS win, and that by forgiving the ISIS members he stopped them from achieving their goal. This talk taught us about how forgiving and letting go of hatred is a really great decision to make.
By Tanish K (3G)
History of Many things
A History of Hats in the Midwest
From the 17th to 19th century, which was also known as the fur trade era, the quest for beaver pelts drove a lot of the early exploration in the Midwest and Great Lakes regions. Beaver felt top hats and caps were the ultimate status symbol of the fur trade era.
In the Mid 1800s, during westward expansion, settlers wore a hodgepodge of styles, including bowlers, calvary, slouch hats and women’s prairie bonnets, where were normally not suited for the plains’ harsh sun, wind and thunderstorms.
Around 1865, Hatmaker John B Stetson revolutionised frontier headwear with his durable, wide brimmed, waterproof fur – felt hat. It quickly became the regional standard for cowboys, ranchers and labourers.
Now, as automobile use increased and modern business suits became the norm, hats faded as everyday fashion items in Midwestern cities, making way for casual baseball caps
By Rayan A (3G)
A History of Shoes
Good day to you, kind readers of this wonderful blog. I have unexpectedly found myself in the rather precarious situation of being asked to write a blog article and hence, here we are, talking about the wonderful yet curious history of shoes.
Looking at the more prehistoric era going as far back as 40,000 BCE we can see humans wrapped animal skins and sagebrush bark around feet. These wraps protected the soles of the humans from harsh, freezing elements and rough terrain. This continued for a very long time developing into the leather used to distinguish members of power within ancient Egyptian society.
This went as far 500CE until in Europe in the middle ages there were pointy shoes called Poulaines which dominated European royalty. Extravagant toe lengths directly signalled wealth, power, and freedom from manual labour.
In the industrial revolution from 1750CE – 1900CE, machinery replaced typical handmade stitching. Factories finally introduced distinct left and right shoes, replacing generic, straight-fitting leather footwear.
Moving into the present, we see an array of shoes which companies and sportsmen star turning such a simple animalistic beginning into multi-billion dollar investments and one of the most commercialised and popularized markets currently on the planet.
By Stephane A (3G)
Two truths and a lie
Last week, Mr Hall of the Classics Department was the teacher willing to debase his previously deeply held principles by lying to us. These were his claims:
- Mr Hall plays Grade 8 saxophone, with a focus on heavy, technical jazz
- Mr Hall never wears the same pair of socks twice
- Mr Hall once ate horse on the Tajikistan and Afghanistan border
So, in turns out that Mr Hall did once eat horse on the Tajikistan/Afghanistan border. It did not agree with him. He also has Grade 8 saxophone and is able to play heavy, technical jazz, which could be argued to match his flowing locks (flowing compared to the vast majority of male teachers at the school, at least). This means that he does wear the same pairs of socks, which is a relief frankly.
This week, we have Mr Malston. These are his claims:
- Mr Malston once survived an earthquake that registered at 7.1 on the Richter scale
- Mr Malston went up the World Trade Center on 10 September 2001
- Mr Malston won the school drama prize ahead of someone who subsequently won the Best Actor Oscar
Which is true? Find out next week…
Connection Corner
Well done to the everyone who had a go at last week’s Connection Corner. Merits go to all those who correctly guessed that the answers were all types of shorts. Big shout out to Alex B, George W, Caesar C, Jonathan T, Alex A, Ethan W, Asher C, Arjan C, Toby B, Charlie F, Reuben N and Mehrad M.
Why not have a go at this week’s fiendish Connection Corner:
- Mark Cavendish competes in which sporting discipline? Cycling
- What is the name of the mythical area in the North Atlantic Ocean where a number of aircraft and ships are said to have mysteriously disappeared? The Bermuda Triangle
- What term is used for the goods carried on a ship, aircraft, or other large vehicle? Cargo
- Rocky Marciano, Sugar Ray Leonard and George Foreman are all famous what? Boxer shorts
Connection – they’re all types of shorts.
